Through a curtain of thick green vines, the little elephant stepped forward — and stopped.
A woven basket sat in a pool of sunlight, bursting with mangoes, papayas, and round golden oranges.
He wrapped his trunk around the basket, tipped his head back, and smiled. The sweet smell wrapped around his ears like warm honey.
He pulled and tugged, but the basket wouldn't move. With a loud clatter, it tipped over — three mangoes rolled into the grass.
A chorus of rustles answered him — little monkeys, a wide-eyed deer, and a sleepy tortoise peeked out from behind the flowers.
His tummy rumbled too. He looked at the fruit, then at his hungry friends.
Carefully, he began handing out mangoes — one by one.
The monkeys bounced with delight. The deer munches happily. And the tortoise let out a surprised squeak when he got an orange.
"Thank you, Eli!" chattered the monkeys, swinging from a low branch above.
The deer chewed slowly, eyes half-closed in pure contentment.
The little elephant sat back against the empty basket and grinned so wide his whole face wobbled.
Laughter rippled through the jungle as golden light painted everything in warmth.
