https://chatgpt.com/c/6948e96c-aafc-8328-8d95-21cc3a731ea2

Assamese Cartoon, Guwahati (2026)

05/06/2026

Yuuki and the Tsunami

FOR AS LONG as people can remember, the shores of Japan have been swept from time to time by enormous tsunamis. These awful sudden risings of the sea are caused by earthquakes or by underwater volcanic action. The story of the boy Yuuki is the story of such a calamity.

Yuuki lived with his family in the village. His grandfather, who had passed away several years before, had taught Yuuki much about raising rice crops, solving disputes, and a great deal about the ways of the world. His grandfather had been the most respected and wealthiest resident of the village - its headman. Now Yuuki`s family cultivated the enormous fields of rice that his grandfather had passed on to them.

Yuuki`s village was nestled by the shore below a small mountain. One day, Yuuki was playing on top of the small mountain, watching the preparations below for a festival that was going to take place that very night to celebrate a wonderful rice crop.

All of a sudden, Yuuki felt an earthquake beneath his feet. It was not strong enough to frighten anybody, but Yuuki, who had already felt dozens of shocks, thought it was odd - a long, slow, spongy motion. The houses below, by the sea, rocked gently several times, then all became still again. Soon after, Yuuki noticed something even more strange. The sea darkened all of a sudden and it seemed to be rushing backward, toward the horizon. The sea was actually running away from the shore very fast, leaving behind wide stretches of beach that had never been exposed before.

With a gasp, Yuuki suddenly remembered the words of his grandfather. His grandfather had told the boy how his own father`s father had told him that just before a terrible tsunami, the sea suddenly and quickly rolls backward. Yuuki, his breath heavy, ran down the mountainside to warn the people of the impending danger. Already many had run to the beach to witness the spectacular new stretch of ribbed sand.

"Get back, get back!" shouted the boy. "There is terrible danger!"

"What are you talking about, Yuuki?" laughed one person. "Look at all the great new shells on the beach!"

"No, no! You don`t understand!" cried Yuuki. "You must run away! Up to the mountain! Everybody!"

But no one would listen to him. They all laughed in his face and carried on romping in the new sand and watching the sea roll backward even more.

Desperate, Yuuki could think of only thing to do. He lit a pine torch and hurried with it to the fields. There hundreds of rice-stacks stood golden and dried in the sun. He touched the torch to the edge of each one - hurrying from one to the other as quickly as his legs could carry him. The sun-dried stalks instantly caught fire; the strengthening sea breeze blew the blaze forward. Soon the stacks burst into flame. Yuuki, terrified, ran after his friends and family calling, "Fire! Fire! Everyone run to the mountain! Quick!"

The people hurried from over the beach, like a swarming of ants, though to Yuuki`s anxious eyes the moments seemed terribly long to him. All the while, the sea was fleeing even more quickly toward the horizon.

The whole village was moving up the mountain now. The growing multitude, still knowing nothing, looked horrified at the flaming fields and at the destruction of their homes and their livelihood.

"Yuuki is mad!" cried one of the boys when they had all reached the top. "He set fire to the rice on purpose: I saw him do it!"

"Yuuki, is this true?" said Yuuki`s mother and father, frowning deeply.

Yuuki hung his head.

Just then, someone cried, "Look!"

At the edge of the horizon a long dim line like the shadowing of a coast where no coast had even been - a line that thickened as they gazed, that broadened in the way a coast-line broadens when one approaches it, yet much more quickly. For that long thin line of darkness was the returning sea, towering like a cliff, and raging swiftly toward them.

"A tsunami!" shrieked the people. Then all shrieks and all sounds and all power to hear sounds were annihilated by a nameless shock heavier than any thunder, as the colossal swell struck the shore with a weight that sent a shudder through the hills, and with a burst of foam like a blaze of sheet lightning. Then for an instant nothing could be seen but a storm of spray rushing up the slope like a cloud, and the people scattered back in panic from the mere menace of it. When they looked again, they saw a white horror of sea roaring over the place of their homes. It drew back, tearing out the land as it went. Twice, three times, five times the sea struck the land and ebbed, but each time with surges less strong. Then finally, the sea returned to its normal place and stayed there, though still raging, as the sea will do after a hurricane.

