Why the Elephant has Tiny Eyes
by Pow Aim Hailowng and illustrated by Priya Kuriyan
“Why the Elephant has Tiny Eyes” by Pow Aim Hailowng and illustrated by Priya Kuriyan. Published by Tulika. A delightful re-telling of a folk tale from the Tai Phake people of Northeast India.
Elephants are the biggest mammals on land. Their eyes however are tiny as compared to their size. One might wonder why! The Tai Phake people have an answer to this in the form of a folk tale which is one of the many animal stories that they tell their children to explain why and how something came to be. Told in verse, the story is gentle with a dash of humour.
The first chaang/ elephant did have big eyes proportional to his size. All animals thought that his eyes looked beautiful and wise. He was heavy and strong. He was slow and grazed quietly by himself. He would cross a deep river over a long wooden bridge every day to go to the other side of the forest. One day he met a wagtail. This encounter would change his life forever. Not just his but of all elephants to come.
What happened next? What did the wagtail do? How did the chaang end up with tiny eyes? Read the story to find out. The beautiful landscape of the northeast is portrayed very well by the illustrations. The Tai Phake is a small tribal group of around 2000 people who are scattered around Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. They have a unique culture and distinctive stories which relate to their surroundings and experiences. Mostly related to animals since they live close to nature. The author is from the Tai Phake community and one of the fortunate few to pursue higher studies.
My seven year old has enjoyed the story since the last two years. He found the story funny. The book is apt for children aged 5+.
Where to buy from?
The publishers Tulika books here.
An independent indie bookstore, Funky Rainbow, from where I buy many of my books.