[illustration: whooo-ish! went more water from tum tum's trunk on the blazing peanut wagon and straw. (page ) _frontispiece_] kneetime animal stories tum tum, the jolly elephant his many adventures by richard barnum author of "squinty, the comical pig," "slicko, the jumping squirrel," "mappo, the merry monkey," "don, a runaway dog," etc. _illustrated by_ _harriet h. tooker_ new york barse & hopkins publishers kneetime animal stories by richard barnum _large mo. illustrated. price per volume,_ _ cents, postpaid_ squinty, the comical pig slicko, the jumping squirrel mappo, the merry monkey tum tum, the jolly elephant don, a runaway dog dido, the dancing bear blackie, a lost cat flop ear, the funny rabbit tinkle, the trick pony lightfoot, the leaping goat (_other volumes in preparation_) barse & hopkins publishers new york copyright, by barse & hopkins _tum tum, the jolly elephant_ vail-ballou company binghamton and new york contents chapter page i tum tum goes swimming ii tum tum is caught iii tum tum and mappo iv tum tum in the circus v tum tum and don vi tum tum and the wagon vii tum tum looks for mappo viii tum tum and the fire ix tum tum and the balloons x tum tum and the lemonade xi tum tum and the tiger xii tum tum's brave deed illustrations whooo-ish! went more water from tum tum's trunk on the blazing peanut wagon and straw. _frontispiece_ page through the forest jungle rushed the elephants, trampling down the trees and bushes he fell down on his knees, while mappo sailed through the air all this while tum tum was holding don high in the air in his trunk the big hippopotamus wagon rolled out of the mud, and on to the firm, hard road right out of the ground the big elephant pulled the tree he stayed under the tree where the tiger was, for he knew that soon the circus men would come to hunt for sharp tooth tum tum, the jolly elephant chapter i tum tum goes swimming tum tum was a jolly elephant. i shall tell you that much at the start of this story, so you will not have to be guessing as to who tum tum was. tum tum was the jolliest elephant in the circus, but before that he was the jolliest elephant in the woods or jungle. in fact, tum tum was nearly always happy and jolly, and, though he had many troubles, in all the adventures that happened to him, still, he always tried to be good-natured over them. so i am going to tell you all about tum tum, and the wonderful things that happened to him. once upon a time tum tum was a baby elephant, and lived away off in a far country called india, with many other elephants, little and big, in the jungle. the jungle is just another name for woods, or forest, only the jungle is a very thick woods. the trees grow big and strong, and between them grow strong vines so that it is hard for any living creature except an elephant, or maybe a snake to push his way along. a snake can crawl on the ground under the vines, you know. well, tum tum lived in this jungle, and with him lived his father and mother. his father was a great big elephant, named tusky, and he was called this because he had two big, long, white teeth, called tusks, sticking out on either side of his long trunk, which was like a fat rubber hose. tum tum's mother was named mrs. tusky, but she did not have any long teeth like her husband. perhaps she had had some once, and had lost them, breaking down a big tree, or something like that. tum tum had no brothers or sisters, but there were other little boy and girl elephants in the herd, or family of elephants, where he lived, and, altogether, he had a good time in the jungle, tum tum did. one day tum tum, who had been eating his dinner of leaves, with his father and mother, heard a loud trumpeting in the woods back of where he was standing. trumpeting is the noise an elephant makes when he blows through his long trunk, or nose. it is his way of speaking to another elephant. "who's that calling?" asked mrs. tusky, of her husband. "oh, it sounds like some of the little boy elephants," said the old papa elephant, as he pulled up a tree by the roots, so he could the more easily take a bite from the tender top leaves. "i hope it doesn't mean any danger for us," said mrs. tusky, looking at tum tum, who was busy finishing his dinner. elephants, you know, no matter if they are big, are just as much afraid of danger as are other wild animals. of course they are not so much afraid of the other beasts in the jungles, for the elephant can fight almost anything, even a lion or a tiger. but an elephant is afraid of the black men, or natives, who live in the jungle, and an elephant is also afraid of the white hunters, who come into the big forest from time to time. "i hope no hunters are about, to make one of our elephant friends trumpet that way," said mrs. tusky, speaking in a way elephants have. "oh, no, don't be afraid," said her husband, eating away at his tree leaves. "there is no danger." but, as he said this, he put up his long trunk-nose, and carefully sniffed the air. that is the way animals have of telling if danger is near. they do it by smelling as well as by listening and seeing. only one cannot see very far in the jungle, as the trees are so thick. mr. tusky also lifted up his big ears, about as large as ten palm-leaf fans, and listened for any sounds of danger. all he heard was the crashing of tree branches and bushes, as some of the other elephants, farther off in the jungle, pushed their way about eating their dinners. then, suddenly, some elephant called, trumpeting through his trunk: "tum tum! hello, tum tum! can't you come out and play?" "oh, it's some of your little elephant friends," said mr. tum tum, to the little boy elephant. i say "little," though tum tum was really a pretty good size. he was much larger than a horse. "oh, may i go and play with them?" asked tum tum, just as any of you might have done. of course tum tum did not speak in words, as you or i would have done. instead he spoke in elephant language, though he could also speak and understand other animal talk. and he could also understand man-talk, just as, in my other books, i have told you how dogs, cats, pigs and monkeys can understand what we say to them, though they cannot talk to us. "may i go out and play?" asked tum tum. "oh, i guess so," answered his father. "but do not go too far away. and you must listen for the sound of the danger trumpet from mr. boom. when he signals that there is danger, you must run back, for that will mean we shall have to go off farther in the jungle, and hide." "i'll be careful," promised tum tum. elephants in the jungle live in big families, or herds. at the head is the largest elephant of them all, the leader. he is always on the lookout for danger, and when he sees, hears or smells any, he gives a signal, or trumpet, through his trunk, and then all the elephants run away and hide. tum tum, the jolly elephant, stopped eating his dinner, for he had had enough, anyhow, and off through the jungle he crashed. he did not wait to go by the path, for he was so big and strong. even though he was a little chap, as yet, he could crash through big thick bushes, and even knock over pretty large trees, if they were in his way. "i'm coming!" called tum tum to his play-fellows, the other elephants. "i'm coming!" tum tum came to a tree that stood in his way. he could just as well have gone around it, but that was not what he was used to. he lowered his head, and banged into it. "crash!" over went the tree, broken off short. "i'll soon be with you!" tum tum called again, for he still could not see his little friends. "who's there?" he asked. back through the jungle came the answer: "we're all here--whoo-ee, gumble-umble, thorny and zunga!" these were the names of the elephants with whom tum tum played. whoo-ee was a boy elephant, and he had that name, because he used to make a funny sound, almost like his name, when he whistled through his trunk. gumble-umble was another boy elephant, and he was called that because he grumbled, or found fault, so often. thorny was a girl elephant, and she got her name, because she was so fond of eating the tender, juicy leaves from the thorn tree. zunga was another girl elephant, and she was just called that name because her mother thought it sounded nice--just as tum tum's mamma thought his name was the nicest one in the jungle. "i'm coming!" trumpeted tum tum, and then he came to another tree that stood in his path. "i guess i'll have to knock this out of the way," he thought to himself, and he lowered his strong head and started toward it. "crack!" went his head against the tree, but the tree did not break. it was very strong. "humph!" thought tum tum. "i guess i'll have to pull you up by the roots if i can't break you off." so he wound his trunk around the tree. then he pulled and he pulled and he pulled some more until, all of a sudden, the tree came up by the roots. it came up so quickly that tum tum tumbled over backwards, head over heels. "smash!" down in the bushes went tum tum, holding up the tree in his trunk. "ha! ha!" came an elephant laugh from the jungle in front of tum tum. "oh, just look at him!" a voice called. "what happened, tum tum?" asked a third elephant. "are you playing one of your tricks?" some one else wanted to know. tum tum looked up from where he lay on his back in the bushes. he saw whoo-ee, gumble-umble, thorny and zunga looking at him, their mouths wide open, laughing. and then, instead of getting angry, and being cross, tum tum just laughed himself, such a jolly laugh! "ha! ha!" he giggled. "i--i fell over backward pulling up this tree. did you see me?" "did we see you? well, i guess we did!" cried whoo-ee. "well, maybe you did, but i didn't," complained gumble-umble. "zunga got right in my way, when i wanted to look." "oh, i'm sorry," said zunga. "i didn't mean to." "oh, don't mind gumble-umble," said tum tum, with another jolly laugh. "he's always finding fault. i'll pull up another tree, and fall again, gumble-umble, so you can see me do it, if you like." "no, don't. you might hurt yourself," said thorny, the other girl elephant. "pooh!" cried tum tum. "i'm not afraid!" "well, never mind about pulling up more trees now," said whoo-ee. "we called you to come out, and have some fun with us. we are going swimming." "where?" asked tum tum, as he got up off his back, and blew some dust over himself to keep away the flies. "oh, we're going down in the river," said zunga. "it's so hot to-day, that a nice bath will cool us off. come on." "i'd better ask my mother," said tum tum. "i didn't know you were going swimming, when you called for me to come and play with you. i'll go ask her." "all right, we'll wait for you. only don't be all day," said gumble-umble. "we want to go in the water before night." "oh, you mustn't mind him," laughed whoo-ee. "i don't know what's the matter with him to-day; he's always finding fault. did you get a thorn in your foot, gumble, that makes you so cross?" "no, i didn't," answered the other boy elephant. "but i don't want to stand here all the afternoon in a hot jungle, waiting for tum tum." "i won't be long," promised the jolly elephant. he hurried back through the woods to where his father and mother were still eating. "mother, may i go in swimming?" he asked, as he came to where mrs. tusky stood. "yes, but don't go so far, that you can't hear any calls that may come from mr. boom. there's no telling when the hunters may find us." "i'll listen, and be careful," said tum tum. back he crashed through the jungle, and soon he and his elephant friends were on their way to the river, that was not far from where the herd of elephants was feeding. "there's the river!" suddenly called whoo-ee, as he caught sight of the sparkling water through the trees. "let's see who'll be the first one in!" called whoo-ee, as he began to run. "oh, don't leave us behind," begged thorny and zunga. "oh, that's the way with girls--always making a fuss!" complained gumble-umble. "why can't you run like we boys do?" "because you're bigger and stronger than we are," said zunga. "well, we're not going to wait for you," said gumble-umble. "never mind, i don't care whether i'm first in the water or not," said tum tum. "i'll stay with you, thorny, and zunga." "isn't tum tum nice?" whispered zunga to thorny, as they went along through the jungle. "yes," said thorny. whoo-ee and gumble-umble hurried on through the woods, and whoo-ee was the first to splash into the water. "i beat!" he cried. "well, i'd have been first only i stumbled over a tree root," said gumble-umble. he was always finding fault, it seemed. into the water splashed the five elephant children. they went out where it was about deep enough to come up to their ears, and then they sucked water up in their trunks and sprayed it over their backs, to drive away the flies and gnats that bit them. then they swam out into deep water, and rolled and tumbled about, having great fun. they splashed each other, squirted water all over, and soon were as cool as cucumbers on ice. all at once, through the jungle, there sounded a loud trumpeting. "hark!" cried whoo-ee, as he stopped squirting water on thorny. "what's that?" "it's mr. boom signaling that there's danger!" cried tum tum. chapter ii tum tum is caught tum tum, and the other elephants who were in swimming, made no more noise than a fly walking up the window. they all kept quiet and listened. through the jungle again sounded the trumpet call: "umph! umph! boom! boom! toom!" "that sure means danger!" cried tum tum. "come on! we had better go back to where our fathers and mothers are." "indeed we had!" said thorny, as she and zunga waded to the shore, water dripping from them. "that's always the way!" complained gumble-umble. "just as we are having fun, something has to happen." "look here!" exclaimed whoo-ee, "you don't want to be caught in a trap, do you?" "of course not," said gumble-umble. "and you don't want a hunter to shoot you, or to carry you away far off somewhere, do you?" "you know i don't," and gumble-umble did not speak quite so crossly this time. "well, then," said whoo-ee, "let's do as tum tum is doing, and start for home. there must be some danger, or mr. boom wouldn't have called to us that way." "indeed he wouldn't," said tum tum, and he did not laugh in his jolly way now. "my mother told me to be sure and listen for a call from mr. boom. she said he would be looking for danger, and when he called, i was to hurry home." tum tum was out on the bank of the river now. gumble-umble was the last one of the elephants to come from the swimming pool. "let's hurry," said tum tum. "that's what i say!" cried thorny. "i don't want to be caught by some hunter." the elephant children knew what hunters were, for their fathers and mothers had often told them about the natives who tried to catch elephants. indeed, some of the older elephants had more than once been caught in traps, but they had gotten out. without stopping to put on any clothes, for of course elephants do not wear any, tum tum and the others hurried off through the jungle toward where the rest of the herd was feeding. several times as they hastened along, they could hear mr. boom trumpeting, and it sounded