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silly.”
    â€œI’m always willing to give the benefit of the doubt,” answered God. “So let’s say that you looked peculiar.”
    â€œI have my reasons,” said the elephant.
    â€œI’ve come to expect nothing less,” said the cloud. “Though I assume, hopefully, that there is more to this than meets the eye.”
    â€œI want to be a bull.”
    â€œOy veh,” answered God.
    â€œI’m wondering if you can help me?” asked the elephant.
    â€œA bull?”
    â€œA bull.”
    â€œThere have been many requests to be a bullfighter,” said God, “but you are the first who wants to be a bull.”
    â€œI’ve been learning to snort.”
    â€œThere’s more to it than that,” began the cloud.
    â€œSNORT,” said the elephant.
    â€œNot bad,” said God.
    â€œAnd I’ve been running and learning to charge,” he gave a pause for breath. “And I even have a name for myself.”
    â€œCan I guess?” asked God.
    â€œEl Elefante,” said the elephant.
    â€œI was right,” said God.
    â€œHow did you know?”
    â€œIt just seems to fit, somehow,” answered God.
    â€œI think I’m getting pretty good,” said the elephant, none too modestly.
    â€œTell me something,” said God.
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œDo you, er, know what happens in a bullfight?”
    â€œPretty well,” said the elephant. “I’ve been watching some travelogues at the Mission, and one was about Spain.”
    â€œBut do you know,” asked God, “what happens at the end of the bullfight?”
    â€œWell …,” the elephant looked slightly perplexed. “No, not really. The projector broke down before it was over.” The elephant brightened up. “But there was talk about something to do with ears, and you know I have the largest set of ears you’ll find.”
    â€œThat’s true,” smiled God. “But …” The cloud lowered even more. “Come over closer,” said God. “I think it’s time we had a little chat.”

It’s Like Eyelashes
    The elephant was singing to himself and watching the butterflies. They swarmed around his head and fluttered beneath his trunk, sometimes brushing against his tusks. His small eyes darted excitedly about, lost in the colours. Even so, he did not fail to notice the cloud moving slowly across the sky.
    â€œIt’s like eyelashes,” said the elephant.
    â€œI beg your pardon?” asked the cloud.
    â€œThey feel like eyelashes when they touch me,” explained the elephant, who raised his head to look at the cloud. The movement caused the butterflies to float away on the air currents.
    â€œI see,” said the cloud.
    â€œSometimes they touch my eyes,” said the elephant. “With their wings.”
    â€œYes?”
    â€œIt tickles,” said the elephant.
    â€œAnd do you laugh?”
    â€œI giggle sometimes,” answered the elephant. “They give me a funny look.”
    â€œHave you ever stopped to think what you sound like to a butterfly?”
    â€œNo,” answered the elephant.
    â€œProbably like the voice of God.”
    The elephant chuckled at that for a moment and then grew silent. He blew a little gust of air to help a few tardy butterflies along and looked up at the cloud.
    â€œCan I ask you a question?”
    â€œEveryone else does,” answered God. “What have you got for me this time?”
    â€œIt’s about the butterflies.”
    â€œYes?”
    â€œHow come they only live for just a season?” The elephant looked down at the ground, then back to the cloud. “They’re so beautiful and so light … and friendly. And they do a great job of taking pollen everywhere and helping the flowers and plants. Why, they’re even making sure there’s going to be food for me, isn’t that right?”
    â€œThat’s