Once, in a cozy river meadow, a young elephant named Lillie stood by a round mud puddle. The puddle was warm. The grass was soft. Birds sang small songs.

Lillie looked at her feet. They were big. Very big.

Near the puddle, a mouse peeked out. Her nose wiggled. Her ears flicked. She was tiny.

Lillie blinked. "Hello," she rumbled.

The mouse smiled. "Hello! I'm Pip."

Lillie felt shy. Pip was so small.

Pip looked up at Lillie's face. "You are tall like a tree!"

Lillie lifted her trunk. "You are small like a seed."

They both giggled.

Then Lillie said, very softly, "I want to go for a walk. But I am too big."

Pip's eyes shone. "We can go together!"

Lillie's ears perked. She took a slow breath.

And they said a little rhyme, just like a game:

**"Big or small, we help us all."**

They said it once. It felt nice.

Lillie saw a narrow path. It went toward some bright yellow flowers.

"I have never walked that path," Lillie whispered. "It is new."

Pip nodded. "New can be fun."

So Lillie took her first big step. Then another.

The path grew skinny. Lillie's toes bumped the stones.

Pip scampered ahead. "Follow me!"

Lillie tried to follow. She placed her foot... and—splosh!

Her foot slid into the mud.