Ueno Zoo was bustling even during the war in Japan. In the shadow of the smiling faces of children playing with the animals, countless lives were lost.
One elephant quietly passed away. My daughters and I were left speechless at the end.
Book Introduction
- Title: "And Tonky Died"
- Author: Mamoru Tanabe (text)
- Illustration: Kaji Ayuta
- Publisher: Kokudosha
Synopsis
- This story is based on the "tragedy of animals" that actually happened at Ueno Zoo during the war.
- 80 years since the end of the war: Why couldn't the zookeepers protect the animals?
- Although it is a picture book for children, it has a profound theme that is also important for adults.
Impressions/Considerations
It is a pity that so many animals that were once kept as human friends must meet their end by their own hands. On the other hand, war makes it possible to take this for granted, eliminate all emotion, and give orders with ruthlessness.
At that time, many people had their families, fathers, husbands, and children taken to the battlefield, and it was not acceptable to save only the animals in the zoo.
Tonky the elephant picks them all off, despite the zookeepers' hopes of feeding them poisoned food so that they will die quickly and without suffering.
Tonky performed his tricks until the very end and asked humans for help.
With each page I turned, my heart tightened and I couldn't hold back the tears.
What you can do now
Immediately after the end of the war, a horse-drawn carriage carrying potatoes to feed the animals at the zoo was stopped by a group of human mothers, who stopped the potatoes for their own children.
For those of us living in this age of peace, it may be difficult to understand the "insanity and ruthlessness of human beings in times of war."
2025 marks 80 years since the end of the war. Just 80 years ago, these events occurred.
All I can do is not forget.
And I feel that it is important to pass on this pain to the next generation.
I want to act in a way that will save any lives that I can.
That is the hope I received from the story of Tonky the Elephant.
