Why the Elk Has a Long Muzzle

Once an Elk was arguing with the Squeaky taiga Gopher. The latter said ``Summer should be two times longer than it is now.''

The Elk disagreed very strongly with her. ``Oh, no! I don't like summer at all. It is too hot and there are much too many gnats and midges in summer. There should be no summer at all. It would be much better.''

The Squeaky Gopher answered: ``If winter lasted all year round there would be so much snow that you wouldn't be able to run quickly. And Man would be sure to kill you.''

``Kill me?! You rascal!'' The indignant Elk trod on the Gopher, but she managed to escape and hide herself in her hole. Only her tail was left under the Elk's hoof. The Elk, sulky and angry stretched his muzzle and fixed his eyes at the hole, but the Gopher never appeared.

Summer had passed but the Elk still waited for the Gopher. But the latter didn't want to meet with the Elk any more, so that he wouldn't be able to offend her again. And the Elk kept waiting by the hole. Rainy autumn had ended. Winter came along and covered everything with snow. And now again noisy spring had arrived, and summer was approaching.

Only then did the Elk understand that the Gopher wouldn't come out to argue with him. And he left.