as though he said: "hurry along! hurry along! there's danger! danger!" and tum tum and the others did hurry, you may be sure of that. before the elephant children reached the place where they had left the herd feeding, tum tum saw something pushing through the jungle toward them. "look out!" he warned his playmates. "something is coming!" the five elephants stopped short, and were beginning to get afraid when, all at once, tum tum's mother burst through the bushes and came up to him. "oh, i was so frightened!" she said, speaking through her trunk. "i thought you were never coming!" "oh, we heard mr. boom," said tum tum, "and we came on as soon as we could. but what's the matter, mamma?" "plenty is the matter, or, rather, is going to be, unless we can get away," said the mamma elephant. "a big band of hunters is in the jungle, and they are coming this way." "did you see them?" asked whoo-ee. "no, indeed! if we waited until they were close enough for us elephants to see them, they would be so close, that we could not get away. some monkeys brought word that the hunters were on the march. so we are going to start at once and go afar off, into a deep, dark part of the jungle, where they cannot find us." "well, we had a swim, anyhow," said tum tum. "i'm hungry, mamma. have we time to eat?" "no, indeed," said the lady elephant. "we'll just have to eat as we go along. you children had better go to your fathers and mothers," she said to whoo-ee, gumble-umble, thorny and zunga. "they are, very likely, looking for you." so the four friends of tum tum started off, and soon the whole herd of elephants was moving off through the jungle, led by mr. boom, who had heard of the danger from a monkey friend. all that day the herd of elephants kept on, crashing their way through the jungle. they did not follow any path, but made one for themselves. through the thick, strong vines they pushed their way, breaking down trees, or pulling them up by their roots. nothing could stop the elephants when they were running away from danger. "oh, dear! this is no fun! i'm tired! i'm not going to run any more!" complained gumble-umble. "i don't believe there is any danger, anyhow." "oh, but there must be," said tum tum, who, with whoo-ee, was hurrying along beside his play-fellow. "otherwise they wouldn't make us go so fast," and he pointed with his trunk to mr. boom, and some of the older men elephants, who were leading the herd. "well, i'm not going to go so fast," said gumble-umble. "i'm going to stop and have a rest." "no, you're not!" exclaimed his father, who came up behind gumble-umble, just then. "i'm sorry," the papa elephant said, "but you must keep on. it would never do to stop now, or the hunters would get us. here, i'll push you along," and with his strong head, gumble-umble's father shoved his son along, whether gumble-umble wanted to go or not. tum tum needed no pushing. he was glad enough to hurry along as fast as he could. so were the other small elephants, for they did not want to be caught. then, after a while, mr. boom signaled that they were far enough off now, and need not hurry any more. they were safe, at least for a time. "and i'm glad of it!" exclaimed gumble-umble. "i can't walk another step," and he lay down to rest. all the elephants were tired, and hungry. but they had come to a place where there was plenty of food and water. soon they were eating, drinking and getting ready to spend the night in the jungle, for it was now almost dark. tum tum found a nice cozy place between his mother and father, and soon he was sound asleep. for some time after this, the herd of elephants was kept on the move by the hunters. then, finally, the men with guns were left so far behind that there was no more danger for them. then all the elephants were glad. they did not have to run through the jungle any more, and they had time to eat and drink. tum tum and his friends went in swimming many times, and tum tum grew so fat and large and strong, that he was soon the largest of all the children elephants in the herd. in fact, he was almost as large as his father and mother, and of all the elephants he was the strongest, except only mr. boom. no elephant was stronger or braver than mr. boom. that was what made him the leader. one day, when tum tum had grown to be a big, fine strong elephant, though as jolly as ever, something happened to him. i shall tell you all about it now. the herd of elephants was in the forest as before. they were eating away, when, all of a sudden, mr. boom gave the signal with his trunk. "danger! danger!" he cried, in his deep, booming voice, that was like distant thunder. "oh, we've got to run again!" cried mr. tusky, who was the father of tum tum. it is a good thing elephants do not live in houses, and also good that they have nothing to move with them, when they go from place to place, or they would have trouble, because they have to run away from danger so often. once again they were on the march, with mr. boom in the lead. now tum tum was so big and strong, that he was allowed to march at the head of the herd with mr. boom. "oh, but i am afraid to have him there," said mrs. tusky to her husband. "nonsense!" exclaimed the papa elephant. "he must learn to take his place. some day he will be the leader of the herd, and will warn the others of danger." through the forest jungle rushed the elephants, trampling down the trees and bushes. behind them could be heard the shouts of the hunters, and the firing of guns. there was also the noise of big wooden and tin drums being beaten, and horns being blown. there was also the trumpeting of other elephants--tame elephants. for hunters use tame elephants to help them catch the wild ones. [illustration: through the forest jungle rushed the elephants, trampling down the trees and bushes. page ] "wait! don't run away! you will not be hurt!" called the tame elephants to tum tum, and the other wild ones. but the wild elephants did not want to be caught. they did not know they would be kindly treated by their masters. all the wild elephants wanted to do was to get away. so with tum tum and mr. boom at their head, away they rushed through the jungle. all at once the rushing herd of wild elephants came to a fence in the jungle. it was a strong fence, made of big bamboo trees stuck in the ground. it was such a strong fence that even mr. boom, try as he did, could not break it down. when he found that after one or two blows from his head would not break the fence, he called out to the other elephants: "never mind the fence! we can't break through it, so we'll run along beside it. maybe there'll be a hole in it somewhere." so the elephants rushed through the jungle, alongside of the fence, just as you might do, until you came to a gate, or hole. that was what mr. boom was looking for--a hole in the fence. but he did not see any. in fact, this fence was a trap, and soon mr. boom and the other elephants knew this. "run away from the fence! run over this way!" called mr. boom. the elephants ran, but soon they saw another fence in front of them--a fence as strong as the first one. mr. boom and some of the strong elephants, including tum tum, tried to break it down, but they could not. if they had all gotten together, and pushed at one spot, they might have broken it, but they pushed in different places, and the fence held them back. "never mind!" called mr. boom. "maybe this fence has a hole in it. we'll run along it and find out." "why can't we turn around and go back?" asked gumble-umble of tum tum, behind whom he was now running. "because the hunters are behind us," said tum tum. "if we turned back, they would surely catch us. the only thing to do is to run on." tum tum was beginning to be a smart elephant, you see. he knew many things about danger. but, had he only known it, there was something he did not know--and this was that he and the others were, even then, running right into a trap. on and on rushed the elephants. the two lines of fences that had been far apart, were now so close together that they could both easily be seen at once. it was like going down a long lane, in the cow pasture, with a fence on either side. then mr. boom saw the danger. "go back! go back!" called the big leader elephant. "go back!" but it was too late. right in front of the elephants was a big round place, like a baseball park, with a high fence all around it--a very strong fence. there was a gate by which the elephants could be driven into this park, only it was a trap, and not a park. and there was no way out of it. the fence ran all about it, except this one hole. and through that hole the elephants were being driven. "go back! go back!" cried tum tum, waving his trunk at the other elephants as mr. boom was doing. but the elephants were afraid to go back because the hunters were rushing up behind them. the hunters had driven the elephants into the trap, and were going to keep them there. up rode the hunters on tame elephants. into the trap they drove the wild ones, tum tum and all the others. "alas! we are caught!" cried mr. boom. "come, let us see if we cannot break through this fence!" he rushed at it with his big head, but the fence was too strong for him. into the midst of the wild elephants came the tame ones, with the hunter-men on their backs. the tame elephants talked to the wild ones. "be quiet!" said the tame elephants. "you will not be hurt! see us! we were once like you, but we were caught and we like it. be quiet!" some of the elephants quieted down, but others rushed about, trying to break through the fence. tum tum was one of these. then, all at once two tame elephants, with men on their backs, rushed at tum tum. chains and ropes were thrown over his back, and around his legs. the chains and ropes were pulled tight. tum tum was caught in the trap. chapter iii tum tum and mappo tum tum was not now such a jolly elephant as he had been the day he went in swimming, or as happy as when he pulled up the tree, fell over backward, and laughed at his own joke. no, indeed! tum tum was feeling very unhappy now. "oh, mamma!" tum tum cried. "oh, papa! what has happened?" mr. and mrs. tusky were not able to answer tum tum. they, too, as well as nearly all the other elephants, had been caught in the trap. some of them, like tum tum, were held fast with chains and ropes, and others were trying to batter down the fence of the trap with their heads. but they felt that they could not do it, as the fence was too strong. "let me go! let me loose!" cried tum tum in his elephant language. of course the hunter men, who had taken tum tum and the others prisoners, did not understand this talk, but they could see that tum tum was very strong, and might break loose. "better put a couple more chains on that fellow," said one of the hunters to another. "i guess so," agreed the second hunter. "that is the finest and biggest elephant we have caught in this herd." at first tum tum thought they must be speaking of mr. boom, who surely was the largest and strongest elephant in the jungle. but, when tum tum looked around, mr. boom was not to be seen. he had gotten away. he had turned, and run out of the trap, and he was so big and strong that even the tame elephants, with the hunters on their backs, could not stop him. away he rushed into the jungle. but he was very sad, for he alone, of all the herd, had escaped. "i wonder of whom they can be speaking, so big and strong," thought tum tum. he saw two tame elephants, with hunters on their backs, and carrying chains, coming toward him. "why--why, they must mean me!" said tum tum to himself. he stopped trying to break down the fence, which the hunters had built as a trap, and waited. "look out for him," said one of the men. "he looks dangerous. he looks like a bad elephant." tum tum was not a bad elephant. he was very strong, but he was not bad. "oh, mamma, what shall i do?" cried tum tum, as he saw the tame elephants, with chains, coming closer to him. for all his great strength, tum tum was yet only a boy elephant. he was not very wise. he did not know what to do. "listen," said tum tum's father. "you are now the leader of the herd, tum tum. mr. boom is gone, and i am too old to be the leader. so you must be. we elephants will do as you do. if you can break down the fence, and get away from the hunters, we will follow you." "i will try, once more, to break down the fence," said tum tum. "let some of the strong, young elephants come to help me. come, whoo-ee--come, gumble-umble! we will smash down the fence!" but one of the tame elephants, who heard what tum tum said, called to him, and spoke: "oh, brother. do not break down the fence." "why not?" asked tum tum, who could easily understand the language of the tame elephant. "why should i not break the fence, and let my friends, and my father and mother, out of this trap. why not?" "because," answered the tame elephant, with the chains, "you cannot do it. already you are held with ropes, and soon we will put more chains on you, so that you cannot move." "and why would you--you who are elephants like ourselves--why would you do this to us, who never harmed you?" asked tum tum. "because it is for your good," said the tame elephant. "the white hunters are very strong. you may get away from them now, but they will come after you again. it is better to give in now. if you are good, and do not try to break down the fence, you will wear no chains." "but what will happen to us--to me and my father and mother?" asked tum tum. "you will be put to work, piling teak logs in the woods," said the tame elephant. "you will have enough to eat, you will have shelter from the rain and the flies. you will have water to drink and to wash in. it is a good life. i like it." "is that all that will happen to me?" asked tum tum. "perhaps not," answered the tame elephant. "you may be sent far across the big water, in a house that floats, and go, as other elephants have gone, to a circus, or menagerie, for the boys and girls to look at, and feed peanuts to." "what are peanuts?" asked tum tum, who was hungry. "i do not know, never having eaten any," said the tame elephant. "but one of my brothers, who was in a circus in a far off land, and who came back here, said they were very good. now shall we put the chains on you--i and my tame brothers--or will you be quiet--you and the others?" tum tum thought for a minute. after all he was caught, and it would be hard to get away, even if he were the strongest elephant in the herd, now that mr. boom was gone. then, too, it might be nice in a circus, and tum tum certainly wanted to see what peanuts were like. "i--i will be good, tame brother," he said. "you need not put the chains and ropes on me." "you are wise, tum tum," said the tame elephant. "we will put no chains on you. and about the others?" he asked. "the others will do as i do," said tum tum. "i am the leader now." "good!" trumpeted the tame elephant, whose name was dunda. "my brother from the jungle is wise." so tum tum had no more chains put on his legs or back, and those that were on him, with the ropes, were taken off. "so we are not to try to break from the trap?" asked whoo-ee. "no, for we will be well treated