The Elephant and the Tailor
After sewing an undersized vest for an elephant and reacting angrily, a tailor gains wisdom on patience and careful judgment from the memorable experience
There once lived a tailor named Zack in a bustling town in India. Zack was very skilled at sewing fine clothes for all the people in the town.
One sunny morning, Zack was cutting fabric in his shop when suddenly an enormous elephant from the king's palace marched in!
Zack was scared of the giant elephant who filled up the tiny shop. But the elephant politely asked "Will you please sew me a lovely new vest? I will pay you well."
Though nervous, Zack agreed. He carefully wrapped his measuring tape around the elephant's wide belly to take its size.
The elephant trumpeted "I shall return in one week to collect my new vest." Then he lumbered out.
Zack was determined to make the finest vest for the royal elephant. He stitched diligently with colorful silks, embroidering lovely patterns on the fabric.
On the day the elephant returned, Zack held up the completed vest proudly. But then he gasped - it was too small for the elephant now!
In frustration, Zack jabbed the elephant's trunk with a needle. The elephant cried out and angrily sprayed water on Zack before stomping away.
Zack was left soaked in his flooded shop. But he realized he should not get angry and violent. And he learned to never judge a size based on one meeting.
From then on, Zack practiced patience daily in his work. And when the elephant returned months later for a bigger vest, Zack simply smiled and took new measurements.
The elephant gifted Zack gold coins for his graciousness. Zack learned that patience and care pay off far more than anger and judgment.