On the mountain for a long time no word was spoken. All stared speechlessly at the desolation below, at the wreckage and debris that was scattered over what was left of their village.

"I`m sorry I burned the fields," said Yuuki, his voice trembling.

"Yuuki," said his father softly. "You saved us all."

And the villagers swept up Yuuki and raised him into the air. "We were going to celebrate our rice harvest tonight," said one, "but now we`ll celebrate that we`re all still alive!"

And they cheered with relief and admiration at the brave Yuuki, who that day had saved over four hundred lives.

04/06/2026

The Enormous Turnip

An old man planted a turnip. The turnip grew and grew. It was enormous!

The old man started to pull the turnip out of the ground. He pulled and pulled, but could not pull it out. So he called over his wife.

The old woman took hold of the old man, the old man took hold of the turnip. They pulled and pulled, but could not pull it out. So the old woman called over the granddaughter.

The granddaughter took hold of the old woman, the old woman took hold of the old man, and the old man took hold of the turnip. They pulled and pulled, but could not pull it out.

So the granddaughter called over the dog.

The dog took hold of the granddaughter, the granddaughter took hold of the old woman, the old woman took hold of the old man, and the old man took hold of the turnip. They pulled and pulled, but could not pull it out. So the dog called over the cat.

The cat took hold of the dog, the dog took hold of the granddaughter, the granddaughter took hold of the old woman, the old woman took hold of the old man, and the old man took hold of the turnip. They pulled and pulled, but could not pull it out. So the cat called over the mouse.

The mouse took hold of the cat, the cat took hold of the dog, the dog took hold of the granddaughter, the granddaughter took hold of the old woman, the old woman took hold of the old man, and the old man took hold of the turnip.

They pulled and pulled and finally out came the enormous turnip!

03/06/2026

The Apple Dumpling Story

ONCE UPON A TIME there was an old woman named Hazel. More than anything, she loved to eat an apple dumpling for dinner. One day, Hazel said, “I will bake an apple dumpling tonight!”

Looking about, she said, “I have plenty of flour. I have plenty of butter. I have plenty of sugar. And I have plenty of spice. Why, I could make ten apple dumplings if I wanted to!” Then all of a sudden, she stopped. “Oh, dear!” she said. “I have no apples!”

In the old woman`s back yard was a tree full of plums. You never saw more plums as round and red than the plums on that tree. But you cannot make an apple dumpling with plums, and there is no use trying!

Hazel could not stop thinking about her apple dumpling. At last, she had an idea. She took her basket out to her back yard and filled it with plums. She covered the basket with a white cloth and hung it on her arm. She said, “There may be those in the world who have apples, and who need plums.” And so Hazel went out the door.

Before long, Hazel came to a yard with many hens and many geese. What a noise they made! Ca-ca, quawk, quawk! In the middle of all these birds there was a young woman. She was feeding them corn, and she waved to Hazel. Hazel waved back to her.

The young woman told Hazel about her hens and geese. Hazel told the young woman about her plums, and how she hoped to trade them for apples. If only she could trade her plums for apples, she might have an apple dumpling that night.

“Ah!” said the young woman when she heard this. “Those are lovely plums in your basket. And there is nothing my family likes better with goose than plum jelly! But I have no apples to trade for your plums.” She said, “The best I can give to trade with you is a bag of feathers. Will you take my feathers for your plums?”

“Well, it is not apples," thought Hazel. “But why not? One person happy is better than two who do not have what they want.” The old woman poured the plums into the young woman`s apron. She took the bag of feathers, put it in her basket, and went on her way.

Hazel said, “Maybe I am no closer to an apple dumpling than I was before. But at least I am no farther away. And feathers are easier to carry than plums - that`s for sure!”

Trudge, trudge, up a hill and down. Past a farm, past a brook. Then such a lovely smell filled the air. “Ah!” Hazel said as she came up to a garden gate. Roses, lilies, lilacs - never before had she seen such a garden gate.