here," said tum tum, "and some of us may go to a circus." "what is a circus?" asked zunga. "it is a place where boys and girls look at us, and feed us peanuts," answered tum tum. "i will not go to any circus!" cried gumble-umble. "i am going to break out of this trap!" "you must not!" cried tum tum. "i have said that we would all be good, and i am the leader." "you cannot lead me!" trumpeted gumble-umble, and he rushed at the fence of the stockade, or trap. but before he could reach it, two tame elephants rushed at him, and gumble-umble was soon bound with strong chains and ropes, so that he could hardly move. "it is all your fault!" he cried to tum tum. "no, it is your own," said gumble-umble's papa. "now you must quiet down and be a good elephant. we are caught, we can go no more to the jungle, but perhaps it is best for us." so tum tum and the wild elephants were thus caught. for a time the herd of wild elephants was kept inside the fence. they were given good things to eat, and plenty of water to drink, and to blow over themselves with their trunks, to cool off. they did not try to get away, though once, in the night, mr. boom came as close to the outside of the trap, or stockade, as he dared, and trumpeted, trying to call his herd back to him. but they would not go. they were beginning to like it, with the tame elephants. in a little while all the wild elephants, tum tum included, were quite tame. then they were taken out, a few at a time, out to the forest, and shown how to pile up the heavy logs of teakwood, which is used for building ships, and sometimes for making tables and chairs. the tame elephants showed the wild ones how to carry the logs on their tusks, or in their trunks, and how to pile them up as neatly as you can pile up your building blocks. tum tum learned to do this, and also how to push heavy wagons about with his head. he also learned much of the man-talk, so that his driver, or _mahoot_, as he is called, could, by a few words, make tum tum understand just what was wanted. one day tum tum was taken away from the rest of the herd, and he did not even have a chance to say good-by. he was led up what seemed to be a little bridge, and tum tum was afraid it would fall with him. but it did not. next he walked down into a dark place, and he found other elephants there. some of them he knew. "where are we, and where are we going?" he asked. "we are in a ship, and we are being taken across the ocean to a circus," answered whoo-ee, who was one of the elephants in the dark place, which was the inside of a steamship. "a circus! good!" cried tum tum. "now i shall know how a peanut tastes." the ship began to move and rock. it rocked and swayed for many days, for it was on the ocean. and then, one day, a sailor came down to see the elephants. he brought with him a queer little animal, with thick, brown hair. and this animal chattered in jungle talk. "ha! i seem to know who that is!" thought tum tum. "chatter! chatter! chat! chur-r-r-r-r-r!" went the little brown-haired animal, as he sprang from the arms of the sailor. "umph! umph!" trumpeted tum tum. then the little brown monkey, for such it was, gave a jump from the arms of the sailor, and landed up on the back of the elephant. "hello, tum tum!" cried the monkey. "why, it's mappo!" exclaimed tum tum. "how did you get here?" "i was caught in a net, when i was eating some cocoanut," the monkey said. i have told you how that happened in a book called, "mappo, the merry monkey." [illustration: he fell down on his knees, while mappo sailed through the air. page ] "caught in a net, eh?" said tum tum. "that is too bad. i was caught myself. but where are you going?" "to a circus," answered mappo. "so am i!" cried tum tum. "this is fine! we'll be in the circus together!" the monkey and the elephant were good friends, for they had known each other in the jungle, tum tum often having passed under the tree where mappo's home was. the sailor who had brought mappo down to see the elephants, smiled as he saw tum tum making friends with him. "i guess i'll leave them together," said the sailor. so mappo went to sleep on tum tum's big back. the monkey had not slept very long, before he was suddenly awakened, by finding himself almost sliding off. "what is the matter, tum tum?" asked mappo. "the ship is trying to stand on its head, i think," said the elephant. "oh, here i go!" and he fell down on his knees, while mappo sailed through the air and fell on a pile of hay. chapter iv tum tum in the circus with mappo chattering in his monkey language, and the elephants in the lower part of the ship trumpeting through their trunks, there was so much noise, that it is no wonder many of the animals were frightened. "oh, what is it? what is it?" mappo chattered. "i don't know," answered tum tum, "unless the hunters are coming after us again," and, raising his trunk, he gave the call of danger, as he had heard mr. boom, the big leader elephant, give it in the jungle. "hush! be quiet!" called an old elephant near tum tum. "why do you call that way, brother?" he asked in elephant language. "there is danger," replied tum tum. "i must tell the others to get out of here." "that cannot be done," said the old elephant. "we are in a ship, on the big water, and if we got out now, in the ocean, we would surely drown. be quiet!" "but why am i tossed about so?" asked tum tum. "why can i not stand up straight?" "because the ship is in a storm," answered the old elephant. "i know, for i have been on a ship before. the wind is blowing and tossing the ship up and down. "but there is no danger. only keep quiet, and, since you are the new leader of the elephants, tell them to be quiet, or some of them may be hurt. see, down come the sailors to see what is the trouble." surely enough, down came a whole lot of sailors, in white suits, to see why all the elephants had trumpeted so loudly, and why mappo, the merry monkey, had squealed. "hush! be quiet!" called tum tum to the other elephants. "be quiet or i shall beat you with my trunk, and make you." when tum tum spoke that way, all the other elephants heard him, and they grew quiet. some, who had fallen on their knees, when the ship tossed from side to side, now got up. they placed their big legs far apart, so they could stand steadily. "we will be all right when the storm passes," said the old elephant who had spoken to tum tum. mappo picked himself up off the pile of hay, and, just then, his friend the sailor came to get him. "i guess you have been here long enough, mappo," said the sailor. "you might get hurt down here, with all these big elephants." mappo was glad enough to go, not that he felt afraid of the elephants, but he knew that one of them might, by accident, fall on him, and an elephant is so large and heavy that, when he falls on a monkey, there is not much left of the little chap. "good-by, tum tum!" called mappo to his big friend. "i'll come and see you, when the storm is over." "all right," answered tum tum. "and i hope the storm will soon be over, for i do not like it." the ship was swinging to and fro, like a rocking chair on the front porch when the wind blows. but finally the elephants became used to it, and some of them could even go to sleep. but tum tum stayed awake. "there might be some danger," he thought to himself, "and if there was, i could warn the others. i am the leader, and must always be on the watch for danger, just as mr. boom would be, if he were here." but i am glad to say no more danger came to the ship. it rode safely through the storm, and in a few days, it was gliding swiftly over the blue sea. "what will happen to us, when the ship stops sailing?" asked tum tum of the old elephant, who seemed to know so much. "after it gets to the other side of the ocean," said the old elephant, "we shall be taken out--we and all the animals. then we shall go to the circus." "is the circus nice?" asked tum tum. "i have been in one or two, and i like them," said the old elephant, whose name was hoy. "there is hard work, but there is also fun." "tell me about the fun," said tum tum. "i do not like to hear about the hard work." "the work goes with the fun," said hoy, "so i will tell you about both. the hard work comes in marching through the hard city streets, that hurt your feet. that is when we go in the parade. i know, for i have been in many parades. but it is fun, too, for we elephants have a little house on our backs, and men and women ride in it. then the bands play, and the people laugh and shout to see us pass by. yes, that is fun," and the old elephant, who had been sent to make the voyage in the ship, so that he might keep the new, wild elephants quiet, shut his eyes as he thought of the circus days. "is there other hard work?" asked tum tum. "a great deal," said hoy. "you will have to push heavy wagons about with your head, and lift heavy poles, as you did in the lumber yard when you came from the jungle. and then you will have to do tricks in the circus ring." "what are tricks?" asked tum tum. "tricks are what i call hard work, but they make the people in the circus laugh," answered hoy. "you will have to stand on your head, turn somersaults and do many things like that." "now tell me about the fun," begged tum tum. "yes, there is some fun," spoke hoy, slowly. "you will get nice hay to eat, and water to drink, and the children in the circus will give you popcorn balls and peanuts to eat. also, you will wear a fine blanket, all gold and spangles, when you march around the ring in the tent. but now i am tired, and i want to go to sleep." so the old elephant slept, and tum tum stood there, swaying backward and forward in the ship, wondering whether he would like a circus. it took several weeks for the ship to make the journey from jungle land to circus land, and, during that period, mappo, the merry monkey, came down to see tum tum several times. "i am going to be in the circus, also," said mappo, when one day tum tum spoke of the big show under the white tent. "are you?" asked the jolly elephant. "that will be nice. we'll see each other." "and will you take care of me, so the tiger won't get me?" asked mappo. "indeed i shall!" cried tum tum through his big trunk. at last the day came when the ship reached her dock, and the animals were taken out. the chains were loosed from the legs of tum tum and the other elephants, and they were hoisted up from the lower part of the ship, and allowed to go ashore. tum tum was glad of it, for he was tired of the water. but his journey was not over, for, with the others, he was put in a railroad car, and hauled by an engine. at last, however, he reached a big wooden building, and the old elephant, hoy, said: "this is where the circus stays in winter. now you will begin to have hard work, and also fun." "well," thought tum tum, as, with the other elephants, he marched toward the big barn-like building, "if there is enough fun, i shall not mind the hard work." then, as he felt rather jolly, after getting out of the big freight car, tum tum picked up a piece of stick from the ground, and began tickling another elephant in the ribs with it. "yoump! umph! woomph!" trumpeted this elephant. this was his way of saying: "hi, there! what are you doing? stop it!" "oh, that's only in fun!" laughed tum tum. "well, my ribs are too sore to want that kind of fun," the other elephant said. "now you just quit!" but tum tum was so jolly that he wanted more fun, so he tickled another elephant. this elephant, instead of speaking to tum tum, just reached over with her long trunk, pulled one of tum tum's legs out from under him, and down he went in a heap. "ha! maybe you like that kind of fun!" cried the elephant who had made tum tum fall. "it didn't hurt me!" said tum tum, as he got up. but, after that, he was careful not to play any jokes on this elephant. it was very cold in this new land to which tum tum had come, for it was winter. it was not at all like his green, hot jungle, and he was glad when he was led, with the other elephants, into the big barn, where the circus stayed in winter. chapter v tum tum and don "well, this is certainly a funny place," thought tum tum, the jolly elephant, as he looked about him. and well might he say so. he found himself inside a large barn, which was nice and warm, and for this tum tum was glad, for it felt more like the warmth of his jungle, and tum tum, who had been shivering in the cold, outer air, now felt much better. the earthen floor of the barn was covered with sawdust, and all around the sides of the barn were cages containing many animals. there were lions, tigers, wolves, leopards, monkeys, snakes, and many other strange beasts, some of which tum tum had seen in his jungle home, and some of which he had never before seen. "i suppose that is where mappo will be put," thought tum tum, as he looked at the cages full of lively little monkey chaps. then tum tum looked and saw a number of elephants, chained in a row on another side of the circus barn, and he knew that would be his place. opening out of the big barn was a smaller one, and in that were many horses and ponies. there were many men in the circus barn, and they all seemed to be doing something. some were carrying pails of water to the animals, others were feeding hay to the elephants, and meat to the lions, tigers and spotted leopards. tum tum did not care for meat, but he was very hungry for some of the juicy, green leaves that grew on trees in his jungle. as he could get none of those now, he had to eat dry hay, and very good that tasted, too. he had grown to like it on board the ship. "bring the elephants over here!" called one circus man to another, and tum tum felt himself being led along by a man who had a stick with a hook in the end of it. but the man did not stick the hook in tum tum, because tum tum was good and gentle now. tum tum, though he had been a wild elephant in the jungle only a few weeks before, had learned many things, since he had been caught. he had learned that men were his friends, and would not hurt him, though they made him do as they wanted him to, and ordered him about as though he were a little dog instead of a big, strong elephant. the men did not seem to be afraid of tum tum, though he was a little afraid of them, especially when they carried sharp hooks, which hurt one's skin. "come along!" cried the man who was leading tum tum and the others, and over to one side of the circus barn they went, to be chained by a leg to a very strong stake driven into the ground. "feed them up well," said the first man, "and then we'll see about putting them through some tricks." "ha!" thought tum tum. "so the tricks are to begin soon, are they? i wonder what kind i shall do, and whether i shall like them or not?" tum tum waited anxiously to see what would happen next. what did happen was that he got something to eat, and a little treat into the bargain. for with the big pile of hay that was given him, there were some long, pointed yellow things. "ha! what are those?" asked tum tum of hoy, the big, tame elephant who had been in a circus before. "they are carrots," said hoy. "are they good to eat?" asked tum tum. "try and see," answered hoy, with a