by Marama Carmichael

Created on: March 24, 2008   Last Updated: January 09, 2009

Have you ever been down to Bingoola land, and the swamps of Elfezall? Where down by the river of Zoobidiller, live the elephants who love to play ball.

If you turn left at the tree of Pingoogalee, and head over the hill of Beebet, Then down in the valley of Wazzymajig, you'll find where our story is set.

There every day the elephants play, in the distant village of Elfeeno, except for a lonely, young elephant calf, who goes by the name of Pino.

See, Pino is clumsy and can't play ball, as he always falls over his nose, Or he'll sit on his hat, or trip over the cat, or he may even step on your toes.

Poor lonely, young Pino, he is so sad, as he sits by the sidelines each day. He waits and he waits and he waits, but no one ever asks him to play.

And then one day a chance came, when a team member had moved away. The elephants ooohed, and they ohhed, and they ahhed, but they finally asked him to play.

So Pino joined them out on the field, with a smile that lit up his face. They started the game, the ball shot past, and Pino began to give chase.

"Run! Run! Run!" shouted the teams, as they thundered after the ball. But with a crash and a thump, as he tripped over his trunk, Pino somersaulted into a fall.

One by one his team mates ran into him, as he lay in a heap on the ground. They were running so fast that they slid on the grass, and ended up in an elephant mound.

Pino's team mates were piled up in the center, a small mountain of elephants in size. The other team got the ball and shot a goal right in front of their eyes.

Pino's team mates were understandably angry, as they pulled themselves out of the heap. 'Stupid clumsy elephant!' they shouted, and poor Pino tried not to weep.

Stupid elephant! Clumsy elephant! Why do you always get in our way?' And the tears welled up in Pino's eyes, and he turned and ran far away.

He ran until he could run no more, and his heart was about to burst. He sat on the ground and looked all around and began to fear the worst.

Where was the river of Zoobidiller, and the swamps of Elfezall? Where were the lands of Bingoola, and the elephants who loved to play ball?

As Pino sat in the cold, dark forest, he began to feel lonely and sad. Where were the elephants of Elfeeno, and where were his Mum and his Dad?

And then with a thunk something fell onto his trunk, and he leaped back in fright. Whatever it was, slipped off his trunk and vanished into the night.

And then from the ground he heard a small sound, as an animal began to cry. So he looked all around

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