From the garden inside, Agnes heard the sounds of a man and a woman talking loudly. And they were not happy.

"Cotton!" said the woman.

"Straw!" said the man.

So they went, back and forth. Then the two of them saw Hazel at the gate.

“Here is someone who can help us decide,” said the woman. She opened the gate. “Good mother,” she said. “If you were making a cushion for your grandfather`s arm chair, would you not stuff it with cotton?”

“Cotton? I do not think I would,” said Hazel.

“I told you so!” cried the man. “Straw is the very thing. And you need to go no farther than the barn for it.” But Hazel shook her head. “Nor would I stuff the cushion with straw.”

“Oh!” said the man and woman. They did not know what to think! Hazel took out the bag of feathers very fast. “I have something better,” she said. “Here! A cushion stuffed with feathers is fit for a king!”

“Feathers!” said the man.

"What a fine cushion we can make with these!" said the woman. They were very happy, and asked what they could give the old woman in return.

“If you must know, apples would be just the thing,” said Hazel. “That is what I am looking for.”

“Ah, we have no apples!” said the man.

“At least, let us give you something for the feathers,” said the woman.

The man and woman cut one flower here, and another there. Soon there were more lovely flowers than their arms could hold. Never was there a sweeter bunch of flowers! They handed the armful of flowers to Hazel.

“A good bargain," said Hazel, "and not all of it in the basket.” For she was glad that the two young people were now happy with each other. She wished them both well, and went on her way.

Soon Hazel came upon a young lord, dressed in very fine clothes and with a gold chain around his neck. But such a frown on his face! He looked as if he had no friend left in the whole wide world.

“A fair day and a good road, my lord,” said Hazel.

“Fair day? Good road?" said he. “Maybe for you! But for me, the court jeweler did not finish the ring I gave him to make. Now I must go to my lady love with nothing in my hands to give her.”

“Is that what is the matter?” said the old woman. “Then you shall have a gift for your lady!” Hazel handed the flowers from her basket to the young lord. “Though I may never have an apple dumpling!” The flowers made the lord so glad that he smiled from ear to ear.

The young lord said, “A fair trade is no robbery.” He took the gold chain from around his neck and put it around Hazel`s neck. The young lord skipped away, holding the flowers to his chest.

“A gold chain!” cried Hazzel. “With this, I can buy all the apples in the king`s market and have coins left to spare!” She hurried to town as fast as her feet could go.

But Hazel had gone no more than the turn of the road when she came upon a mother and her children, standing in a doorway. Their faces were as sad as her own was happy.

"What is the matter?" she asked, as soon as she reached them.

“Matter enough,” answered the mother, “when the last crust of bread is eaten and not a coin left in the house to buy more.”

“What a day!” cried Hazel. “I cannot think of eating an apple dumpling for supper while those near me have no bread.” She put the gold chain into the mother`s hands and rushed off.

But the mother and children, every one of them laughing and happy, ran up to her.

“We have little to give you,” said the mother. “But here is a little dog. His barking will keep loneliness from your house and our thanks goes with it.”

The old woman did not have the heart to tell them "no." So into the basket went the little dog, and very snugly he lay there.

“A bag of feathers for a basket of plums. A bunch of flowers for a bag of feathers. A golden chain for a bunch of flowers. And a dog for a golden chain. All the world is give and take, and who knows if I may have my apple dumpling yet,” said Hazel as she hurried on.

Sure enough, Hazel had not gone a half dozen yards when, right before her eyes, she saw an apple tree as full of apples as her very own plum tree was full of plums. This apple tree grew in front of a house as much like her own as if they were two peas in the same pod. And on the porch of the house sat a little old man.

“That is a fine tree of apples you have!” said the old woman as soon as she was close enough to talk to him.

“Aye,” said the old man. “But apple trees and apples are poor company when a man is growing old. I would give them all if I had even so much as a little dog to bark on my door-step.”

