An Elephant in the Garden: Inspired by a True Story

by Michael Morpurgo

It was not only the mockery in their faces and the cruelty of their words that I hated so much, it was the injustice.

I think I have always had a strong sense of justice, of fair play, of what is right and what is wrong. Maybe it is just natural for children to be born like this. Maybe I got it from Mutti. Who knows? Anyway, I always recognized injustice when I saw it, and I felt it deeply. And believe you me, there was plenty of it about in those days. I saw the Jews in the streets, with their yellow stars sewn onto their coats. I saw their shops with the star of David daubed in paint all over the windows. Several times I saw them beaten up by Nazi stormtroopers, and left to lie in the gutter.

To be a true friend, you have to be a good listener,

Peter was our guide and provider, and Mutti was our strength, then Marlene was our inspiration.