The Great Jungle Safari

Finn opens both eyes and hears it right away: chirping, calling, the far-off drumming of woodpeckers. The explorer tent glows green in the morning light. Finn laces up the little hiking boots – left, right, double-knotted – and whispers: “Jungle, here I come.”

Finn opens both eyes and hears it right away: chirping, calling, the far-off drumming of woodpeckers. The explorer tent glows green in the morning light. Finn laces up the little hiking boots – left, right, double-knotted – and whispers: “Jungle, here I come.”

Over the campfire the banana sizzles in the pan and goes splutch-blubb-splutch. Finn giggles so hard that juice squirts right out of one nostril. Up on the tent pole a bright parrot puffs itself up and squawks: “Splutch-blubb! Splutch-blubb!” Finn wipes both eyes and finishes the banana.

Over the campfire the banana sizzles in the pan and goes splutch-blubb-splutch. Finn giggles so hard that juice squirts right out of one nostril. Up on the tent pole a bright parrot puffs itself up and squawks: “Splutch-blubb! Splutch-blubb!” Finn wipes both eyes and finishes the banana.

Then off Finn tramps. Between the first trees hang vines as thick as ropes, and dozens of butterflies in orange and blue whirl around the boots. The ground is soft and springs back at every step. Finn stretches both arms out and lets the fingers trail over the damp moss.

Then off Finn tramps. Between the first trees hang vines as thick as ropes, and dozens of butterflies in orange and blue whirl around the boots. The ground is soft and springs back at every step. Finn stretches both arms out and lets the fingers trail over the damp moss.

High above, branches rustle. A gang of monkeys hangs upside down, giggling: “Hoo-hoo-HOO!” Finn stops. “Where is the river?” The biggest one points right with a long arm – and then they all go shrieking from branch to branch, as if to swing the way ahead.

High above, branches rustle. A gang of monkeys hangs upside down, giggling: “Hoo-hoo-HOO!” Finn stops. “Where is the river?” The biggest one points right with a long arm – and then they all go shrieking from branch to branch, as if to swing the way ahead.

The river glitters through the leaves. But on the bank stands something that stops Finn short: a baby elephant, hardly bigger than a table, alone in the reeds. It trumpets softly – teet, teet – and stares with big round eyes at the wide water.

The river glitters through the leaves. But on the bank stands something that stops Finn short: a baby elephant, hardly bigger than a table, alone in the reeds. It trumpets softly – teet, teet – and stares with big round eyes at the wide water.

Finn steps closer, heart thumping. The river is so wide and so blinking bright that everything spins a little – what if a foot slips? Then Finn sees them: flat, sun-warm stones, one after another, right through the water. A big gulp. Then Finn kneels down, looks at the baby and says softly: “I'll go first.”

Finn steps closer, heart thumping. The river is so wide and so blinking bright that everything spins a little – what if a foot slips? Then Finn sees them: flat, sun-warm stones, one after another, right through the water. A big gulp. Then Finn kneels down, looks at the baby and says softly: “I'll go first.”

Finn sets the first foot on the stone. It wobbles a little – clink-clink – and the breath stops. Then: next stone, next, one more. The baby elephant plods along behind, and up in the trees the monkeys cheer: “HOO-HOO-HOO!” On the second-to-last stone the baby takes a giant leap – splash! – and soaks Finn from head to toe.

Finn sets the first foot on the stone. It wobbles a little – clink-clink – and the breath stops. Then: next stone, next, one more. The baby elephant plods along behind, and up in the trees the monkeys cheer: “HOO-HOO-HOO!” On the second-to-last stone the baby takes a giant leap – splash! – and soaks Finn from head to toe.

The other bank. Finn stands there dripping and laughing, knees still a little shaky. Then a trumpeting comes out of the thicket – loud and glad – and a big elephant steps into the light. She reaches out her trunk and greets the baby, trunk to trunk. Finn breathes out, the shoulders drop, and the sun lies warm on a wet cheek.

The other bank. Finn stands there dripping and laughing, knees still a little shaky. Then a trumpeting comes out of the thicket – loud and glad – and a big elephant steps into the light. She reaches out her trunk and greets the baby, trunk to trunk. Finn breathes out, the shoulders drop, and the sun lies warm on a wet cheek.

The big elephant lowers her head and snorts warm air – a thank-you straight to the heart. Then Finn heads home through the golden evening jungle, where the light falls warm through the leaves. The baby elephant trots alongside for a while and nudges its little trunk against Finn's hand, and everywhere the fireflies begin to dance.

The big elephant lowers her head and snorts warm air – a thank-you straight to the heart. Then Finn heads home through the golden evening jungle, where the light falls warm through the leaves. The baby elephant trots alongside for a while and nudges its little trunk against Finn's hand, and everywhere the fireflies begin to dance.

At the edge of the camp the baby elephant stops, trumpets once – teet! – and then slips away without a sound into the green, back to the herd. Finn pulls off the wet boots, crawls into the sleeping bag and lays a hand on the smooth stone, the one secretly carried home from the river. It is still warm.

At the edge of the camp the baby elephant stops, trumpets once – teet! – and then slips away without a sound into the green, back to the herd. Finn pulls off the wet boots, crawls into the sleeping bag and lays a hand on the smooth stone, the one secretly carried home from the river. It is still warm.