By Margo Wayman
Abu and Sian were two mischievous elephants that lived near Aswan, in the Nile River. Abu had big floppy ears, four trunk-like legs, two long, ivory tusks, and tough, leathery hide. Sian looked much the same, however, she was bigger than Abu.
One day, the two of them were swimming about in the Nile, when Abu spotted a felucca sailing down the river towards them. Sian, here comes a boat. Lets squirt the people in it, he suggested.
Sian began to laugh. That sounds fun. Quick, get under the water, then when they pass nearby, jump up and squirt them.
The felucca, with its fluttering white sail, floated by, unaware of the two elephants hiding under the water. Suddenly, Abu and Sian jump up and drench the people in the boat with a shower of river water. Oh no, Im all wet, shouted a woman. Her hair was dripping like two soggy, limp ropes.
My new suit is ruined, cried a man, trying to wipe the water off of his jacket.
Abu and Sian laughed, and laughed, at the people as the felucca sailed away.
Ali, the man who was taking the tourists out for a sail, was very angry at the elephants, but they didnt seem to worry about it, and kept on laughing.
Soon they were back swimming about in the river. A little while later Abu spotted another felucca sailing towards them. Another boat, he laughed, pointing with his trunk.
The two elephants ducked under the water. As the felucca sailed by, with its white sail rippling in the hot desert wind, Abu and Sian jumped up and sprayed everyone on the boat. A little boy started to cry when he got squirted in the face. His mama wasnt happy with the elephants. Abu and Sian laughed, and laughed, as the felucca sailed away.
The elephants went back to swimming around in the beautiful blue water of the river Nile. As the sun lowered in the sky, the elephants got out of the river and lay in the papyrus reeds that grew along the Niles banks. Theyd had a busy day of swimming and spraying, and were feeling tired. Abu soon fell asleep, followed a while later by Sian.
The two feluccas sailed back up the river and noticed the sleeping elephants. Remembering what the elephants had done, Ali said, Shhh, I have an idea. He motioned for the other felucca to follow him. They docked their boats along the side of the Nile and climbed out very quietly. The little boy and his mama followed, so did the man in the suit, and the woman with wet hair. Ali grabbed a hose that was attached to a faucet on a well. It was used to provide water for the camels that carried people back and forth.
Ali carried the hose and walked up to the sleeping elephants. He mouthed the words, Turn it on, to the man in the suit. The hose burst to life, as Ali squirted the elephants with icy cold water.
Abu and Sian jumped up. Abu screamed, Ahhhhhhhhh, thats cold! His trunk swung around madly as he tried to protect himself from the spraying water.
Sian danced about, smashing all the reeds around her. Stop it! Stop it! Turn that water off! she trumpeted.
Ali started to laugh. The little boy started to laugh, so did his mama. The man in the suit burst out laughing, as did the other boat owner.
Abu and Sian stomped up and down on the ground. Water ran down their faces into their mouths, dripped off of their eyelashes into their eyes, and ran into their ears. They were angry.
Now you know how it feels, chortled the little boy. The people turned and walked away, got back into the feluccas and sailed away.
The two elephants stood in silence. They realized that it wasnt fun to be sprayed, after all. From then on, when the two elephants were playing in the Nile, they never squirted the people who sailed by in feluccas again. Instead they waved hello with their trunks and trumpeted happily.