Elephant Dead in The Sun
by An authentic African folktale about Simba’s sly rebellion against the order of Big Chief when the village turns out to butcher a dead elephant for the village’s needs teaches children the importance of cooperation as a member of a group.
The Big Chief, he say, “Come!
Everyone on the run.
There’s an elephant dead in the sun,
So grab your basket and come!”
Old Simba, he go slow.
He no want to go.
Scowl like he stub toe.
He obey, but slooooow.
Elephant dead in the sun,
Everybody come get some!
Elephant dead in the sun,
So come, quick, on the run.
Grab your basket and knife,
Kiss goodbye your wife.
The Big Chief, he say, “Go!”
Simba obey, but slooooow.
The men pack up their load,
And go back down the road.
Old Simba’s mind’s a toad–
He pack trash in his load!
The men stand in a row
To give Big Chief their load.
The Chief smile, say, “Take home!”
Old Simba, he just grooooaaan.
Elephant dead in the sun,
Everybody come get some!
Elephant dead in the sun,
So come, quick, on the run.
Grab your basket and knife,
Kiss goodbye your wife.
The Big Chief, he say, “Go!”
Simba obey, but slooooow.
His wife cry, “You bad man!
Why you bring this trash can?
The men they bring good meat,
But you bring trash to eat!”
Elephant dead in the sun,
Everybody come get some!
Elephant dead in the sun,
So come, quick, on the run.
Grab your basket and knife,
Kiss goodbye your wife.
The Big Chief, he say, “Go!”
Simba obey, but…a little bit faster next time!
c2002 Skip Johnson, Grace Rodhouse, and Johnathan Rodhouse
All rights reserved.
I wrote this little number about doing your part for the common good with the help of my nephew and niece one summer on a trip back to their farm in Missouri. We’d read the story from a book designed to help parents with family worship that morning. The image of an elephant lying dead in the sun seemed vivid enough to capture the listeners imaginations. It proved a favorite with my high school students in Hawaii and in grade schools, too, in the years that followed. The verses go slowly when sung–especially the final line. The chorus hops right along at a lively clip. The change in pacing adds interest and dynamics in performance.
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