GLOBAL MYTHS NO 25
Another story from the travellers' grapevine
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.AN OLD friend of mine called Hilary told me about the time she took her three-year-old daughter, Karen, on holiday with her to Zimbabwe.
Karen was a marvellous little person to travel with: everybody loved her - from policemen to waiters - and she had the excellent habit of falling asleep every afternoon, just when Hilary was in need of a little time to herself.
One day, my friend had driven miles to a spot which was well-known as a watering hole for elephants and giraffes. Hilary carefully parked her car in the shade and was told by the waiting ranger to hurry up and climb into the viewing-tower, on stilts in the water, from where it was possible to view the animals drinking.
Would it be all right to leave Karen sleeping inside the car, with the window open, Hilary asked? Of course, he assured her, she would only be away for about fifteen minutes. The elephants would have no interest in the parked cars under the trees. What would disturb them, however, would be people walking around their water hole: that was why it was important to hurry up to the tower as the elephants were due to arrive and it could be dangerous to be around at ground level.
Sure enough, no sooner had they climbed into the viewing-tower than the whole herd of elephants, and a few loping giraffes, began to arrive. Big ones, small ones, they were soon milling round in the mud, crushing all the small shrubs and plants in their way.
Suddenly, in the distance, Hilary noticed a small white object between the feet of one of the large elephants. Could it be ...? Surely not ...? It was! Karen's hat! Hilary rushed down screaming to find that her daughter had woken up and opened the car door by herself.
At the sound of the screams, the protective wall of elephants parted, and Karen toddled out with a worried look on her face. "Stop screaming, mummy!" she said, "you'll upset the elephants."
Susan Needham
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments