Ellie the Elephant’s Big Change
By Bill Conley – America’s Favorite
Children’s Storyteller
Moral of the Story:
Even when families change, the love from both parents stays strong.
It’s okay to feel sad, scared, or confused when things are different.
No matter where you live or who you’re with, you’re never alone.
Your parents’ love is not divided—it’s doubled, just in two homes.
You can always talk about your feelings—your voice matters most.
You are not the reason for divorce; it’s grown-up problems, not you.
Love is bigger than any house, town, or change—it goes where you go.
Your heart can grow even stronger when you see love in new ways.
In the warm grasslands of Savannah
Grove, under the shade of a giant baobab tree, lived a gentle young elephant
named Ellie. Ellie loved splashing in the waterhole, rolling in the mud with
her friends, and curling her trunk around Mama Elephant’s tail when they walked
through the tall grass.
Every evening, Papa Elephant would
return from his work near the river. He’d lift Ellie up with his big, strong
trunk, and she’d squeal with laughter. Then the three of them would share
stories as the sun dipped behind the hills, turning the sky orange and pink.
But lately, Ellie noticed that Mama
and Papa Elephant didn’t laugh as much anymore. Sometimes they’d whisper when
they thought she wasn’t listening. Sometimes Papa slept under the faraway
acacia tree instead of beside Mama near the baobab.
One evening, Mama and Papa asked
Ellie to sit between them under the old tree. The air was warm, but Ellie’s
tummy felt cold and twisty.
“Ellie,” Mama began gently, brushing
a leaf from Ellie’s ear, “we need to talk about something very important.”
Papa looked at Ellie with soft eyes.
“Little Ellie, you know Mama and I love you more than anything in this whole
wide world.”
Ellie nodded, wrapping her trunk
around Papa’s leg. “I know,” she whispered.
Mama took a deep breath. “Sometimes,
even grown-ups can’t fix certain problems, no matter how much they want to.
Your Papa and I have decided that it’s best for us to live in different parts
of the grasslands.”
Ellie’s ears drooped. “What does
that mean?” she asked, her voice so tiny it almost floated away with the
breeze.
Papa’s trunk touched her cheek. “It
means that you’ll spend time with Mama in our home here, and some days, you’ll
stay with me near the river. We won’t live together anymore, but we will both
always, always be your parents.”
Ellie’s heart thumped fast. “But
why? Did I do something wrong?”
Mama’s eyes filled with tears. She
wrapped her trunk gently around Ellie’s shoulders. “Oh, Ellie, no. You didn’t
do anything wrong. This is not your fault, not one tiny bit. This is a grown-up
problem that we tried so hard to fix, but we couldn’t.”
Papa nodded. “We both love you so
much, Ellie. That will never, ever change.”
Ellie’s eyes brimmed with tears.
“But if you’re not together, what will happen to me?”
Mama hugged her tight. “You’ll still
be you—our smart, brave Ellie. You’ll still splash in the waterhole and play
with your friends. You’ll still have bedtime stories and warm meals, and hugs
from both of us. It will just look a little different.”
Papa stroked her head. “You’ll have
two cozy places to call home. And guess what? You’ll get extra adventures—two
special rooms, two spots to keep your favorite things, and two places where
you’re always safe.”
Ellie sniffled. “Will you still love
each other?”
Mama and Papa looked at each other.
There was a long silence, then Mama said softly, “We care about each other,
Ellie, but sometimes caring means knowing when to give each other space to be
happier apart. We both want to be the best Mama and Papa for you.”
Papa lifted Ellie’s chin. “And our
love for you is bigger than the biggest herd in the savannah. That’s forever,
Ellie. Even if we’re not together, our love for you is always together.”
In the days that followed, Ellie
felt many feelings all at once—sad, confused, even a little angry. Some days
she didn’t want to talk. Other days, she asked Mama lots of questions: Where
will Papa sleep? Will he still visit when I have my birthday? Who will take me
to the waterhole?
Mama answered every question, no matter
how many times Ellie asked. Sometimes Papa would walk with her by the river and
say, “Ask me anything, Ellie. Even if you’re scared. I’ll always listen.”
When Ellie’s friends found out, they
gathered around her under the baobab. “My cousin’s parents live apart too,”
said Leo the Lion Cub. “He says he has two treehouses now. That’s cool.”
Ellie smiled a tiny smile. Maybe it
could be okay—different, but okay.
When Papa moved to his new place
near the river, Ellie visited for the first time. Papa showed her the cozy nest
he made just for her, with her favorite blanket and a new picture book. “This
is your home too, Ellie,” he said. “Your special place with me.”
On her first night in her new room
at Papa’s, Ellie felt nervous. But Papa read her three stories, just like
always. Mama came by the next morning to pick her up for a walk. Ellie realized
then that even though her world had changed, the parts that mattered most were
still there—Mama’s hugs, Papa’s stories, and the way they both said “I love you”
every single day.
One evening, Ellie sat under the
baobab tree with Mama. “Mama, will everything be okay?” she asked.
Mama kissed her forehead. “Yes,
Ellie. It might feel strange for a while. Sometimes you might feel sad or angry
again. And that’s okay. Just tell us how you feel. We’ll listen, and we’ll be
here. Always.”
Ellie wrapped her trunk around
Mama’s tail, just like she used to. She saw Papa walking toward them, carrying
a basket of sweet berries just for her.
In that moment, Ellie felt something
warm grow in her chest. Her family looked different now—two places, two
parents, two homes. But her heart knew what her parents had promised all along:
their love for her hadn’t split in two. It had only found new ways to surround
her from every side.
And no matter where she slept, who
made her breakfast, or which tree she sat under, Ellie knew she was deeply,
wonderfully, forever loved.
Moral of the Story Poem:
When things change at home and tears come too,
Remember their love wraps all around you.
You did nothing wrong; you are not to blame.
Your parents love you just the same.
Two cozy places, two homes to roam,
Your heart’s forever their favorite home.
Speak your worries, your fears, your dreams—
Love stays strong through every change, it seems.
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