“Bow-wow,” barked the dog in the old woman`s basket. And in less time than it takes to read the end of this story, the little dog was barking on the old man`s door-step. And Hazel was on her way home with a basket full of apples.

“If you try long enough and hard enough, you can always have an apple dumpling for supper,” said Hazel.

The Apple Dumpling Story
That night she baked herself a delicious apple dumpling, and ate it down to the very last crumb.

02/06/2026

A Caterpillar’s Voice

ONE NICE DAY, Caterpillar was out for a walk and came to a cave. “My, my!” said Caterpillar. “This looks like a very nice cave!” Caterpillar looked in the door of the cave. “I do not see anyone in there,” he said. “I will go in.” Caterpillar went inside.

And so Caterpillar inched up on top of a rock. And that was where he fell asleep. Right at the very same time, Hare, who lived in that cave, was also out for a walk. When Hare came home, she saw marks on the ground.

This woke up Caterpillar. And Caterpillar boomed in a very loud voice, “It is I! Yes, I who stamps rhinos in the earth and stomps elephants into dust!” Hare hopped about in fear. “What can a small animal like me do with a beast who stamps rhinos and elephants?”

Soon Jackal passed by. Hare said, “Friend Jackal, someone has come inside my cave! Please, will you help me?” Jackal said, “Yes, I am happy to help.” Jackal went up to the cave and barked loudly, “Who is in the house of my friend Hare?” Caterpillar called out in a voice that rocked the earth. “It is I! Yes, I who stamps rhinos in the earth, and stomps elephants into dust!”

On hearing this, Jackal thought in fear, “I can do nothing against such a creature!” And Jackal ran off as fast as he could.

Then Leopard passed by. Hare told Leopard everything that had happened. Leopard said, “I am bigger than Jackal and I am more loud.” At the door of the cave, Leopard yelled, “Who is in the house of my friend Hare?” Caterpillar called back in the same way he had done before. Leopard was surprised.

He thought, “If this creature stamps rhinos and elephants, I do not even want to think about what he could do to me!” And Leopard ran off very fast.

Next Rhino passed by. “Everyone knows how big and scary I am,” grunted Rhino. He marched up to Hare`s cave. He snorted and pawed the ground with his very big feet. But when Rhino asked who was inside the cave and he heard Caterpillar`s booming reply, he said, “This is not good! He can stamp me into the earth? I am out of here!” And Rhino ran away, crashing through the forest. “I am out of here!" And Rhino ran away, crashing through the forest.”

Even Elephant tried to help. But like the others, when Elephant heard what Caterpillar had to say, he knew he had no wish to be stomped underfoot like dust. And he ran off very fast, too.

Hare did not know what to do! Then Frog passed by. “What is wrong?” said Frog, and Hare told him. “Maybe I can help you,” said Frog. “I wish you could,” said Hare. “But Jackal tried to help. And Leopard tried to help. Even Rhino and Elephant tried to help. And none of them could.”

“Still,” said Frog. “Let me try.” Jackal, Leopard, Rhino and Elephant heard their names spoken and they came up see what was going on. “What, you?" laughed Jackal. "You are too small!” “You cannot help!” said Rhino. All the animals laughed. "He wants to," said Hare. “Why not let Frog try?”

And so Frog went to the cave door and asked who was inside. He received the same reply as had been given to the others. Then Frog went more close and shouted, “I, who am the strongest of all, have come at last. I am the one who stamps those who stamp the rhinos! I am the one who stomps underfoot those who stomp the elephants!”

When Caterpillar inside Hare`s cave heard this, he trembled. He could see the shadow of Frog coming closer and closer. He thought, “After all, I am only a caterpillar!” And Caterpillar inched out of Hare`s cave, hoping that no one would see him. But they did see him!

“I would never dream of staying in that cave!” said Caterpillar with his nose in the air. “An echo like that is far too crude for a fancy creature like me!” As Caterpillar sniffed away, all the other animals laughed at the trouble such a small thing had given them.

