The Tailor and the Elephant – A Moral Story for Kids in English

The Tailor and the Elephant is a moral story about a playful prank, a splashy lesson, and a beautiful friendship between a tailor and a gentle elephant.

Packed with fun, emotion, and a strong moral, this story teaches kids about kindness, respect, and the power of saying sorry — all in a fun and simple way!

The Tailor and the Elephant – Let’s Read

A small, cheerful village was in a faraway land, nestled between green hills and winding rivers.

This village was full of happy people, playful children, and homes painted in bright, joyful colours—yellows, blues, and reds.

Birds were chirping from mango trees, cows were resting in the shade, and little shops lined up on both sides of the bustling market street.

A small but lively shop stood right in the centre of that market. Its colourful fabrics—red silks, bright orange cotton, and shiny golden borders—fluttered in the breeze.

Threads were hanging like rainbows, and buttons sparkled in the sunlight. This little shop belonged to a tailor named Ravi.

Now, Ravi wasn’t just any tailor—he was the best in the village! His hands moved so quickly that you’d blink and a shirt would be stitched!

The sound of his sewing machine went “tak-tak-tak-tak” all day long.

People from nearby villages also came to him when they needed clothes stitched for special occasions, like weddings, birthdays, or religious festivals.

But even though Ravi was talented and hardworking, there was one tiny problem… He had a very short temper.

If a customer asked too many questions, a child touched his sewing machine, or someone sneezed too loudly, Ravi would snap like a dry twig!

“Don’t waste my time!” he’d shout.
“Can’t you see I’m working here?” he grumbled.

People liked his work but were a little scared of him, too. Kids called him “Grumpy Ravi,” though never to his face!

Still, deep down, Ravi wasn’t bad—he didn’t know how to deal with his anger. And little did he know, someone huge and kind was about to teach him an important lesson…

Meet Gajraj – The Gentle Elephant

There was an old and peaceful temple in the same lovely village near Ravi’s shop.

It stood under a big banyan tree, its stone walls covered in carvings and flower garlands.

The temple bells would ring softly every morning, and people came to pray, light lamps, and start their day with peace.

But the real star of the temple wasn’t the priest… it was a big, gentle elephant named Gajraj.

Gajraj wasn’t just any elephant—everyone in the village loved him! He lived in the temple’s backyard, in a cozy shelter built just for him.

The temple caretakers treated him like family. He wore shiny silver anklets on his legs; they even painted colorful patterns on his forehead during festivals.

Every morning, after the sun rose, Gajraj bathed in the river. He sauntered through the village lanes, his ears flapping gently, his trunk swinging.

Children would run out of their homes to wave at him.

Some would even bring him bananas or sugarcane. He would bless them by placing his trunk softly on their heads.

Even the shopkeepers and street vendors greeted him with a smile. Some gave him fruits, others waved and said, “Good morning, Gajraj!”

And guess what? Gajraj had a favourite nearby stop—the tailor Ravi’s shop.

A Sweet and Funny Friendship Begins

Every day, as Gajraj passed through the market after his bath, he would pause outside Ravi’s tailor shop. He was curious!

All the colourful fabrics, shiny threads, and that funny “tak-tak-tak” sound from the sewing machine made him stop and peek inside with his big, floppy ears.

At first, Ravi didn’t like it.

“Why is this elephant standing here?” he grumbled one morning. “He’s blocking my light!”

But Gajraj didn’t mind. He gently stretched out his long trunk and picked up a soft piece of leftover cloth from the table.

He didn’t eat it—just played with it like a toy and gave a small happy trumpet. “Prrrphhh!”

Ravi rolled his eyes. “Silly elephant,” he muttered, but he didn’t chase him away.

The next day, Gajraj came back again. This time, Ravi was in a better mood. He took a small banana from his lunchbox and tossed it to the elephant for fun.

Gajraj caught it with his trunk and ate it happily, flapping his ears as if to say, “Thanks, buddy!”

And guess what? That’s how it started!

Day after day, Gajraj and Ravi became a little closer. Ravi would keep a banana or some fruit ready just for him.

Sometimes he’d even scratch behind Gajraj’s ear with a stick while taking a break from stitching. Gajraj loved that!

The villagers started smiling whenever they saw the two together. “Looks like Mr. Grumpy found a big soft friend!” they joked.

And honestly? Ravi didn’t mind. He had started looking forward to those few quiet minutes when Gajraj stopped by.

It was a sweet, unexpected friendship—a short-tempered tailor and a calm, loving elephant.

But… one day, something happened that turned everything upside down.

The Mean Prank That Changed Everything

One hot afternoon, the sun was shining super bright, and even the breeze had gone for a nap.

Ravi was sweating at his sewing table, stitching a heavy sherwani for a wedding order. He was tired, hungry, and honestly—a little annoyed.

Just then, like always, Gajraj walked by, gently flapping his ears, and peeked into Ravi’s shop with big, kind eyes.

He reached out his trunk, expecting his usual banana or maybe a kind pat on the head.