twinkle in his little eyes. he was eating the yellow carrots as fast as he could. tum tum took one little bite, holding the carrot in his trunk. and, as soon as he chewed on it, he knew that he liked carrots very much. "ha! that is certainly good!" he said to hoy. "i wish i had carrots every day." "oh, but you won't get them every day," said the old elephant. "they are just special, to get you to feeling jolly, so you will learn your tricks more easily." "well, i feel pretty jolly anyhow," said tum tum. "i'll do any tricks i can." he did not know yet all that was to happen to him, before he learned to do his tricks. tum tum had been in the circus nearly a week before he was taught any tricks. in that week he had plenty to eat, and good water to drink, some of which he spurted over himself with his trunk. that was his way of taking a bath, you see. then, one day, some circus men came to where tum tum was chained, and one of them said: "now, we'll take out this big elephant, and teach him some tricks. get hoy, so he'll show tum tum what we want done." "ha! so now the tricks begin!" cried tum tum to hoy. "yes, and you want to watch out, and do as you are told, or you may not like it," said hoy. tum tum and the older elephant were led to the middle of the circus ring. the chains were taken off tum tum's legs, but a rope was put around his front ones, and he wondered what that was for. then tum tum and hoy were stood in a line with some other big elephants. "all ready now!" cried a circus man, snapping his long whip. "stand up!" hoy raised himself up on his hind legs, lifting his trunk high in the air. "do as i do! do as i do!" called hoy to tum tum. "stand up on your hind legs." "i--i can't!" answered tum tum, who tried. but he found he could not. then a funny thing happened. all of a sudden tum tum found his front legs and head being pulled up in the air by the rope, and, before he knew it, he was standing on his hind legs whether he wanted to or not. the circus men had pulled on the end of the rope, which ran through a pulley, hoisting tum tum in the air. that was the way they had of teaching him to stand up. several times tum tum was let down to the ground, and hauled up again, and each time he was pulled up, the circus man would call out: "stand up on your hind legs! stand up on your hind legs!" "is this a trick?" asked tum tum of hoy, who did not have to have a rope around him to pull him up. "yes, it is one trick," answered the old elephant. "there are many more, though, to learn." tum tum was beginning to be tired of being hauled up this way. so were some of the other elephants, and one of them tried to break loose. but he was hit with a rope, and squealed so that none of the others tried to get away. "now then, take off the ropes, and we'll see how many have learned their lesson," said the head circus man. "now's your chance to show how smart you are," whispered hoy to tum tum. "when he tells you to stand up next time, do it all by yourself. then you'll have learned this one trick." "i'll try," promised tum tum. the elephants stood in a row. the head circus man cracked his whip, and called: "up on your hind legs!" tum tum gave a little spring, and raised his front legs from the ground. he settled back on his strong hind legs, and there he was, doing just as hoy was doing! tum tum had learned his first lesson, just as he had learned to pile teakwood logs in straight piles. "ha! we have one smart fellow in the bunch, anyhow!" cried the circus man. tum tum was glad when he heard this, just as you would be, if you had learned your lesson in school. for it is a good thing to learn to do things, even for an elephant. but if tum tum thought he would get a rest after he had shown that he could do the trick without being hauled up by a rope, he was sadly mistaken. over and over he had to do the trick, until he felt tired, large and strong as he was. some of the elephants could stand up on their hind legs for a second or so, and then they fell down again. they were made to practice again with ropes, but no ropes were needed for tum tum. "well, that's enough for one day," said the head circus man finally. "give them all some carrots with their hay. to-morrow we shall try having them stand on their front legs." "will that be harder?" asked tum tum of hoy as he marched to the side of the barn where the elephants were kept. "much harder," said the old elephant. "but i think you can do it." "i'll try, anyhow," spoke tum tum, with a jolly laugh. "i think tricks are fun." standing on his front legs, with his hind ones in the air, was not as funny as he had thought. in the first place, he had to start with the rope, and, before he knew it, his hind legs were pulled out from under him, by the circus men, and tum tum was almost standing on his head. hoy told him what to do, and how to balance himself, just as he told the other elephants, and soon tum tum could do it very well. when this practice was over, and when tum tum could stand on either his front or hind legs, without being pulled by a rope, he was given more carrots to eat. tum tum could now do two tricks, but, as you children know, who have seen elephants in a circus, there are many others that can be done. elephants can be made to sit down in a low, strong chair, they can be made to stand on top of a small tub, to play see-saw, to ring bells, play hand organs with their trunks, and do many other queer things they never thought of doing in the jungle. why, i have seen elephants fire cannon, wave flags, and play baseball. elephants are very wonderful, and very wise and lively, for such big animals. as the winter days went by, tum tum learned many tricks in the circus. he learned to stand with other elephants, in a long row, and let the acrobats jump over him, and he also let the clowns jump right on his broad back. tum tum learned to do a little dance, too, but he never danced as well as the ponies could, for tum tum was very heavy. tum tum also learned how to walk across, and kneel down over his master, who lay flat on the sawdust, and though tum tum, with his big body, came very close to the man, he never touched him. if tum tum had stepped, even with one foot, on the man, he would have hurt him very much. but tum tum was careful. one day, when spring was near at hand, and when it was nearly time for the circus to travel on the road, from one town to another, tum tum was out in front of the barn, helping push some of the big circus wagons about. he pushed them with his strong head. all at once tum tum felt something bite him on the hind leg, and he heard a barking noise, such as monkeys sometimes make. "is that you, mappo?" asked tum tum quickly. he could not turn around, for he was pushing the wagon up hill. "bow wow! bow wow! bow wow!" was the barking answer, and tum tum felt his legs nipped again. "stop that, mappo, if you please," said the big elephant. "please don't do that, when i am pushing this wagon." but tum tum's leg was bitten again, and he cried: "mappo, i shall squeeze you in my trunk, if you do not let me alone. i like a joke as well as you do, but it is no fun to have your legs nipped when you are pushing a heavy wagon. stop it!" "bow wow! bow wow! bow wow!" came the answer. "that doesn't sound exactly like mappo," said tum tum. "i wonder who it can be?" when tum tum had pushed the wagon to the top of the hill, he could turn around. then, instead of seeing the merry little monkey, he saw a big black and white dog, who was barking and nipping at his heels. "oh, ho! so it is you, eh?" asked tum tum. "who are you, and what are you biting me for?" "my name is don," barked the dog, "and i am biting you to drive you away. i am afraid you might hurt my master. i never saw such an animal as you, with two tails. go away!" and don barked louder than before, and once more tried to bite the elephant's feet. "here, don! don!" called a man's voice. "come away from that elephant!" "bow wow!" barked don. "i am going to bite him!" "oh, are you?" asked tum tum. and with that he reached out with his trunk, caught don around the middle, and lifted him high in the air. don did not bark now. he howled in fear. chapter vi tum tum and the wagon "please let me down! oh, please do!" begged don, the dog, of tum tum, the jolly elephant, as the big creature from the jungle held the dog high up in the air. tum tum did not feel so very jolly just then. he did not want to hurt don, but neither did the elephant like to be nipped on his hind legs, when he was pushing a wagon. "oh, the elephant has our dog!" cried a boy who was with the man who had called after don. "oh, papa, will he hurt him?" "no, tum tum won't hurt anyone," said a circus man. "i'll get your dog back for you, but he must be careful of elephants after this." "he never saw one before," said the boy's father. all this while tum tum was holding don high in the air in his trunk. "oh, won't you let me down?" begged don. "i will, if you won't bark at me again, and bite me," said tum tum. "i don't want to hurt you, doggie boy, but i can't have you bothering me, when i'm doing my circus work." [illustration: all this while tum tum was holding don high in the air in his trunk. page ] "oh, i'll be good! i'll be good!" promised don, and with that tum tum lowered him gently to the ground, uncoiled his trunk from around don's middle, and the dog ran howling to his master and the boy. "don, what made you bite the elephant?" asked the boy. don only barked gently in answer. he could not speak man or boy talk, you know, any more than an elephant could, though he understood it very well. "i told you the elephant wouldn't hurt your dog," said the circus man. "tum tum is very gentle." don crept behind his master, and looked at tum tum. the elephant walked down to get another wagon to push up hill, as all the circus horses were too busy to pull it. "bow wow!" barked don, but this time he was talking to tum tum, and not barking angrily at him. "are you an elephant?" asked don, in his own language, which the elephant understood very well. "yes, i am an elephant," said tum tum. "and you have two tails," went on don. almost anyone who sees an elephant for the first time thinks that. "no, i have only one tail," tum tum answered. "the front thing is my trunk, or long nose. i breathe through it, pick up things to eat in it, and squirt water through it." "my! it is very useful, isn't it?" asked don, wagging his tail. "indeed it is," said tum tum. the elephant and the dog were fast becoming friends now, and were talking together, though the boy and his father and the circus men did not know this. "then was it your trunk that you picked me up in?" asked don, of the elephant. "yes," replied tum tum, "and i am sorry if i frightened you." "oh, well, that's all right," answered don. "i am all right now, and i suppose i did wrong to bark at you, and bite. i am sorry." "then i'll excuse you," spoke tum tum. "but what is your name, and where do you live?" "my name is don, and i live on a farm," answered the dog. "we have a comical little pig on our farm named squinty. did you ever see him?" "i think not," answered tum tum. "you see i haven't been in this country very long. did you bring the pig to the circus?" "gracious, no!" barked don. "he had to stay home in the pen. but my master, his boy and i came to see you elephants, and other circus animals. only i never knew what an elephant was like before." "well, now you know," said tum tum, "so you won't bark at, or bite, the next one you see." "indeed i shall not," said don. "i have to bark at squinty, the comical pig, once in a while, when he gets out of the pen, and once i took hold of his ear in my teeth." "i hope you didn't hurt him," said tum tum. "no, i wouldn't do that for the world," said don. and those of you who have read about "squinty, the comical pig," know how kind don was to him. "so you came to see the circus?" went on tum tum to don, as the dog's master and his boy looked about at the strange sights. "yes, though i don't know exactly what a circus is," said don. "well, this is the start of it," tum tum said. "these are our winter quarters. soon we shall start out on the road, and live in a tent. then i shall do my tricks, the children and the people will laugh and shout, and give me popcorn balls and peanuts. oh, yum-yum!" and tum tum smacked his lips because he thought of the good things he was going to have to eat a little later on. "can you do tricks?" asked don. "indeed i can, a great many," the elephant said. "i can stand on my hind feet--so!" and up he rose in the air, until his little short tail dangled on the ground. "anything else?" asked don. "that's a good trick. let me see you do another." "look!" cried tum tum, and this time he stood on his front legs, and raised his hind ones in the air. "that's harder to do," said the jolly elephant. "i should think so," agreed don. "i'm going to try it myself." don did try, but when he wanted to stand on his front legs, he fell over and bumped his nose. and when he tried to stand on his hind legs, he fell over backward and bumped his head. "i--i guess i can't do it," he said to tum tum. "it needs much practice to do it well," spoke the jolly elephant. "here, tum tum!" called one of the circus men. "this is no time to be doing tricks. come and help push some more of these wagons. if the circus is ever to start out on the road, to give shows in the tent, we must start soon. come, push some of these wagons, with your big, strong head." "i'll have to go now," said tum tum to don, the dog, for they were now good friends. "i may see you again, sometime." "i hope you will," spoke don. "your circus is coming to our town, i know, for the barns on our farm are pasted over with posters, and bills." "then i may see you when we get there," said tum tum, as he walked slowly forward to push the wagon pointed out by the circus man. that is how don and tum tum became acquainted. as the dog went off with his master and the boy, he barked a good-by to tum tum, saying: "if you come near our place, i'll show you squinty, the comical pig. one eye is wide open, and the other partly shut." "he must be a funny chap," said tum tum. the big, jolly elephant pushed into place the heavy wagon. then it was dinner time. but as tum tum was eating his hay and carrots in the animal tent, for he was kept in that, now that the weather was warmer, all at once tum tum heard a loud shouting. "look out for that wagon. the tiger cage wagon is rolling down hill. it will turn over, be smashed, and the tiger will get out! stop that wagon, somebody!" tum tum heard this shouting, and looking out of the side of his tent, he saw a big red and gold wagon rushing down the hill backwards. "i must stop that wagon," said tum tum. chapter vii tum tum looks for mappo tum tum, the jolly elephant, pulled hard on the chain that held his big leg fast to a stake driven into the ground. he wanted to get loose so he could stop the wagon from rolling down hill, maybe upsetting and letting the big tiger out. "i know i can stop the wagon, if they will only take this chain off my leg, so i can get out there," thought tum tum, as he pulled and tugged at the chain and