Once there was a Daddy and a Mammy Elephant, and they had a little Baby Elephant.

When Daddy Elephant came home one day he found his dear little Baby Elephant crying great big tears!

And Daddy Elephant kissed him, and said, “Why, what’s the matter with my little Baby Elephant?”

And Baby Elephant said, “Why, Daddy, I’ve worn my stockings all out, and I haven’t any more to put on.”

“Is that all?” said Daddy Elephant. “Well, come along, and we will go and see if we can find some stockings for you.”

So they went a long way, through the Jungle, until they came to Mrs. Lion’s store, and they went in.

“Good morning, Mrs. Lion,” said Daddy Elephant, very politely. “Have you some stockings that you will sell me for my little Baby Elephant?”

“Well, now, Daddy Elephant,” said Mrs. Lion, “I don’t believe I have any that would fit him; they are all so small. But if you’ll take a seat, I will ask my little Lions to make him some.”

So she called four of her little Lions, and asked them if they would make some stockings for Baby Elephant. They said they would be pleased to do it, and so they got some balls of wool and began knitting so busily with their shiny knitting needles, click, click! click, click! that pretty soon there they were, four nice long new stockings, one for each foot.

Then Daddy Elephant paid for the stockings and put them on Baby Elephant. And Baby Elephant said, “These are perfectly lovely new stockings, Daddy, but now, do you know, I believe I ought to have some new shoes, so I won’t spoil my nice new stockings.”

And Daddy Elephant said, “Why, what a funny little Baby Elephant you are! Just as soon as you get one thing you think of something else. But come along, and we will see if we can find you some shoes.”

So they went a long, long way through the Jungle, until they came to Mrs. Tiger’s store.

“Good morning, Mrs. Tiger,” said Daddy Elephant, very politely indeed. “Have you some shoes that you could sell me for my little Baby Elephant?”

“Why, no, Daddy Elephant,” said Mrs. Tiger, “I haven’t any big enough for him. But if you will take a seat and wait, I will call my Tiger shoemakers, and have some made for him.”

So they waited patiently while the Tiger shoemakers made some shoes. “Tip-a-tap, tip-a-tap, tip-a-tap-too!” went the hammers, until pretty soon there they were, four nice new red shoes with one for each foot.

Then Daddy paid Mrs. Tiger for them, and put them on and buttoned them up, and Baby Elephant said, “My! These are lovely new shoes, Daddy, and I thank you, but now I look so nice, shouldn’t I have a hat?”

And Daddy Elephant laughed and said, “Well, you are a funny little Baby Elephant. But come along, and I will see if I can find a hat for you.”

So they walked and walked a long way through the Jungle, and after a while they came to Mrs. Monkey’s millinery store.

And Daddy Elephant said, oh, very politely, “How do you do, Mrs. Monkey? Have you your new spring hats in? My little Baby thinks he’d like a hat.”

And Mrs. Monkey said that she didn’t believe she had a hat that would quite fit Baby Elephant, because they were very small this season, but that she would make him one. So she sent her little Monkeys out into the Jungle, and pretty soon they came back with some palm-tree leaves. And she sewed them into the prettiest hat you ever saw.

But Baby Elephant wanted trimming on his hat. So she found some ribbon grass, and made some bows, and rosettes, and put them on and Daddy Elephant paid her for it, and they started out again.

Then Baby Elephant laughed. “Daddy, don’t I look funny with my stockings and shoes and nice new hat, and no coat on?”

And Daddy said, “Oh, you funny baby! Well, come along, and we’ll see if we can find you a coat.” And they walked and walked, and nobody could make a coat until they came to where the Tailor Bird lived. And he said he could make a coat, “Just as easy!”

So he took a big piece of cloth, and spread it on the ground, and laid Baby Elephant down on it, and cut a coat just like him, but he got it a good deal too big, and it has wrinkled ever since.

But Baby Elephant liked it, and was very proud of his pretty new things, and promised his Daddy he would keep them all very nice. And when he got home he ran and kissed his Mammy Elephant, who had just begun to wonder where he and Daddy had been all day.

And then they all had supper.