01/06/2026

A Donkey to Market

LONG AGO IN CAMBODIA, there once lived a farmer and his son. The two of them took good care of all the animals on the farm. One baby donkey grew up to be the most handsome and plump donkey they had ever seen. He stood tall and had brown, smooth fur.

On seeing the fine grown-up donkey, the farmer said to his son, “Look at this strong donkey! If only there was a need in our village to buy a donkey, we would get a good price for him. But all the farmers I know already have a donkey. We need to go far away, where most farmers do not have a donkey, to get the best price for him.”

"How far?" said the boy. “Can I come?”

"It would be good to have you with me for a long trip," said the father. "So yes, let`s go!"

"Where?" said the son.

"The village of Kompang would be good," he said. Then the farmer stopped. "Wait. There is something we must think about. If the donkey walks as far as to the village of Kompang, by the time we get there he might be too thin. The price for him will go down.”

At last, the father had an idea. He and his son got hold of the donkey and tied each pair of its feet tight. They passed a pole between the two pairs of feet. The father put the front of the pole on his shoulders. The son put the back of the pole on his shoulders. In this way, the two of them could lift the donkey. They would carry the donkey that way. And that is how they set off to Kompang.

While going on their way, they were seen by villagers who could not believe their eyes. They laughed and laughed. “Look!” they called out. “Did you ever see such a thing? Two men are carrying a donkey!” They called out, “Old man! People do not carry a horse, or an ox. People do not carry a donkey! It is they that have to carry us on their backs!”

“Oh!” said the father. He and his son took down the donkey. They untied the feet. Said the father, “We cannot both ride the donkey, for he is not strong enough to carry us both. Ride alone on the donkey, and I will follow you.” And that is what they did.

While passing through another village, the young man was asked, “Where are you riding to, boy?”

“To Kompang,” he said.

Pointing, they asked, “And who is this old man behind you?”

“My father,” said the boy.

On hearing this, the villagers became mad. They said, “What a selfish son you are! Why are you riding the donkey when you are strong enough to walk? You had better get down at once! Let your old father be the one to ride the donkey.”

On hearing these sharp words, at once the boy got down from the donkey. His father took his place to ride. And that is how the two of them kept going. The young man walked behind and the father rode on the donkey.

After some time, they came to a village where there was a well. A few young women had come to the well for water.

"You had better get down at once!"

Seeing the handsome young man, the young women felt a great caring for him. They were not happy to see an old man riding such a fine donkey, when such a handsome young man had to walk behind him, tired and hot.

They called out to the old man, “It is not for you, old man, to ride such a fine donkey. It should be this good-looking young man to ride!”

The father and son looked at each other. “Again, we must be doing this wrong!” They decided to both ride the donkey. “You in front and I behind you,” said the old man. "That way, no one will be mad." And sitting like that, they went on their way.

After a bit, the two of them reached a customhouse. The officer of the customhouse said, “Where are you going, men?”

“To the village of Kompang,” they said.

The officer said in a sharp tone, “Your donkey is not strong enough to carry both of you! If you keep riding as far as the village of Kompang, it will get thin and its price will go down. How foolish you are! Why don`t you let the donkey walk?”

The farmer and his son looked at each other. They were doing things wrong – again! They got off the donkey and led it by a rope.

When they came to a field, the road ended. They had to cross the field to find the road on the other side. The owner of the field was working and he called out to them. “Walk carefully! My field is full of thorns, for it is not yet cleaned up." The son stepped on a thorn and cried out, "Ow!" The owner of the field saw their donkey. "What are you doing?" he called. "You have a donkey, why don`t you ride it? You are treating that donkey as your ruler! How foolish you are!”

Oh, dear! The father and son did not know what to do. “Whatever we do, someone has something to say about it!” They talked and talked. At last they said, “We will travel as we see fit, that we will. And just put up with blame as it comes."

And so the farmer and his son went on and reached the village of Kompang. There they sold the donkey for a very good price, and to a good family, too. And the two of them went back home without any more loss of time.

31/05/2026

The Empty Pot

ONE DAY LONG AGO, the King of China announced a contest to find the next ruler of the land. He was getting old and had no sons to take over the throne. (It was different then, and only a boy could rule the land.)

