"It will bite me."

I biked to Kantaly; I wanted to share some treats with the kids there. I’d saved the best—a plastic figurine of an elephant with a button to press for elephant sounds—for Buba. Buba, however, was scared of it. As Gaye said, “He has a crying stomach.” As Buba said, “It will bite me.”

E.B. however, loved the elephant, but could not be convinced to give his bouncy ball to Buba in exchange. E.B. especially liked finding the kids with crying stomachs and then chasing after them with the elephant. He wanted to know if there was a battery inside. Would the battery be spoiled if it got wet? When he bathes, he will bathe the elephant too. He will wash the ears, and the legs, and this thing (the nose).

He gave the elephant some water to drink. His mother yelled that it would spoil the battery.

At least if the battery spoils, Buba might stop being afraid.