peg. outside the tent men were running and shouting. some of them tried to put stones in the way of the wagon wheels, but the tiger's cage was so heavy that it rolled right over the stones. the tiger was frightened and angry, and he growled and snarled, until you would have thought he was back in the jungle again. "let me loose! let me loose!" trumpeted tum tum through his trunk, as he waved it to and fro. of course none of the circus men could understand this language, but tum tum's keeper knew what the big elephant meant. the keeper came running in the tent. "tum tum!" he cried. "i believe you can stop that wagon. stop the tiger cage! get in front of it, and push on it with your big head. that will stop it from rolling down hill!" "i will! i will!" said tum tum, only, of course, he spoke in elephant language. the keeper soon took the chain off tum tum's leg, and the big elephant rushed out of the tent, and toward the rolling wagon. none of the men had yet been able to stop it, and it was half way down the hill now, going faster and faster. inside, the tiger was growling and snarling louder than ever, and trying to break out through the iron bars. "look out! he'll get away!" cried mappo, who had run and jumped inside the cage with the other monkeys. "old sharp tooth will get loose." "no, he won't!" said tum tum, who was now going toward the tiger's cage as fast as he could. "don't be afraid, mappo," the elephant went on, for he knew monkeys are very much afraid of tigers. "i won't let him get you, mappo," said tum tum. on rushed the big elephant toward the rolling cage. he got in front of it, and then he stood still, in the middle of the hill, waiting for the tiger's cage, on wheels, to roll down to him. "look out, tum tum, or it will hit you!" chattered mappo. "that's what i want it to do," said tum tum. "but it can't hurt me, as my head is so big and strong. now you watch me!" on came the tiger's cage. tum tum stood there ready to let it bunk into him. his legs were spread far apart so he himself would not be knocked over. bang! that was the tiger's cage hitting tum tum on the head. "ouch!" yelled the big elephant through his trunk, for though it did not hurt him much, he felt a little pain. then he stood there, and pushed so hard on the big wagon, that it could not roll down hill any more. instead, it began to roll back up the hill, as tum tum pushed on it. "that's the way to do it, tum tum!" cried the elephant's keeper. "i knew you could do it. come on now, old fellow. push the cage right back where it belongs." tum tum did so. soon the tiger's cage was in line with those of the lions, wolves, bears and other animals, ready for the circus to begin. "oh, but i'm glad the tiger didn't get loose," said mappo, to tum tum. "i was so afraid!" "why were you afraid?" the big elephant wanted to know. "oh, because sharp tooth, the tiger, does not like me. i am sure he would bite me, if he got loose." "why would he do that?" asked tum tum. "because i would not let him out of his cage, when he and i were caught in the jungle," answered the monkey. then he told about the time sharp tooth had tried to get out of his cage. "never fear, mappo," said tum tum. "i'll not let sharp tooth hurt you as long as i am around." "thank you," said mappo. for several days after this the circus went from town to town, traveling after dark each night, so as to be ready to give a show in the day-time. one day sharp tooth, the tiger, spoke to tum tum as the elephant was passing the cage. "why did you stop my wagon from rolling down hill, tum tum?" asked the tiger. "because i did not want to see it smashed, and see you thrown out, sharp tooth," answered tum tum. "but that is just what i wanted to do--get out," spoke the tiger. "i want to get loose! i am tired of staying in the cage!" "but if you got out, you might bite someone," went on tum tum. "yes, that is just what i would do," growled the tiger. "i would bite and scratch until the men would be glad to let me go back to my jungle again. i am mad at you for not letting my cage run on. if you had, i would now be free." "well, i am glad you are not free," said tum tum, as he looked at the sharp teeth and sharp claws of the tiger, and thought of little mappo. "then i am mad at you, and i am going to stay mad," said the tiger, and he sulked in his cage. tum tum was not very much afraid of the tiger now, even though he knew the bad animal might some day get loose and scratch him. "i don't believe sharp tooth will ever get out," said tum tum to himself. the big elephant had good times in the circus. he had to do only a few tricks in the afternoon, and some more in the evening. the rest of the time he could eat or sleep, except when the circus moved from place to place. then he would have to help the other elephants push the heavy wagons up on the railroad trains. but tum tum did not mind this. what he liked, best of all, was to stand in the animal tent, before and after his trick performances, and watch the children and grown people come in to look at him and the other animals. some of the little children seemed afraid of the elephants, but when tum tum saw one of these frightened little tots, he would just put out his trunk, and gently stroke some other little boy or girl, so as to show how gentle he was. then the frightened one's mother or father would say: "see, the good elephant will not hurt you. come, give him some peanuts or popcorn." then the child would hand tum tum a peanut, and tum tum would eat it with a twinkle in his little eyes. of course tum tum would much rather have had a whole bag full of peanuts at a time, for he could put them all in his mouth, and more, at once. still, tum tum was glad enough to get single peanuts at a time, and though it was hard work to chew a single one in his big mouth, just as it would be hard for you to chew just one grain of sugar, still tum tum was very polite, and he never refused to take the single peanuts. "a big ball of popcorn makes something pretty good to chew on," said tum tum to one of the elephants chained near him. "i like that, don't you?" "indeed i do," the elephant said. "we never got anything as nice as popcorn and peanuts in the jungle, did we?" "no," answered tum tum, thinking of the days in the dense jungle. tum tum wondered what had become of mr. boom and where his father and mother, and his other elephant friends, might be. "i suppose they are still back in the lumber yard, piling up teakwood logs," thought tum tum. "i am glad i am in the circus, even if i did have to be pulled up with a rope to make me learn how to stand on my head and my hind legs." tum tum could do many other tricks besides these now, and he was such a jolly old elephant, always doing as he was told without any grumbling, that all the circus men liked him. if there was anything hard to do, or any trick that none of the other elephants could go through, tum tum was sure to be called on. "he is the smartest elephant of all," his keeper would say, and this made tum tum feel very proud and happy. one day there was much excitement in the animal tent, and at first tum tum thought maybe the tiger had gotten loose again, or that another big cage had rolled down hill. when one of the animal men rushed in and called out something, tum tum knew it was not that. "one of the monkeys is missing," said one trainer to another. "it is mappo, that smart one." "ha! is that so?" asked the other. "how did he get loose?" "he must have slipped out of the cage, when we were on the road. come, we are going to try to find him." "i know a good way," said the keeper of tum tum. "i shall take my elephant with me. my elephant and that monkey mappo were good friends. if mappo sees tum tum, he will be glad to come back. so we will take tum tum to hunt mappo." "ha! that is good!" thought tum tum, as he listened. soon the hunt for mappo began. many of the circus men started for the woods to look for the lost monkey. tum tum went along also, his keeper riding on his back. "i wonder if we will find mappo?" thought tum tum. chapter viii tum tum and the fire through the woods, near the circus town, went the men looking for lost mappo. they wanted to get back the monkey because he was such a good one to do tricks, and because the children, many of whom came to the circus, liked to see him ride on the back of a dog, or pony, and jump through paper-covered hoops. "we must find mappo!" cried the keeper who had him in charge. mappo had run away, as i have told you in the book about his adventures, because he was afraid sharp tooth, the big tiger, would get loose and bite him. in the woods he had many wonderful adventures. he met slicko, the jumping girl squirrel, about whom i have told you, and also squinty, the comical pig. mappo liked squinty, the pig, very much, for squinty was a nice little chap. on and on went tum tum and the men, looking for the lost monkey. after the search had gone on for several hours, mappo, who was walking along through the woods with squinty, saw the circus men coming after him. "here's where i have to run and hide," said mappo. "why?" grunted squinty, the comical pig. "because the circus men are after me. look!" and the monkey chap pointed through the woods to where could be seen some men in red coats. "oh, and look at that funny animal with two tails!" cried squinty. "i'd be afraid of him." "you wouldn't need to be," said mappo. "that is only tum tum, the elephant, and he is very jolly. he would not hurt a fly. i guess he is looking for me, but, as i don't want to go back to the circus just yet, i'll go off in the woods and hide." "and i guess i'll go hide, too," said squinty, for he, also, had run away, but not from a circus. he had run away from his pen at the farm--the farm where don, the dog, lived. so mappo hurried off to climb a tall tree. as tum tum went along through the bushes, he saw his little monkey friend. "ha! there is mappo!" said tum tum to himself, and he hurried on through the woods. "wait a minute, mappo!" called tum tum, in animal language. but mappo would not wait, and tum tum could not tell the circus men with him that the lost monkey was just ahead of them. tum tum could not speak man talk, you know, and the circus men had not yet seen mappo. so the little monkey got away. tum tum saw a little animal with mappo, and the elephant said to himself: "ha! that must be squinty, the comical pig, of whom don, the dog, told me. i would like to meet squinty, but i don't see how i can. he can run through these woods faster than i can. well, maybe i will see him some day. and i do hope mappo comes back to the circus. it will be lonesome without him." but mappo had many adventures before he came back to the circus. "well, i guess it's no use hunting for him any more," said one of the circus men. "that monkey has gotten far away. we had better go back to the tents." "yes, i think we had," said the man who was riding on the back of tum tum. the elephant knew that mappo was not so very far off, but tum tum had no way of telling his keeper about it. back to the circus went tum tum, and another monkey had to do the tricks that mappo used to do in the performances that day. "what happened?" asked sharp tooth, the tiger, of tum tum, as the elephant went past the cage of the striped beast. "where did you go a little while ago?" "out looking for mappo, the monkey," answered tum tum. "did he run away?" asked the tiger. "yes, i guess he was afraid you would bite him." "and so i would, if i could get him," snarled the tiger. "he is to blame for me being shut up in this cage." tum tum said nothing, for he did not want to get in a quarrel with the tiger. day after day went past in the circus, and still mappo did not come back. sometimes tum tum was lonesome for his little monkey friend, but there was so much to do, that no one in a circus could be lonesome for very long at a time. tum tum was learning some new tricks, and this took up much of his time. each day he was growing bigger and stronger, for he was not a very old elephant, when he had been caught in the jungle. now he was very strong, and he could easily have pushed two heavy animal cages at once. he was the strongest elephant in the whole circus. one day, when the circus was going along the road from one town to another, one of the wagons became stuck fast in the mud, for it had rained in the night. it was the wagon in which rode the hippopotamus, with his big red mouth that he could open so wide. the whole circus procession had to stop, or at least all the wagons behind the hippopotamus cage, had to stop, as they could not get past. "bring up some of the elephants, and have them pull the hippo's cage out of the mud!" cried the head circus man. he called him "hippo" for short, you see. up came two big elephants, and chains were put about their necks, and made fast to the hippopotamus wagon. "now, pull!" cried the circus men, and the elephants strained and pulled as hard as they could. but the wagon did not move out of the mud. "pull harder!" cried the circus man, and he cracked his long whip, but he did not hit the elephants with it. but, no matter how hard the elephants pulled, they could not pull the hippopotamus wagon out of the mud. "well, what are we going to do?" asked the head circus man. "we cannot stay here all day." "suppose you let my elephant, tum tum, try to pull the wagon out of the mud," said tum tum's keeper. "my elephant is very strong." "ha! but is he as strong as two elephants?" asked the head circus man. "i think so," said the keeper. "let us try. but tum tum can push better than he can pull, so i shall put him in back of the wagon, and let him push it out of the mud with his head. let some of the men steer the wagon in front, when tum tum pushes from behind." "very well, we shall try," said the head circus man. the ten horses who pulled the hippopotamus wagon had been unhitched when the two elephants tried to pull it. now the two elephants were led to one side, and tum tum came up. "ha! he thinks he can push that wagon out of the mud, when we two could not pull it," said one elephant to the other. "yes, he is very proud," spoke the other. tum tum heard them. "no, i am not proud," said tum tum, "and i am not sure that i can push the wagon out of the mud, but i am going to try." his keeper led him up in back of the hippopotamus wagon. it was very large and heavy, and had settled far down in the soft mud of the road. the hippo was still in it, and the hippo was very heavy himself, weighing as much as two tons of coal. the circus men could not let the hippopotamus out of his cage, because he was rather wild, and might have run away or made trouble. so they had to leave him in. "now, tum tum, you have some hard work ahead of you!" said his trainer, as he led the elephant up behind the wagon. "let me see, if you can push this out of the mud hole." "umph! umph!" grunted tum tum through his trunk. that was his way of saying that he would do his best. tum tum went close up to the wagon, and stuck his four big feet well down in the mud to brace himself. then he put his large head against the wagon, and began to push. tum tum took a long breath, and then he pushed, and pushed