"Golu Grows a Nose" is a charming story from the NCERT Class 7 textbook "An Alien Hand". It is written by Rudyard Kipling, the famous English author. The story is part of Kipling's "Just So Stories", a collection of imaginative tales explaining how various animals got their distinctive features.
The story is about a young elephant named Golu who is full of questions. Golu is curious about everything and asks everyone about the crocodile - what it eats and where it lives. His endless curiosity leads him to adventure.
In this delightful tale, Golu's big nose (trunk) is explained through a funny story. The curious little elephant learns an important lesson about being careful and listening to advice, and in the end, he discovers that his long trunk is actually very useful.
The story is written by Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936), a British author and poet born in India. He is best known for "The Jungle Book" and won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1907. "Just So Stories" (1902) is a collection of playful, imaginative tales explaining how animals got their special features, such as how the leopard got its spots and how the elephant got its trunk. "Golu Grows a Nose" is Kipling's humorous explanation of how elephants got their trunks, written with his characteristic wit and love of India.
Golu is a young elephant who is very curious. He asks many questions to everyone he meets. His favourite question is about the crocodile - he wants to know what the crocodile eats and where it lives. Everyone he asks is annoyed by his endless questions, and no one gives him a clear answer.
Golu's kind uncle, the ostrich, advises him to go to the great grey-green Limpopo river, where the crocodile lives. Golu sets off on his journey, packing bananas and other food. Along the way, he meets a python (the rock-snake) who asks him where he is going, but Golu hurries on.
At the Limpopo river, Golu meets a strange creature that he thinks is a crocodile. But it is not - it is the python again, who warns Golu to be careful. Then Golu sees the real crocodile, who pretends to be friendly. The crocodile asks Golu to come closer so he can whisper a secret. When Golu puts his nose close, the crocodile grabs it and tries to pull Golu into the water.
The python comes to Golu's rescue, wrapping himself around Golu to pull him back. A tug of war follows, and Golu's nose is stretched longer and longer until the crocodile finally lets go. Golu's nose is now a long trunk. At first Golu is sad, but the python teaches him to use his trunk - to swat flies, pick food, and gather leaves. Golu realises his trunk is wonderful and useful. The story ends with Golu happy about his new nose.
Kipling's tale is at its best in the playful details of the tug of war. The crocodile pulls and the python pulls, and the more they pull, the longer Golu's nose grows, until it is stretched into a proper trunk. The scene is deliberately comic, yet it also carries a serious idea: what looks like a disaster can turn out to be an advantage. Golu, who was first ashamed of his long nose, soon discovers that it lets him gather leaves, swat flies and drink water without bending, and his shame turns into pride.
The story also celebrates the value of experience over empty talk. Golu receives no real answers to his questions until he sets out and meets danger himself. His journey, his mistake and his rescue teach him more than any number of lectures could have done. In this way Kipling's cheerful animal tale quietly supports curiosity and independence, while reminding children that wisdom often comes through careful attention and a little healthy caution.
| Character | Role and Traits |
|---|---|
| Golu | A curious young elephant; asks endless questions; learns a lesson and gains a useful trunk. |
| The Python (Rock-snake) | Wise helper; warns Golu and rescues him from the crocodile. |
| The Crocodile | Clever and dangerous; tricks Golu and pulls his nose. |
| The Ostrich | Golu's uncle; advises him to go to the Limpopo river. |
The central theme of the story is curiosity and adventure. Golu's endless questions lead him on a journey of discovery. Another theme is the danger of being too trusting: Golu trusts the crocodile and nearly gets eaten. The story also teaches the value of experience and adaptation: Golu's stretched nose, which he first thinks is ugly, turns out to be wonderfully useful. Like Kipling's other "Just So Stories", the tale explains a natural feature - the elephant's trunk - through humour and imagination.
| Step | Event |
|---|---|
| 1 | Golu asks everyone about the crocodile |
| 2 | Uncle ostrich advises him to go to the Limpopo river |
| 3 | Golu packs food and sets off |
| 4 | Meets the python who warns him |
| 5 | The crocodile tricks Golu and grabs his nose |
| 6 | The python rescues Golu; his nose stretches |
| 7 | Golu learns to use his trunk and is happy |
| Character | Role |
|---|---|
| Golu | Curious young elephant, gains a trunk |
| Ostrich | Uncle who gives directions |
| Python | Wise rescuer and teacher |
| Crocodile | Trickster who stretches Golu's nose |
"Golu Grows a Nose" is a delightful tale that combines humour, adventure and a touch of danger. Rudyard Kipling's playful explanation of how elephants got their trunks is told through the curious and trusting Golu, whose journey to the Limpopo river nearly ends in disaster. Saved by the wise python, Golu discovers that his stretched nose is not a misfortune but a wonderful tool. The story entertains while gently teaching children to be curious but careful, and to find value in what at first seems strange. It is a shining example of Kipling's genius in turning simple explanations into timeless stories.