Ella the Elephant and the Puddle Moon
Written by Raze Edgar
Published
⏱️ Read Aloud Time: 5-minutes
In a peaceful land of tall green grass and warm sunset skies, there lived a little elephant named Ella.
Ella had big floppy ears. She had a long wiggly trunk. And she had gentle grey skin that felt soft as a warm cloud.
Ella loved water. She loved to splash. She loved to sip. And most of all, she loved to look at puddles!
Every day, Ella would say, "Splish, splash! Puddles are the best!"
One evening, the sun rolled down behind the far hills. The sky turned soft peach. Then coral pink. Then dark, dark blue.
Ella walked slowly with her mama, Mama Zola, back to their cozy sleeping spot.
"Time for bed, my little Ella," said Mama Zola in her warm rumbly voice.
"Yes, Mama," yawned Ella.
But just then — SPLOOSH — Ella's little foot stepped in a small puddle.
She looked down.
And her big elephant eyes went ROUND like giant plates.
"OH! OH! OH!" said Ella. "MAMA! LOOK!"
Right there, in the tiny puddle, was the MOON.
A big, round, silver moon shining right up at her!
"Mama! The moon fell into the puddle!" cried Ella. "We have to help it get back to the sky!"
Mama Zola gave a soft, kind smile.
"Oh, sweet Ella," she said gently. "Let's take a closer look."
Ella waved her trunk carefully over the puddle. "Are you okay, little moon?"
She tried to scoop the moon out with her trunk.
Slurp, splash!
But the moon just wobbled and wiggled in the water.
Ella tried again. She dipped her trunk very softly.
Slurp, splash!
Still, the moon stayed in the puddle.
Ella's ears drooped down. "I can't lift it, Mama. The moon is stuck!"
Mama Zola nuzzled Ella's head with her long trunk.
"My little one," she whispered. "Would you like to know a wonderful secret about the moon?"
"Yes please, Mama!" said Ella. Her ears wiggled up.
"Look UP, little Ella," said Mama Zola softly.
Ella looked up, up, up at the sky.
There high in the dark blue night was the moon! Big and round and silver. Shining down warmly.
"MAMA!" gasped Ella. "The moon is UP THERE too!"
"Yes," said Mama Zola. "The moon is always in the sky, safe and happy. But when it looks down at a still puddle, it says hello with its reflection. It's like the moon is smiling right back at you."
"A reflection?" whispered Ella.
"Yes," said Mama Zola. "It means the puddle is like a tiny mirror. The moon is telling you goodnight from two places the sky, AND your little puddle."
Ella looked at the puddle again. The little moon wobbled softly.
She looked back up at the sky. The big moon shined down warmly.
"Two moons for me?" whispered Ella.
"Two moons for you," said Mama Zola.
Ella smiled her biggest elephant smile.
She sat down gently beside the puddle. She looked at the sky-moon. She looked at the puddle-moon. Both moons smiled softly back at her.
"Goodnight, sky-moon," whispered Ella.
Twinkle.
"Goodnight, puddle-moon," she whispered.
Ripple, ripple.
Mama Zola curled her long trunk around Ella's little back. It was as cozy as a warm blanket.
"Time to sleep, my little Ella."
Ella yawned a big elephant yawn. Her floppy ears fluttered gently.
She closed one big eye. Then she closed the other.
Above her, the sky-moon shined. Below her, the puddle-moon wobbled softly.
And soon, little Ella the Elephant was fast, fast asleep, safe next to her mama.
The two moons kept watch over her all through the night.
Sweet dreams, Ella. Sweet dreams, little elephant.
~ The End ~
Moral of the Story
Sometimes what we think is a problem is really a wonderful surprise. When we take a moment to look up, down, and all around we find gentle magic in the world. The moon shines for us from the sky and from every quiet puddle, reminding us we are always loved.
Quiz Time! (MCQs)
Let's see how much you remember!
A. Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
1. What is the name of the little elephant?
2. What does Ella love the most?
3. What is Ella's mama's name?
4. What did Ella see inside the puddle?
5. What did Ella think happened to the moon?
6. What did Ella try to use to lift the moon?
7. What did Mama Zola tell Ella to do?
8. What is a puddle like, according to Mama?
9. How many moons did Ella end up seeing?
10. How did the story end?
B. Short Questions
Answer these in your own words:
Why did Ella think the moon had fallen into the puddle?
Answer
Ella saw the big, round, silver moon shining right up at her from inside the little puddle. She thought the moon must have fallen from the sky and gotten stuck in the water, so she wanted to help it get back home.
What did Mama Zola teach Ella about the moon?
Answer
Mama Zola taught Ella that the moon is always safe in the sky. The puddle is like a tiny mirror, so the moon says hello with its reflection. The moon shines from TWO places at once the sky and the puddle.
Why is a puddle like a tiny mirror?
Answer
A puddle is like a tiny mirror because it is still and smooth, and it reflects things above it. So when the moon shines, the puddle shows a copy of the moon in the water, just like how a mirror shows your face.
Have you ever seen the moon in water, a window, or a mirror?
Answer
Many little ones have! The moon loves to peek at us through still water, shiny car windows, puddles after rain, and bathroom mirrors. Everywhere there is a shiny surface, the moon can say hello.
What would you say to the moon before going to sleep?
Answer
You can say anything your heart feels "Goodnight, moon," "Sweet dreams, moon," "Thank you for shining," or "See you tomorrow." The moon loves every little goodnight whispered from a cozy bed.
Author's Note
From Short Bedtime Stories for kids
From all of us at LitsLib Short Bedtime Stories World — thank you for splashing gently with Ella tonight.
Ella the Elephant reminds us that the world is full of soft surprises and sometimes a mama's warm voice is the coziest bedtime magic of all. When little ones look up at the sky, and down at a quiet puddle, they discover that love can shine from many places at once.
May two soft moons watch over your little dreamer tonight. Sleep tight, sweet dreams, and see you again for another cozy tale.