One thing about the King is he loved to grow plants. So he announced that any boy who wanted to be king would have to come to the palace and get a royal seed. In six months, the boy who grew the best plant would be the one to win the contest. He would be the next to sit on the throne.

Every boy in China was wild with joy! Each one was sure HE would be the winner! Boys all over started to walk with pride, as if they were the winner. Mothers and fathers were excited, too. It sure would be grand to live at the palace!

Every boy in China was wild with joy.

One boy, named Jun, was quiet. He knew he was good at growing things. Everyone in his village would fight over who was to get his melons, snow peas, his baby corn. All summer long, Jun was working hard at pulling weeds, or moving plants from here to there so they could grow better.

On the big day when the royal seeds were to be given out, huge crowds of boys came to the palace. Jun was one of those boys. Each boy took home his royal seed, held tight in his hand.

At home, Jun took out a good flowerpot. He set down large stones on the bottom. Over them, he set smaller stones. Over those, he filled the rest of the pot with rich black dirt. Then he made a hole at the top, about one inch deep. Last, he pressed the royal seed into the hole and set dirt on top. With care, he tapped the top.

Over the next few days, Jun watered his pot every day. All over China, boys were doing the same thing. Each one looked with care at his own pot. When would the first little green leaf show up? Day after day, Jun watched and waited.

With care, he tapped the top.

Chen was the first boy in Jun`s village to announce that a green leaf was coming up. His news was met with great cheers. Chen said in a loud voice that he knew he would be King!

Han was the next one to say a little green plant was coming up in his pot. Then it was Wong. Jun did not know why there was no little plant in his pot. None of the other boys could grow plants as well as he! But still, Jun`s seed did not grow.

Soon sprouts were popping up from pots all over the village. Boys moved their baby plants outside so the little leaves could grow even bigger in the sun. Many stood guard over their dear pot at all times. Why, it seemed to Jun that every boy who planted a seed had a sprout by now. Every boy, that is, except him.

Still, Jun`s seed did not grow.

He carefully took out the seed and moved it into another pot. He put the very best and richest black soil from his garden in the new pot. He broke up every clump of soil there was into a tiny, tiny bit of dirt. With great care, he pressed the royal seed on top. Jun watched the pot every day, adding drops of water here and there. But still, his seed did not grow.

Strong, mighty plants were soon rising from pots cared for by the other boys in Jun`s village. Sadly, Jun walked around with his head down. The other boys laughed at him. When something was empty, they would say that it was “as empty as Jun`s pot.” Jun moved his seed yet again. This time he took some dried fish and made it into a powder. He dusted the powder into the soil as fertilizer. Yet even so, Jun`s seed did not grow.

Six months passed. The day came when all the boys needed to bring their plants to the palace to be judged. Chen, Han, Wong and hundreds of other boys cleaned their pots till they shone bright in the sun. They wiped with care each green leaf. They dressed in their best clothes. Mothers and fathers walked next to their sons to help keep plants up so they would not tip over.

Six months passed.

“What will I do?” wailed Jun to his mother and father as he looked out the window. The other boys were walking with pride to the palace. “My pot is empty! My seed did not grow!”

“Bring the King your pot, the way it is," said his father. "That`s right," said Jun`s mother. "You did the best you could.”

His face red with shame, Jun carried his empty pot on the road to the palace. Happy boys who could hardly hold such a large plant passed him by.

At the palace, all the boys lined up. Holding their big, strong plants in front of them, they waited to be judged. The King, in his rich silk robe, walked slowly down the line. He looked at each plant with a blank look in his face. When he came to Jun, he frowned and said, “What is this? You brought me an empty pot?”

At the palace, all the boys lined up.

It was all Jun could do to keep from crying. “If you please, Your Majesty!” said Jun, “I tried my best. I planted your seed in the best soil I could find. I kept it wet and watched it every day. When the seed did not grow, I moved it to new soil, and I even moved it a third time. But it just didn`t grow!" Jun hung his head. "I`m sorry.”

