Umboo looked up at the palm nuts growing on the tree in the jungle,
and said:

"Oh, how I wish I had some of those."

"Well," said Mrs. Stumptail, "how do you think you can get them?"

"If I were a monkey," said the elephant boy, "I could climb up the
tree and pick them off." Umboo had often, in the jungle, seen the
monkeys do this.

"But you are not a monkey," said his mother. "Can you reach up with
your trunk and pull down the nuts?"

Umboo tried, but his trunk was not long enough.

"I guess the only way to get the nuts is to break down the tree; but
how can I do that?" he asked.

"Your head is the strongest part of you," said Mrs. Stumptail. "See if
you can knock the tree over."

"Bang!" went Umboo's head against the tree. The tree shook and
shivered, and a few nuts were knocked down, but not enough.

"Well," said the elephant boy, as he banged the tree again, "I don't
mind doing this for fun, as it doesn't hurt, but the tree doesn't seem
to be coming down very fast. And I can't get the nuts until it does.
What shall I do, mother?"