and pushed some more. "he can never do it," said one of the two elephants who had tried to pull the wagon. "indeed he cannot," spoke the other. "wait and see!" grunted tum tum. "i have not finished yet." he pushed harder and harder. his head was hurting him, and his feet were slipping in the mud of the road. still he kept on pushing. "i don't believe your elephant can do it," said one of the circus men. "we had better hitch about four of them to the wagon." "no, let tum tum try once more. i am sure he can do it," spoke the elephant's kind keeper. when tum tum heard this, he felt himself swell up inside. it was as though he had new strength. "i _will_ push that wagon!" he said to himself. "i _will_ push it out of the mud!" then he took another long breath, and pushed with all his might on the wagon. "now it's going!" cried tum tum. slowly at first, and then faster, the big hippopotamus wagon rolled out of the mud, and on to the firm, hard road. "there it goes!" cried a circus man. "hurray! tum tum has done it!" shouted another. "i told you he was strong," said tum tum's keeper. "he surely is," spoke the head circus man. "but i never thought he could push that wagon." tum tum had not thought so himself, but even an elephant never knows what he can do until he tries. "huh! i s'pose he thinks he's smart, because he pushed a wagon we couldn't," said one of the two elephants to the other. "yes," said the second one, "but if they'd given us another chance, we could have done it, too." [illustration: the big hippopotamus wagon rolled out of the mud, and on to the firm, hard road. page ] but i do not believe they could. and tum tum did not think he was "smart," either. he only felt that he had done what he had been told to do, even though it was hard work, and did hurt his head. so the hippopotamus wagon was pushed out of the mud, and the circus procession went on down the road. it was not long after this that something else happened to tum tum. the elephant seemed to be having many adventures since he came from the jungle. the circus had gone on and on, showing in many different places. tum tum, in each place, had looked to see if mappo had come back, but the little monkey had not. perhaps he was still off in the woods with squinty, the comical pig. it was a very hot day, and the animals in their cages, and the elephants, camels and horses, in the tent, had hard work to get a cool breeze or find any fresh air to breathe. in the west were some black clouds that looked as though they would bring a thunder shower. just before the show began, tum tum was taken out of the tent to help push some of the heavy wagons into place. "oh, look at the elephant!" cried some boys who had no money to go inside and see the show. they were glad to see even an elephant. tum tum finished his work of pushing the wagons into place and his trainer led him toward a big tub filled with water, for he knew his pet elephant would want a drink, as it was so hot. near the water tub stood a peanut wagon, and the smell of the roasting nuts made tum tum hungry for some. but he knew the children in the circus would soon give him plenty. all of a sudden some boys, who were trying to get closer to tum tum, ran into the peanut wagon, and tipped it over. all at once the red-hot charcoal that kept the peanuts warm, spilled out, and the wagon, and some straw near it, caught fire. my, how it blazed! "fire! fire!" cried the peanut man. "oh, somebody put out the fire, or all my peanuts will be burned up!" tum tum looked at the fire, and wondered if he could help put it out. chapter ix tum tum and the balloons "come away, tum tum!" cried the elephant's keeper. "i don't want you getting all excited about a fire, and maybe burned. a few peanuts are not worth it. we'll let some of the tent men put out the fire. come away!" but tum tum did not want to go away from the fire. he was not much afraid of it. most wild animals are afraid of fire, but tum tum was tame now, and he knew that though fire burns, it also does good, in cooking food, even for animals. besides, tum tum had seen so much of fire, since he had come to the circus, and had seen so many flaring lamps at the night performances, that he was not afraid of just a blazing peanut wagon. "i'm sorry to see all those peanuts burned up," thought tum tum. "i wonder if i can't save them--maybe i'll get some for myself, if i do." tum tum thought quickly. there was a great deal of excitement around him, for the straw was now blazing in many places and the peanuts and wagon were all in flames. "come away, tum tum!" called his keeper. "fire! fire! fire!" yelled the peanut man. "bring water here, somebody!" shouted another man. "get a pail! get a pail!" one of the boys yelled. "call out the fire engines!" said another. but tum tum knew a better way than that. his trunk was just like a hose, only, of course, not so long. he could suck it up full of water, and squirt it out again, just like a pop gun shoots out a cork. and that was what tum tum did. he put his trunk into the tub of water, and sucked up as much as he could. then tum tum aimed his trunk right at the blazing peanut wagon and the straw. whooo-ish! went the water, as tum tum squirted it out of his trunk. on the fire it spattered. hiss-s-s-s-s! went the fire, like an angry snake. "ha! that's the way to do it, tum tum!" cried his keeper. "you know how to put out a fire! that's the way. you're as good as a fire engine yourself!" tum tum did not answer. in the first place, he could not talk to his keeper except in elephant language, which the circus man did not understand. and, in the second place, tum tum was going to suck up more water in his nose, for the fire was not quite out yet. and you know it is hard to talk when you have your nose full of water, even if you are an elephant. whooo-ish! went more water from tum tum's trunk on the blazing peanut wagon and straw. hiss! went the fire again, as it felt the wet water. fire does not like water, you know. "once more, tum tum! one more trunk full, and you'll have the fire out!" cried the elephant's keeper. again tum tum dipped his trunk into the tub of water, and spurted it on the fire. this time the fire went out completely. tum tum had made it so wet, with water from his trunk, that it could no longer burn. "oh, what a smart, good elephant!" cried the peanut man. "he saved my wagon from burning up. i must give him some peanuts!" a few of the peanuts were burned, but there were plenty left, and, though some of them tasted a little like smoke, tum tum did not mind that. he chewed several bags full--shells and all--and was hungry for more. but now it was time to go back into the circus tent, and have his handsome blanket put on, to take his place in the procession. the boys, one of whom had accidentally upset the peanut wagon, looked at tum tum eagerly. "say, he's a smart elephant all right!" he cried. "that's what he is!" said another. "i'd like to have him!" "huh! what would you do with an elephant?" asked his friend. "an elephant would eat a ton of hay a day." "would he?" "sure he would." "well, then, i don't want an elephant," said the boy. "i guess a dog is good enough for me. a dog can eat old bones; he doesn't need a ton of hay a day." the boys helped the peanut man turn his wagon right side up, and they also helped him gather the scattered peanuts. then the man built another fire, and went around the tent, selling his peanuts. "tum tum, you are getting smarter and smarter each day," said his keeper, as he led him back to get ready for the parade. "i am proud of you. you are the best elephant in the circus." tum tum heard what was said of him, but he only flapped his big ears, that were nearly the size of washtubs. then he stood in line with his companions, and ate the peanuts and popcorn balls the children fed to him over the ropes. "my, i s'pose tum tum will be so stuck up, and proud, that he won't want to speak to us, after he has done so many wonderful things," said one of the jealous elephants. "he pushed the wagon out of the mud, and now he has put out a peanut wagon fire. some elephants have all the luck in this world." tum tum's eyes twinkled, but he said nothing. he just ate the popcorn balls and peanuts. but he was not at all proud or stuck up. tum tum was now such a gentle and tame elephant, that children could ride on his back. at first, some of the circus performers, who had their children with them, let them get up on tum tum, and then, when his keeper found that tum tum did not mind, some of the boys and girls who came to see the show each day were allowed to ride. up and down the tent they went on tum tum's back, sitting in the little house that was strapped fast to him. tum tum was led about by his keeper when the children thus rode, and very glad tum tum was to give the boys and girls this fun, for he liked children very much. tum tum would have been very glad if mappo, the merry monkey, had come back to ride on his back, as he did sometimes. but mappo was far away; where, tum tum did not know. nearly every day something new happened to tum tum in the circus. every day he saw new faces, new boys and girls and once in a while, he did some new tricks. he had enough to eat, a good place to sleep, he did not have to work very hard, and, best of all, he was in no danger. so, altogether, tum tum liked the circus life much better than he had liked being in the jungle. still, now and again, he would wish himself back in the cool, dark woods, smashing through the thick bushes, and breaking down, or pulling up, big trees by their roots. in the circus were some men from india, where tum tum had worked in the lumber yard, piling up teakwood logs, and these indians could talk the language spoken in india--the man-language tum tum had first learned. he liked to have them come to see him, rub his trunk, and talk to him in their queer words. one day another adventure happened to tum tum. he was out in front of the circus tent, after he had helped roll some of the heavy animal wagons into place, when he saw some children, with their papa, coming to the circus. "oh, papa!" cried a little boy, "couldn't we ride on the elephant's back?" and he was so excited, this little boy was, that he danced up and down with his red balloon. all the children had these toy balloons. "oh, i don't believe you could ride on the elephant's back," said the little boy's papa. "they can, if you will let them," said tum tum's keeper. "my elephant is very kind and gentle, and many children ride on him. i will hold them on, if you are willing." "oh, let us, papa!" cried a little girl. "all right, i don't mind," he said. tum tum was led close to a wagon, from which the children could easily get into the little house on his back. in that they sat with their papa and the keeper, and around the circus grounds they went. it was not yet time for the show, and tum tum did not have to go in. "oh, what a lovely ride!" cried the little boy, when it was over. "thank you so much!" tum tum was glad the children had enjoyed it. then, as the boy and girl got down from the elephant's back, their toy balloons slipped out of their hands and floated off through the air. "oh, there goes my balloon!" cried the little girl. "and there goes mine, too!" cried the little boy. "oh, papa!" "never mind, i'll get you some others," said the man. "but i'd rather have that one," the little boy said, half crying. "i would, too," added his sister. just then the wind blew the two balloons into the top of a tall tree. it was a tall, slender tree, too little for any one to climb up, or put a ladder against. "oh, now we can never get our balloons!" sobbed the little girl, as the toys bobbed about in the wind, the strings fast to a tree branch. then tum tum made up his mind, just as he had done at the peanut fire. "i'll get those balloons back for the children," thought the big, kind, jolly elephant. chapter x tum tum and the lemonade the little boy and girl, who had ridden on the back of tum tum, the jolly elephant, stretched up their hands toward the balloons that had caught in the tree. they even got up again into the little house, and, standing up, tried to reach their floating toys. "sit down! sit down!" called their father. "yes, you might fall," said tum tum's trainer, or keeper, who was also riding in the little house on the elephant's back. "but we want our balloons!" cried the little boy. "yes, our nice toy balloons!" said the little girl, and there were tears in her eyes. tum tum felt sorry for her. he did not like to see little girls cry. "i must get those balloons back for them," tum tum said to himself, over and over again. "i'll get you other balloons," said the children's papa again, trying to make them feel happier. but the boy and girl wanted the same balloons they had had first. "now if mappo were only here," thought tum tum, "he could easily climb up that tree, even if it is a slender one, and will easily bend. for mappo is not very heavy, and he could go away up to the top of the tree. "but no one else can, and none of the monkeys but mappo is smart enough to do it. so i'll have to get the balloons myself." and how do you think tum tum did it? of course he could not climb a tree--no elephant could, even if it were a big tree. but tum tum was very strong, and, just as he had often done in the jungle, he wrapped his long, rubbery hose-like nose, or trunk, around the tree. "here, tum tum, what are you doing?" called his keeper. "umph! umph! wumph!" tum tum answered. that meant: "you just watch me, if you please, and you'll see." then tum tum just pulled and pulled as hard on that tree, and up he pulled it by the roots. right out of the ground the big elephant pulled the tree, and then, holding it in his strong trunk, he tipped it over so the top branches were close to the children on his back. and, tangled in the branches were the cords of the toy balloons, that still bobbed about. [illustration: right out of the ground the big elephant pulled the tree. page ] "oh, look!" cried the boy. "here are our balloons, sister!" "oh, so they are!" exclaimed the little girl. "oh, what a good elephant he is to get our balloons back for us!" "i should say he was!" cried the papa. "that is a smart elephant you have," he said to the keeper. "yes, tum tum is very good and smart," said the circus man. he reached over, loosed the strings of the balloons from the tree branch, and gave the ends of the cords to the children. "now you may let go of the tree, tum tum," the man said to the elephant, and tum tum dropped the tree on the ground. "oh, papa, the elephant was so good to us, can't we buy him a bag of peanuts?" asked the little girl. "i guess so," answered her papa, with a laugh. "and may i buy him some popcorn balls?" asked the boy. "oh, yes, but i hope tum tum doesn't become ill from all that sweet stuff," said the papa. "oh, i guess he won't--he's used to being fed by the children," the circus man said. when tum tum heard the boy and girl talking about getting him good things to eat, the big elephant felt very glad. for he was such a big fellow that he was nearly always hungry, and, no matter how many peanuts or popcorn balls he