The Little Elephant Who Couldn't Say No

In the savannah lived a little elephant named Nino. Nino was kind, very kind, maybe even a little too kind.

Because Nino had a problem: every time someone asked him for something, he wanted to answer:

"No."

But at the last moment...

"Yes, okay."

One morning, Nino went for a walk. He had nothing planned, just to walk quietly to the river. Well... that was the plan.

He had barely taken ten steps when he met Malo the monkey. Malo was holding a huge bunch of bananas.

"Nino! Can you carry my bananas?"

Nino looked at the bananas, then he looked at the river in the distance.

"Uh... I was just about to..."

Malo waited.

Nino took a breath.

"Yes, okay."

Malo placed the bananas on his back.

"Thanks!"

Nino continued on his way. He now had twelve bananas on his back, which wasn't too bad.

A little further on, he met Tala the ostrich. Tala was pushing a big watermelon with her beak.

"Nino! Can you carry my watermelon?"

Nino looked at the watermelon, then at the bananas.

"I don't know if..."

Tala waited.

Nino took a breath.

"Yes, okay."

The watermelon joined the bananas.

Nino continued on his way, twelve bananas, one watermelon, still nothing catastrophic.

Then he met Jojo the hippopotamus. Jojo was sitting next to a small stool.

"Nino!"

Nino slowed down.

"Yes?"

"Can you take my stool?"

"Why?"

"Because I'm tired of carrying it."

Nino looked at Jojo, then at the tiny stool, then at Jojo again.

"But... you're not even carrying it."

Jojo thought.

"Exactly, I'm already tired just thinking about it."

Nino opened his mouth, he was going to say no, this time for sure.

Jojo waited.

"...yes, okay."

The stool joined the watermelon and the bananas.

Nino started walking again, twelve bananas, one watermelon, one stool. He was starting to move a little slower.

Then he heard:

"Nino! Nino! Wait!"

It was Lila the giraffe. She arrived with a big straw hat.

"Can you keep my hat?"

Nino looked at his head.

"Where do you want me to put it?"

Lila thought, then she placed the hat on Nino's head.

"There! Perfect!"

The hat was much too big, it came down over Nino's ears. Nino could barely see anything.

"Lila, I think..."

"Thanks Nino!"

And she left.

Nino sighed, he continued very slowly, twelve bananas, one watermelon, one stool, one big hat.

At that moment, a little bird landed in front of him.