# Why you never see elephants in trees

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Joke
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-joke-elephants-hiding-in-trees
- Themes: humour, logic
- Life situations: needing a laugh

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

A joke a man told him: why don't you see elephants hiding in trees? Because they're too good at hiding. Like the US Army's state-of-the-art camouflage trucks — now they can't find where they parked them.

## The story, as told by Ajahn Brahm (verbatim captions)

He said, "Why? Why don't you see elephants hiding in trees? Why don't you see elephants hiding in trees?" And don't say it's because they can't climb the trees or they're too big or the branches will break. That's not the answer. The answer is why you don't see elephants hiding in trees. Because they're too good at hiding. That's why you never see them. They're very good hiders. Just like the story of the the US Army who brought the state-of-the-art camouflage trucks. Now they can't find them where they park them.

## Teaching point

An 'intellectual' joke — logically consistent, he says.

## Reflection (in the spirit of Ajahn Brahm's talk)

Why don't you see elephants hiding in trees? Because they're so good at it. Ajahn Brahm calls it logically consistent, and challenges you to spot one this weekend. A daft joke clears the air before he turns to the fear of being different. People who aren't like us aren't a threat. Let them in.

## Source

- [Being Afraid | Ajahn Brahm | 16 March 2018](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYHTHj4PGPU) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 39:20 to 40:08: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYHTHj4PGPU&t=2360s