But Ravi, already irritated from the heat and work, got a mischievous idea.

“Hah!” he chuckled to himself. “Let’s play a little prank on Mr. Big Ears today.”

Instead of giving him fruit, Ravi picked up a piece of old cloth, soaked it in dirty, black ink from his sewing pot, and quietly held it out.

Gajraj, trusting as ever, gently took it with his trunk, thinking it was a treat.

But when he touched the ink-soaked cloth, it made a big mess! The black ink got on his trunk, dripped on the ground, and some even got on his pretty silver anklets.

Gajraj blinked in surprise. He didn’t understand—why would Ravi do this?

People nearby saw what happened and laughed loudly. Some kids even pointed and giggled.

Ravi laughed too. “Got you, Gajraj! What a mess you are!”

But Gajraj didn’t laugh.

He looked at Ravi quietly, with his big, calm eyes. Then, without a sound, he slowly turned around and walked away… trunk dragging just a little.

The Next Day – A Big, Splashy Surprise!

The next morning, the village woke up to the usual sounds—roosters crowing, temple bells ringing, and shopkeepers opening their shutters.

Ravi, as always, was back at his sewing machine, stitching away with his usual “tak-tak-tak.”

He had forgotten entirely about the prank from the day before. To him, it was just a silly joke. He didn’t think Gajraj would mind.

But… Gajraj hadn’t forgotten.

Like always, the gentle giant sauntered from the river after his bath. But this time, he wasn’t alone.

Tucked inside his trunk was something special… a trunk full of cold, muddy water from the river!

As he reached Ravi’s shop, Gajraj didn’t pause or wait for fruit.

He took one big step forward, lifted his mighty trunk high in the air, and—
WHOOSH!!!

He sprayed all the water right at Ravi!

It splashed everywhere—on Ravi, the sewing machine, the table, and even the bright fabrics hanging outside the shop!

Ravi was soaked from head to toe. His hair was dripping, his clothes were ruined, and his face was covered in mud splashes.

The villagers were shocked at first. But then, they couldn’t stop laughing!

“Looks like Gajraj got his revenge!” someone said.
“Well deserved!” giggled a little boy.
“Ravi needed a bath anyway!” joked another.

Even Ravi, once he wiped his eyes and realised what had happened, sat down on the floor and burst out laughing too!

He finally understood—he had hurt a friend, and his friend had taught him a lesson. But not with anger… with a splash of water and a big heart.

Saying Sorry and Becoming Best Friends Again

After all the splashing and laughing had settled down, Ravi looked at Gajraj… who was now standing quietly, almost like he was saying,
“Now you know how it feels, friend.”

Ravi slowly stood up, his clothes still dripping wet. But this time, he wasn’t angry. He gently walked up to Gajraj, patted his muddy trunk, and smiled.

“I’m sorry, buddy,” he said with a laugh. “That prank yesterday was mean. I shouldn’t have done that. You didn’t deserve it.”

Gajraj blinked his big eyes and gave a soft trumpet sound — “Prrrhh!” — as if to say,
“It’s okay… just don’t do it again!”

From that day on, their friendship grew even stronger. Ravi stopped playing silly pranks and became more patient and kind — not just with Gajraj, but with everyone.

He even stitched a bright, beautiful blanket with red, green, and golden patterns just for Gajraj and gifted it to him during the temple festival.

Gajraj wore it proudly, walking through the streets like a royal elephant!

Every day, without fail, Gajraj still stopped by the tailor shop.

But now, he didn’t just get a banana — he got a warm smile, a kind word, and sometimes even a little head massage from his best friend.

The villagers often said,
“That elephant didn’t just teach Ravi a lesson… he taught all of us about kindness, respect, and never hurting someone who trusts you.”

Moral of the Story

“If someone trusts you, be kind to them. Don’t break their trust for fun. True friendship is built on love, respect, and understanding.”

What Kids Learn from This Story

1. Be Kind to Your Friends: When someone is nice to you, it is essential to treat them kindly in return. Gajraj was always sweet to Ravi, but Ravi hurt his feelings with a prank. This shows why we should never be mean to our friends, especially when they trust us.
2. Don’t Hurt Others for Fun: Playing jokes or pranks can sometimes hurt people’s feelings. What may seem funny to you might feel upsetting to someone else. It’s better to make others smile with kindness instead of tricks.
3. Say Sorry When You’re Wrong: Everyone makes mistakes, but a real hero is the one who says, “I’m sorry” and tries to fix them. Ravi realised he had done wrong and apologised to Gajraj, which made their friendship even stronger.
4. Forgiveness Makes You Stronger: Gajraj didn’t stay angry forever. Instead of hurting Ravi back, he taught him a funny but gentle lesson. Forgiving someone doesn’t make you weak — it makes you kind and wise.
5. Respect Every Being: Elephants, animals, and even people who speak less can feel emotions too. Just because someone can’t talk back doesn’t mean their feelings don’t matter. We should respect and care for all beings.

Follow-Up Questions For This Story