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A man was sitting down by a river in Africa watching a turtle sunbathing on the bank. The day was hot and calm and all was peaceful with the world. A small cloud of dust appeared off in the distance and as the man watched, an old but powerful elephant, ears twitching in the heat and tusks gleaming white in the bright afternoon sun, ambled in to view.
Following the approaching elephant, the man watched in awe as the giant beast walked up to the turtle lying on the bank, lowered his head and nudged the turtle awake with one alabaster tusk. The turtle slowly looked up, eyes half shut, rudely awakened. A discussion of sorts seemed to take place, though the man was too far away to hear with clarity. As quick as it started, dialogue ceased and the turtle put his head back down on the warm bank and closed his eyes.
Ears flapping wildly, the great grey beast seemed enraged. Drawing back one of its wrinkled and powerful front legs and with a bellow that shattered the easy calm of the countryside, the elephant kicked the unsuspecting turtle off the bank and into the river.
Astounded, the man's curiosity overcome any reservations he had of approaching the elephant. "Hey, I noticed that you kicked that poor old turtle right off the bank and into the river. Why?"
"Well", said the bemused elephant, "thirty years ago I was rolling around in the shallow waters of this river, minding my own business I will tell you, when I felt a sharp pain in my trunk. Looking down I saw this very turtle hanging off the end of it. Damn well hurt I can tell you. I have waited a long time for revenge."
The man scratched his head, "Well, what do you know, turtle recall."
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