Story for children: JOMBO AND RAMBO

There lived on the banks of the mighty Congo River in Africa a herd of elephants. The one elephant in the herd which was head and shoulder above others was a bull named Jombo. Jombo was 11 feet tall and weighed more than ten tons. His tusks alone weighed about 250 pounds each. At the very sight of Jombo, even the lions underwent a heart-tremor.

One afternoon, Jombo was escorting his mother to a riverside water hole when he saw a hippo standing under an Umbrella Thorn tree. His name was Rambo, a hero among hippos of the area, strong as a bulldozer. Jombo knew hippos were very dangerous to come to face-to-face with.

Though they were vegetarians, they are given a wide berth by other forest animals, including lions and crocodiles. For this reason, elephants are scared of hippos as much as they are fearful of carnivorous animals like lions and leopards.

Coming to the story, when he sighted Rambo the hippo, Jombo charged at him, letting out an ear-piercing trumpet. He wanted to kick the life out of Rambo with his timber foot. Rambo did not try to run.

The mother elephant was quick to pull up Jombo. She said admonishingly, "Hey, wait a bit my son. You don’t remember him since you were a calf when he saved you from certain death. But for him, you would have long back been eaten up by the notorious crocodile twins, Big-Jaw and Jaw-Big. He fought and drove them away, risking his life.

You have grown, before his very eyes, from a small pink calf to a gigantic bull elephant which you are now." His mother went on to narrate the drama, recalling what happened on that fateful afternoon frame by frame.

*************

It was a hot afternoon. Jombo along with his mummy went to the banks of the Congo River to bathe, drink, and play. His mummy watched over him when he was frolicking in the cool Congo water. All of a sudden, the dreaded Big-Jaw and Jaw-Big surfaced like huge submarines on both sides of Jombo. Jombo’s mother was paralyzed with fear. Jombo screamed and started wading frantically towards the shore.

The crocs would have torn him apart but for the timely intervention of Rambo the hippo. The Good Samaritan hippo crashed into the water and grabbed Big-Jaw with his cave mouth with those terrible teeth and flung it afar as if it was a house lizard.

The blood spurting from a gaping wound on Big-Jaw’s neck made the river water turn red. It lay motionless on its back showing its under belly, probably dead or dying.

Seeing its twin brother's fate, Jaw-Big turned tail and fled the scene. Baby Jombo stood trembling, expecting a similar treatment from Rambo's mouth. But Rambo did nothing of the sort. After pushing the calf towards his mother, he quietly ambled away.

****************

Now, Jombo too remembered hazily that distant event. Even elephant calves possess a great deal of memory power. Prompted by his mother, he saluted his savior, raising his trunk and letting out a hoarse trumpet. Rambo turned and acknowledged Jombo’s gratitude, blinking his big bulgy eyes and pricking his periscope ears.