The Elf and The Turtle

Once upon a time, Etwas the Elf was running through the forests of green grass, under the canopies of clover and around the stems of tall flowers when a hard rain began to fall.  Etwas laughed and ran through the cold and the wet and the mist that rose off the cow pies.

Soon there were streams where there had never been streams and rivers where narrow brooks had babbled and Etwas had many new, wet obstacles between herself and her mushroom.  She pirouetted and jetéd the elfin rain dance along a wide and outraged stream.

Finally, a turtle appeared up the bank and the elf went over to meet it.

"Hello, Mr. Turtle!" the Elf called.  "Would you be so kind as to offer me a ride on your back across the stream?

"No," answered the Turtle.  "You'll yank my tail."

"Why would I yank your tail?" Etwas replied, "when you're helping me get home?  Elves are never ungrateful!"

The turtle grumbled a little but finally agreed and Etwas jumped onto the turtle's shell.  The turtle set out but soon go caught in a current.  He swirled and bobbed and wound up far downstream on the same bank he had left.

"Here," said Etwas, and she placed a reed dangling from the other bank in the turtle's snapping jaw.  This time the turtle swam and tugged the reed in his mouth, pulling himself like a ferry across.

"Well done, Mr. Turtle," Etwas offered, "and thank you for bringing me across on your shell."

When they reached the other side, the turtle thought a while and then responded.  "How did you get a reed from across the babbling, bobbing, spinning stream?" he asked.

"Oh," Etwas said, "while you were spinning in the stream, I swam across and pulled the reed over."

Another long pause and then, "But if you could swim across why did you need a ride?"

"So I could pull your tail! Ping!" came the answer as Etwas yanked the nubbin that had not yet been pulled inside the shell.

"I can't help it," Etwas explained.  "It's my nature."

And ever since then, Elves have expressed gratitude in the same manner they do mischief..