“Hmm,” said the King. Turning so everyone could hear he roared, “I do not know where all these other boys got their seeds. There is no way anything could grow from the seeds we passed out for the contest. And that is because all those seeds had been cooked! No plant could grow from them!"

And he smiled at Jun.

30/05/2026

Sima Guang Breaks the Vat

Sima Guang was nine years old. He liked to play in his backyard with his friends Wang Wei, Li Na, and Zhang Yong.

One day, the friends were playing in the yard. Wang Wei said, “I bet I can go up to the top of the water vat!” A water vat is a very big clay jar used to keep rain water.

“Do not go to the top of the water vat!” said Li Na. “It is too high.”

“Wang Wei said, “I bet I can go up to the top of the water vat!”

“It is not too high for me!” said Wang Wei.

“Come down here and play,” said Sima Guang.

“I want to go up!” said Wang Wei. When he was at the top he called, “Look at me – one foot!”

“That is good!” said Zhang Yong.

Then – oh, no! Wang Wei fell down into the water vat!

“I cannot swim!” he called. “The water is too deep!”

“We must run for help!” said Li Na.

“No!” said Sima Guang. “That will take too long!”

“We must run for help! said Li Na.”

“Then we cannot do anything to help,” yelled Li Na in fear. “Ahhh!” yelled Zhang Yong in fear, too. “AHHH!” they yelled together.

Sima Guang saw a rock. He picked up the rock and threw it at the bottom of the water vat. The vat did not crack. He picked up the rock and threw it again. There was a very small crack this time. He threw it again. Then a bigger crack! All at once, a very big wave of water flew out of the broken water vat.

And with the wave of water, out rolled Wang Wei!

29/05/2026

Weighing the Elephant

A long time ago, people who lived in China knew that a strange, amazing beast called an elephant lived in a faraway land, but no one had ever seen one. One day, a ruler came to see the Emperor of China. He brought a gift, and that gift was a real, live elephant!

Never in China had anyone seen anything like it. As soon as the royal guest left, it was all anyone at court could talk about.

“This elephant is bigger than a water buffalo!” said one mandarin.

“Are you kidding?” said a second. “It`s bigger than a rhino!”

“You must be joking,” said a third. “This elephant is bigger than TWO rhinos!”

One day the Emperor said to his mandarins, “I want to know how much this amazing elephant weighs. Who can tell me how to weigh it?”

“I can!” said the first mandarin, who used to be a merchant. “We will just put it on a scale.”

“Not likely,” said the Emperor. “There is no scale that could hold the weight of an elephant without breaking.”

“I can tell you!” said the second mandarin, who used to be a tailor. He said, “We will measure the elephant.”

“No,” said the Emperor with a sigh. “Even if you measured all the different parts of an elephant, you would still not know how much it weighs.”

“I can tell you!” said the third mandarin, who used to be a baker. “We will cut up the elephant and cook it. Then we will know.”

“We will surely NOT do that!” roared the Emperor. “Is there NO ONE who can tell me how to weigh the elephant?”

Then a small voice said, “I can.”

All eyes turned to the voice. It was the Emperor`s son!

“Son!” said the Emperor. “You should be in bed.”

“But I know how,” said the boy. “And we won`t need to cook it first.”
“Very well,” said the Emperor with a smile. “Tell me how to weigh the elephant.”

The boy described what to do.

Here is what the boy said. “You put the elephant in a big boat and take the boat out on the water. Draw a line on the side of the boat where it meets the water, at the watermark. Then bring the boat back to shore and take the elephant off the boat. Put rocks on the boat, one by one. When the boat sinks to the same watermark line it had when the elephant was in it, bring the boat to shore again. Take out the rocks and weigh them, one by one. That is how you can tell how much the elephant weighs!"

"Wonderful! Wonderful!" shouted everyone.

“It will work!” called out the first mandarin.

“What a clever plan!” said the second.

“Who knew this child would know?” said the third.

And the fame of Emperor`s son traveled far and wide.

Assamese Cartoon

05/06/2026

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