had, he was always willing to eat more. it was now nearly time for the circus to begin, and tum tum was led back toward the tent, the children still riding on his back, holding tightly to the strings of their balloons. they were not going to lose them a second time, if they could help it. near the tent was the same peanut man whose stand had nearly burned up the time tum tum put out the blaze with water from his trunk. the boy and girl bought two bags full of peanuts from this man, and from another man they bought popcorn balls. these they fed to tum tum, who reached out his trunk for them, and put them into his mouth. "good-by, tum tum!" called the little girl to him, waving one hand, while in the other she held her balloon. "good-by, elephant!" called the little boy, also waving his hand. "i'll see you in the circus," he added. tum tum waved his trunk. he was too busy chewing popcorn and peanuts to speak, even if he could have talked boy and girl language, which he could not. later on, in the show, tum tum, as he went through his tricks, saw the little boy and girl sitting near the ring, with their papa, watching the animals and performers. two or three days after that something else happened to tum tum, and it made him very happy. he was in the tent, after the show, eating his hay, and blowing dust over his back now and then to keep away the flies and mosquitoes, when, all of a sudden, in came a monkey. tum tum gave one look at the monkey, and then another look. "why--why!" cried tum tum, in elephant language. "that looks like mappo." "i am mappo!" cried the little chap. "oh, don't let him get me!" "let who get you?" cried tum tum. "what is the matter?" for mappo looked very frightened. "the hand-organ man is after me!" chattered mappo, and with that he gave a jump, and landed right upon tum tum's broad back. "don't be afraid," said the elephant. "no one will get you while i am here, mappo," and tum tum swung his long trunk. then in came the hand-organ man after the monkey, just as i have told you he did in the book about mappo. but the circus men and tum tum would not let mappo go. and tum tum looked so big and fierce and strong that the hand-organ man was afraid to try to take mappo away. so that is how mappo came back to the circus again, after having had many adventures. he told tum tum all about them. "are you going to run away again?" asked tum tum. "no, i guess not," answered mappo, hanging by his tail. tum tum was glad mappo had come back, for the big elephant was lonesome for his little friend, and i guess mappo was also lonesome for tum tum. at any rate, the two were soon as good friends as before. the show went on from town to town, and it was nearing the time for the circus season to be over. then the animals would be taken back to the big barn, there to stay all winter, until spring and summer should come again. one day a bad man came into the tent where the elephants were standing, eating their hay, and held out something in his hand. tum tum, and the other elephants, stretched out their trunks, for it seemed as if the man had something good for them to eat. and tum tum, being the nearest, reached it first. the thing the man held out was in a bag, and it smelled like peanuts. in fact, there were a few peanuts, and shells, in the bag but, besides that, there were also some sour lemons, which tum tum did not like at all. but he had chewed on them before he knew what they were, not stopping to open the bag the bad man gave him. as he felt the sour juice running down his throat, tum tum gave a squeal. he was angry at the man who had played this trick on him. "ha! ha!" laughed the man. "i fooled you that time, mr. elephant. how do you like lemons?" tum tum did not answer. he just reached his trunk in his mouth, and pulled out the sour stuff, and threw it away. the man laughed very hard at his mean trick, and one of the keepers said to him: "you had better look out. elephants have good memories, and if ever you get near tum tum, where he can reach you, you may be sorry for what you did." "oh, i'm not afraid of an elephant!" cried the man with another laugh. "if ever i can reach that man with my trunk, i'll make him wish he'd never given me lemons," thought tum tum. but, try as he did, he could not stretch himself far enough to reach the man, for there were chains about the legs of the elephant. later on that day, the same man came walking past the elephants in the animal tent, after the circus was over. i guess he had forgotten about the trick he played. but tum tum and the other elephants had not forgotten. all of a sudden maggo, the elephant standing next to tum tum, saw the bad man, and, reaching out her trunk, maggo caught him around the waist, and lifted him off his feet. "oh! oh! put me down! oh, an elephant has me!" cried the man. instantly there was great excitement in the animal tent. the people yelled, and the trainers came running over to see what was the matter. they saw the man lifted high in the air in maggo's trunk. "put him down! put him down at once!" cried maggo's keeper. but maggo was not going to do that at once. "now is your chance, tum tum," said maggo. "i'll hold this bad man, who gave you lemons instead of peanuts, and you can hit him with your trunk." "no, i'll not do that," said tum tum, who was very gentle. "if i did, i might hurt him, for i strike very hard with my trunk. but i will fix him, so he will not play any more tricks on elephants." then tum tum dipped his trunk in a tub of water near by, and, suddenly, spurted it all over the man, making him as wet as if he had gone in swimming. "oh, my! oh, dear! oh, stop it!" cried the man excitedly, with the water squirting all over him. "let him down now, maggo," said tum tum, with a queer little twinkle, like laughter, in his eyes. "i guess he won't want to play any more tricks." maggo set down the dripping man, who was glad enough to run away. he did not once look back. "it served you right, for giving tum tum lemons," said a keeper. "some elephants would have done worse than just to squirt water on you." one afternoon it was very hot in the circus. it was so hot that the sides of the animal tent were lowered to let in the air, but, even at that it was not very cool. "don't you wish we were back in the jungle, near some river, where we could wade in and float until the sun went down?" asked maggo of tum tum. "indeed i do," was the answer. "but there is no use wishing." "it doesn't seem so," spoke maggo, and she fanned herself with her large ears, in a way elephants have. "i wish i had something cool to drink," went on maggo. "yes, a nice, cool drink would be just fine," said tum tum. "but i do not see where we are going to get it," he went on. then he happened to look over the side of the tent, which had been let down low, to allow the breeze to come in. what tum tum saw made him feel very good. just outside the tent, was a lemonade stand, and on the ground by it was a big washtub full of pink lemonade, the kind they always sell at circuses. tum tum stretched out his trunk, and found that he could easily reach the pink lemonade. "i say, maggo," called tum tum, in an elephant whisper. "i know how to get a cool drink." "how?" asked maggo. "now, don't play any joke on me. i could not bear that. i am so thirsty!" "no, this isn't a joke," said tum tum. "at least it isn't a joke on you. come, we shall both have a drink. put your trunk out over the side of the tent. on the ground outside is a big washtub, full of pink lemonade. we can easily suck it up through our trunks and drink it. come on, i'll show you how to do it." "oh, fine!" cried maggo. then she and tum tum, not thinking it was wrong, put their trunks down in the pink lemonade, and sucked it all out, putting it into their mouths. "oh, but that's good!" cried tum tum, for the lemonade happened to be very sweet. "it certainly is," said maggo. "i wish there were more." chapter xi tum tum and the tiger the two elephants sucked up all the pink lemonade from the washtub near the stand outside the tent. then they felt much better, and cooler. they did not mind the heat so much. but, in a little while, there was a great sound of some one shouting and calling outside the tent. it was the voice of the man who had made the pink lemonade to sell to those who came to see the circus. "oh, my lemonade!" cried the man. "my pink lemonade! it is all gone! some one drank it all up, or else it leaked out of the tub! what shall i do? what shall i do?" the man ran up and down, trying to find his lemonade, but it was all gone. "say, tum tum," said maggo, "was that his lemonade we drank?" "i--i guess it must have been," said tum tum. "but i didn't know it belonged to anybody. i thought it was just standing there in the tub, and that we might as well take it as anyone else." "well, it's too bad if we've taken the poor man's lemonade, that he was going to sell for money," said maggo. "yes, it is," agreed tum tum. "but we can't help it now." "yes," spoke maggo. "we can't do anything." just then the man who owned the lemonade looked up, and saw the trunks of the two elephants sticking out over the top of the tent. the man guessed what had happened. "ha! they took my lemonade!" the man cried. "they sucked it up through their trunks. oh, they took my lemonade, and i'll make the circus pay for it!" tum tum's keeper heard the noise the man was making, and came running up. "what is the matter?" asked the circus man. "oh, yoy! yoy!" cried the man. "your elephants took all my pink lemonade, from the washtub where i had ice in it! they sucked it up in their rubber-hose trunks!" "tum tum, did you and maggo do that?" asked the keeper. tum tum could not answer, of course. but the circus man looked at tum tum's long, white ivory tusks, and on one of them were some splashes of pink lemonade. "yes, tum tum, you did it," said the man. "well, i won't punish you, for you did not know any better, i suppose." "but what about my lemonade?" asked the peddler. "don't i get paid for it?" "yes, i guess the circus will have to pay you," spoke the keeper. "after all, i am glad tum tum had it, for he has been a good elephant, and so has maggo. i am glad they had it!" the other elephants wished they had had some also, but there was not enough to go around. the keeper paid the man for the lemonade the elephants had taken, and the man made another washtub full. but this he took care to place far enough away from the tent, so the elephants could not reach over and suck it up in their trunks. "well, we made a lot of trouble, even though we did not mean to," said tum tum to maggo that evening, when they were cooling off after the show. "but that lemonade tasted good, didn't it?" "it certainly did," said maggo with a sigh that almost shook the tent. that night tum tum, and all the elephants, had to work very hard, pushing the heavy animal cages down the road to where they were loaded on the railroad cars to go to a distant city. as tum tum was pushing the cage of sharp tooth, the big tiger, he heard that striped animal talking with roarer, the lion. "can you hear me, roarer?" asked sharp tooth, as her cage was pushed alongside that of the king of beasts. "yes, i can hear you, sharp tooth," said roarer. "what is it you want to say?" at this tum tum lifted wide his ears away from his sides, so he could hear better. "i think something is going to happen," mused tum tum. then tum tum made up his mind that he would listen and find out what it was. he knew the tiger and lion were dangerous animals. they had never become tame, and were always trying to find a way to escape, or get loose from their cages. "and if that's what they're trying this time, i'll stop them if i can," thought tum tum. so, while he was pushing first the tiger, and then the lion cage along, he listened, though he pretended not to hear anything. "what is it you want to tell me, sharp tooth?" asked roarer. "listen carefully," answered the tiger. "can you hear me?" "yes, yes," growled the lion again. "what is it? be quick!" "i know a way to get out of our cages," said the tiger. "if i tell you, will you come with me? then we can run off to the woods, and live there until we can find our way back to the jungle. will you come with me, roarer?" "yes," said the lion, "i will. tell me how to get out of my cage and back to the jungle." the lion and tiger did not know that the jungle, where they had lived, was many miles away, across the big ocean. "this is how we can get out," said sharp tooth. "you know when the man cleans our cages each night, he leaves the door unlocked so the feeding man can follow and put meat in easily." "does he do that?" asked the lion. "i never noticed." "yes, he always does that," said the tiger. "for a little while each evening, just before we are fed, the doors of our cages are not locked. we can easily push them open, before the meat man comes to feed us and closes them. we can get out then." "but if we go before we get our meat, we shall be hungry," roared the lion. "what of it, silly?" cried sharp tooth. "is it not better to get away, and be hungry for a little while, than to stay here shut up in a cage all your life?" "well, i suppose it is," said the lion with a big sigh. "then we are to come out of our cages to-night?" "yes, soon after the man has finished cleaning them, and has left the door unlocked. he does not know that i know about the door. i suppose he imagines i think it is as tightly shut as ever. but it isn't!" "good!" cried the lion. "then we'll run away! but when?" "to-night," hissed the tiger. "be quiet now, some one may hear us." "ha! some one has already heard you," thought tum tum. "so you are going to get away to-night, are you? well, not if i know it! i'll stop you all right! it would never do to have you loose in the woods; all the people would be scared. let me see, how can i stop you?" tum tum wished he could speak man-talk, so he could tell the keepers what the lion and tiger were going to do. but tum tum could speak only animal language. "but i can stay near the tiger's cage, and when he does get out, i can grab him in my trunk, before he has time to scratch me, and push him back in his cage again," thought tum tum. "by that time the keepers will come, and shut the cage doors. yes, i'll do that with sharp tooth; but what about roarer? i need help there. i'll get maggo." so tum tum told maggo, about the lion and tiger going to escape from the circus. "and if you'll stand in front of the lion's cage, he won't dare run very far," said tum tum to maggo. "if you'll look after the lion, i'll look after the tiger." "all right," said maggo, "i shall. it would not be right for those fierce animals to get away." toward evening, when the show was over for the afternoon, maggo and tum tum were allowed to roam about the animal tent a little, the chains being taken off their feet. "now's our time, maggo," whispered tum tum. "you go over by the lion's cage, and i'll stay by the tiger's." "all right, i will," said maggo. over she went to stand in front of the lion's cage. the cleaning man had been around, and the doors of the cages were open. then, before tum tum could get to the tiger's cage, that