In a cozy little house in a small village, Eloy always eagerly awaits the arrival of his grandchildren. Every night, around a crackling fireplace and with a mischievous smile, he begins his tales by saying, "Did you know that when I was young, I traveled to the tumultuous land of the Tsars in Russia and faced an army of dancing bears? Yes, and I became the champion of the bear dance there! But that’s not the story I want to tell you today."
Adjusting his wide-brimmed hat, with a band made of aged leather adorned with exotic feathers and a collection of badges and medals, Eloy looked at his grandchildren with a special sparkle in his eyes.
"Oh, yes, the elephants of Hannibal. It was a fascinating time, my dears. Imagine an army of enormous creatures, so big they could move mountains... almost literally. Well, as always, my story begins in an extraordinary way.
It was a sunny day in ancient Carthage when I received a very urgent letter. Hannibal himself had requested my help! It said that his elephants were having trouble getting used to the cold weather and steep slopes of the Alps. I couldn’t believe it, me, Eloy, training elephants? But I gladly accepted the challenge.
When I arrived at Hannibal’s camp, I was welcomed with great pomp and ceremony. Hannibal, a tall man with a commanding presence, approached me with a look of concern.
"Eloy, I’ve heard you are the best animal trainer there is. My elephants are scared and won’t move forward. Can you help us?"
I looked at the elephants, enormous creatures with sad eyes and drooping ears. I knew at that moment they needed more than training; they needed encouragement and a little fun.
I decided to start with something simple. I gathered the elephants and their caretakers and told them a silly joke about a mouse who wanted to be an elephant. At first, the elephants just looked at me curiously, but soon they began to lift their trunks and make sounds that, I swear, were elephantine laughter.
The first step had been a success: I had captured their attention. Now I needed to earn their trust. I began training them with simple exercises, mixing games and rewards. I taught them to walk in a straight line, to follow basic commands, and, most importantly, not to fear mice. Yes, you heard right, mice!
It turned out that one reason the elephants were refusing to move was that the path was filled with little rodents running around them. So, I had to face this problem head-on.
I convinced Hannibal that we needed an army of cats to keep the mice at bay. It wasn’t easy, but soon we had a brigade of felines patrolling the camp. The elephants, seeing their tiny enemies being chased away, began to regain their confidence.
Once the mouse problem was solved, we started the real training for the alpine crossing. I knew the key was to make the elephants feel at home in the snow and ice. So, I devised a master plan.
I dressed each elephant in a special blanket made of sheep wool, designed to keep them warm in the extreme cold. I also taught them to step carefully on the ice, distributing their weight to avoid slipping.
Days passed, and the elephants grew stronger and more confident. Finally, the moment for the crossing arrived. Hannibal, impressed by their progress, thanked me and said,
"Eloy, you’ve done an incredible job. Without you, we would never have achieved this."
And so, with the elephants ready and the path clear of mice, we began our march. It was an impressive sight: an army of enormous creatures moving with determination through the Alps. There were tough moments, of course, but the elephants, trained and motivated, overcame every obstacle.
Finally, we reached the other side of the Alps. Hannibal and his army were ready to face the Romans, thanks to the brave elephants. And I, Eloy, felt proud to have been part of this great adventure.
And so, dear grandchildren, this story comes to an end. Hannibal’s elephants crossed the Alps and became legends, all thanks to a bit of humor, bravery, and an army of cats. Now, off to bed! Tomorrow, I’ll tell you about how I climbed the high mountains of the Incas in search of the lost city of gold. Goodnight and sweet dreams.