2nd Conditional Why is the Elephant so popular? A Fable from Aesop One of the anecdotes by the ancient Greek writer Aesop concerns a group of animals who, one day, were discussing the popularity of the elephant They all agreed that the elephant was the most popular animal in the forest, but none of them could give a satisfactory explanation of this fact The giraffe said, "If the elephant a long neck like mine, then it be easy to understand his popularity He _ be the tallest animal in the forest." The peacock said, "If the elephant _ a beautiful tail like mine, it _ be easy to understand He be the most beautiful animal in the forest." The rabbit said, "If the elephant _ run as fast as I, it be easy to understand He be the fastest animal in the forest." The bear said, "If the elephant _ as strong as I, it be easy to understand He be the strongest animal in the forest." Suddenly the elephant himself appeared He was larger and stronger than any of the other animals He was also superior in many other ways, but he was always quiet and modest about his accomplishments This, after all, was the real explanation of his popularity