big, striped beast gave one blow with his paw on the unlocked door, pushing it open. he sprang out, crying: "come on, roarer! come on with me. i'm out! jump out through the door and we'll go to the jungle!" chapter xii tum tum's brave deed tum tum tried to get in front of sharp tooth and stop the tiger from getting out of his cage, but the big elephant was not quick enough. besides, the tiger moved so swiftly, that hardly any one could have stopped him. "come back here! come back!" cried tum tum, when he saw sharp tooth running out of the tent. "indeed i will not! i'm off to the jungle!" snarled the striped beast. "come on, roarer!" she called. but roarer could not, for maggo, the big elephant, had placed herself in front of the door of his cage, and was leaning against it. and maggo was so big and heavy that roarer could not push open the iron-barred door. "get out of my way!" cried the lion to the elephant. "no, no! i will not!" answered brave maggo. then the lion put his paws through the bars of the cage and scratched maggo, but the lady elephant did not mind that. she made a loud noise through her trunk, and this call brought the keepers on the run. one of them saw what the matter was. "quick!" cried this keeper. "the lion's cage door is not fastened. he is trying to get out, but the elephant is holding him in. quick! fasten shut the door!" then the circus men, very quickly, made the door tightly shut, and that was the end of roarer's chances for getting out. oh, but that lion was angry! he sprang about the cage, roaring loudly, but he could not get out to go and join sharp tooth, the tiger. "some of you put some salve on the elephant's scratches," said the head circus man, "while i look to see if any other animals have gotten loose." then he saw the open door of the tiger's cage, and he cried: "sharp tooth is loose! we must go and find that tiger!" then some one else called: "and tum tum is gone also!" "what, tum tum gone!" cried the elephant trainer. "that's so," he said, as he saw that the place where tum tum used to stand was empty. "i wonder where tum tum can be?" said the keeper. maggo wished she could tell how tum tum had tried to stop the tiger from running away, but how the big elephant had not been in time. however, the head keeper must have guessed it. "i don't believe tum tum ran away," he said. "he must have gone out after the tiger. come on, we must find them both." as it happened, the circus performance was over, so there were no boys or girls, or men and women, to be frightened by hearing that the tiger was loose. sharp tooth was so excited at getting out of the cage, that she did not try to bite anybody. she slipped out of the tent, and ran toward some woods near the circus lot. but tum tum was right after her. the tiger could go along very fast, but the elephant could travel almost as quickly, and he kept right behind the striped beast. "ha! go on back! stop following me!" snarled sharp tooth. "no, i'll not," answered the brave elephant. "i want you to come back to the circus." "i'll never come!" snapped the tiger. "oh, yes, you will," the elephant said. the tiger kept on, and tum tum followed. finally the tiger ran up a tree and crouched out on a big limb. "ha! now you can't follow me!" she said to the elephant. "you can't climb up this tree!" "no, but i can stay here until you come down," said tum tum, "and that's what i'll do." "bah!" snarled the tiger. "go away and let me alone!" but tum tum would not. he stayed under the tree where the tiger was, for he knew that soon the circus men would come to hunt for sharp tooth, to put her back in her cage. and, surely enough, that is just what happened. the head keeper could easily see which way the tiger and elephant had gone, for, though sharp tooth did not make much of a track, tum tum did. an elephant cannot crash and push his way through the bushes and trees without making a broad path. and this path the circus men followed. soon they came to the tree in which sharp tooth was crouching. "here she is!" cried one. "bring up the cage!" the tiger's empty cage was wheeled under the tree, and the door was open. inside was put a nice piece of meat, such as the tiger loved, and she was very hungry now. "you had better go down in your cage and behave yourself," said tum tum. "no, i will not!" snarled the tiger. but when the circus men snapped their whips, and fired off guns, and brought blazing torches, sharp tooth was afraid. besides, she was very hungry, and as the lion had not run away with her, she was afraid she could never get to the jungle alone. [illustration: he stayed under the tree where the tiger was, for he knew that soon the circus men would come to hunt for sharp tooth. page ] "i guess i had better go down in my cage," said the tiger. "but," she added to tum tum, "if ever i get a chance to scratch you, i will." into the cage she jumped, and the circus men slammed the door shut. the tiger was caught again. "good old boy, tum tum!" called the elephant's keeper to him, as they were going back to the animal tent. "you saved the tiger from getting away, and that was a good thing, for sharp tooth might have bitten someone. you are a very good elephant!" this made tum tum feel quite happy, more happy even than did the nice big lumps of sugar, and loaves of bread, he was given for his supper as a reward. for you know animals like to be spoken kindly to, as well we do, boys and girls. you just try it with your dog. speak harshly to him, or scold him, and see how he cringes down, and tucks his tail between his legs. he knows when you are not kind to him. and then try speaking nicely. tell him what a good dog he is, and how much you like him, and see what a change there is. he will jump up, and wag his tail, and bark, he is so glad because you are speaking kindly to him. and, if you let him, he will try to kiss you with his red tongue. oh, yes, indeed, animals know a great deal more than most persons think they do. so that was how sharp tooth got out of her cage, and how tum tum helped to catch her again. after that the animals' cages were never left open, even for a second. "did you get very scratched?" asked tum tum of maggo, when everything was once more quiet in the animal tent. "no, not much," answered the lady elephant. "i'm sorry i was not quick enough for the tiger," said tum tum. "never mind, it is all over now." then the two elephant friends stood side by side in the tent and ate hay and talked to each other in elephant language. and now my story of tum tum is drawing to a close. i shall tell you one more thing that happened to him, and then i am finished. one day the circus was showing near a large city, and great crowds of people came out to see it. there were boys and girls--more than tum tum had ever seen before. the big tent was full. tum tum did all his tricks as best he could. he stood on his head, and on his hind legs. he sat up at the table, and made believe eat a meal. in this trick mappo, the merry monkey, had a part, for he sat up with tum tum, and they both ate. when the circus was almost over, and tum tum had played soldier, and marched out of the ring carrying mappo on his back, while mappo waved a flag, the little monkey, who could see out of the top of the tent said: "tum tum, we are going to have a big thunder shower. i can see the lightning and the black clouds." "well, it will not hurt us," said tum tum. "we often used to have thunder storms in the jungle, and here we are under a tent." then, suddenly the storm came. it grew very black, and the thunder and lightning frightened the big crowds in the circus tent. it rained very hard, too, so that some of the tent ropes were made loose and slipped. "run out, quick!" suddenly called a man. "the tent is going to fall on us! run, everybody!" "no! sit still! keep your seats!" the circus men cried, but the crowd was frightened and ran. just then, one of the big poles of the tent began to fall. "that pole must not fall!" cried tum tum's keeper. "but how can i hold it up? i am not strong enough." then he looked at tum tum, the big elephant. "ha! tum tum will hold up the pole, until all the people get out of the tent!" cried the circus man. "here, tum tum," he called. "hold up this pole." tum tum knew what was wanted of him. he pushed his strong head against the pole, and it did not fall over. tum tum held it up, and the tent did not come down. "tum tum, you are a fine elephant!" cried his master. "i love you!" the rain was soon over, and that night, after the evening performance, the circus went on to another town. that brings me to the end of tum tum's adventures. but i have some stories about other animals, and in the next book i'll tell you about "don, a runaway dog; his many adventures." as for tum tum, he lived in the circus for many, many years, growing older and stronger and wiser every day, and everybody thought he was the jolliest elephant in all the world. the end stories for children (from four to nine years old) the kneetime animal stories by richard barnum [illustration] in all nursery literature animals have played a conspicuous part; and the reason is obvious for nothing entertains a child more than the antics of an animal. these stories abound in amusing incidents such as children adore and the characters are so full of life, so appealing to a child's imagination, that none will be satisfied until they have met all of their favorites--squinty, slicko, mappo, tum tum, etc. squinty, the comical pig. slicko, the jumping squirrel. mappo, the merry monkey. tum tum, the jolly elephant. don, a runaway dog. dido, the dancing bear. blackie, a lost cat. flop ear, the funny rabbit. tinkle, the trick pony. lightfoot, the leaping goat. chunky, the happy hippo. sharp eyes, the silver fox. _cloth, large mo., illustrated, per vol. cents_ for sale at all bookstores or sent (postage paid) on receipt of price by the publishers. barse & hopkins publishers west rd street new york none circus animal stories umboo, the elephant by howard r. garis author of "the bedtime stories" "the uncle wiggily series" "the daddy series" etc. contents chapter i baby umboo ii on the march iii sliding down hill iv umboo learns something v picking nuts vi umboo is lost vii umboo and the snake viii umboo finds his mother ix to the salt spring x in a trap xi umboo goes to school xii umboo is sold xiii umboo on the ship xiv umboo in the circus xv umboo remembers chapter i baby umboo "oh, my! but it's hot! it is just too hot for anything!" cried chako, one of the monkeys in the circus cage. "it is hotter under this tent than ever it was in the jungle! whew!" and he hung by his tail and swung to and fro from a wooden bar. "in the jungle we could find a pool of water where we could keep cool," said another monkey, who was poking around the floor of the cage, hoping he could find a peanut. but there were only shells. "i wish i could go back to the jungle," he chattered. "what did you come away from the jungle for, if you don't like it in this circus?" asked woo-uff, the big yellow lion, who lay on his back in his cage, his legs stuck up in the air, for he was cooler that way. "why did you come from the jungle, chako?" "i didn't want to come," answered the swinging monkey. "but some white and black hunters caught me, and a lot more of us chattering chaps, and took us away from the jungle." "that's right, my boy!" exclaimed the deep, rumbly voice of umboo, the biggest elephant in the circus. "none of us animals would have come away from the jungle if we could have had our way. but, now that we are here, we must make the best of it." "how can one make the best of it when it is so hot?" asked chako. "the sun shines down on this circus tent hotter than ever it did in the jungle. and there is no pool of water where we can splash and be cool." "oh, if water is all you want, i can give you some of that," spoke umboo. "wait a minute!" near the elephants, of whom umboo was one on a long line, chained to stakes driven in the ground, was a big tub of water, put there for them to drink when they wanted to. umboo put his long, rubbery hose of a trunk down into this tub of water, and sucked up a lot, just as you fill your rubber ball at the bathroom basin. "look out now, monkeys!" cried the elephant. "it's going to rain!" and he sort of laughed away down in his throat. he couldn't laugh through his nose, as his nose was his trunk, and that was full of water. "look out for a shower!" he cried. with that the elephant went: "woof-umph!" out from his trunk, as if from a hose, sprinkled a shower of water. over the cage of monkeys it sprayed, wetting them as might a fall of rain. "here comes some more!" cried umboo, and again he dipped his trunk in the tub of water, sucked up some in the two hollow places, and again squirted it over the monkeys' cage. "oh, that's good! that's fine!" cried chako. "that was like being in a jungle rain. i'm cooler now. squirt some more, umboo!" "no, hold on, if you please!" rumbled another elephant. "it is all right for umboo to splatter some water on you poor monkeys, but if he quirts away all in the tub we will have none to drink." "that's so," said umboo. "i can't squirt away all the water, chako. we big elephants have to drink a lot more than you little monkeys. but when the circus men fill our tub again, i'll squirt some more on you." "thank you!" chattered chako. "i feel cooler, anyhow. and we monkeys can't stand too much water. this felt fine!" the monkeys in the cage were quite damp, and some began combing out their long hair with their queer little fingers, that look almost like yours, except that their thumb isn't quite the same. "if umboo can't squirt any more water on us, maybe he can do something else to help us forget that it is so hot," said gink, a funny little monkey, who had a very long tail. "what can he do, except squirt water on us?" asked chako. "and i wish he'd do that again. it's the only thing to make us cooler." "no, i wasn't thinking of that, though i do like a little water," spoke gink. "but don't you remember, umboo, you promised to tell us a story of how you lived in a jungle when you were a baby elephant?" "oh, yes, so he did!" exclaimed chako. "i had forgotten about that. it will make us cooler, i think, to hear you tell a story, umboo. please do!" "well, all right, i will," said the big elephant, as he swung to and fro; because elephants are very seldom still, but always moving as they stand. and they sleep standing up--did you know that? "i'll tell you a story about my jungle," went on umboo. "but perhaps you will not like it as well as you did the story snarlie the tiger told you." "oh, yes we will," said snarlie himself, a big, handsome striped tiger in a cage not far from where the monkeys lived. "you can tell us a good story, umboo." "and make it as long as the story woo-uff, the lion, told us," begged humpo, the camel. "i liked his story." "thank you," spoke woo-uff, as he rolled over near the edge of his cage where he could hear better. "i'm glad you liked my story, humpo, but i'm sure umboo's will be better than mine. and don't forget the funny part, my big elephant friend." "what funny part is that?" asked horni, the rhinoceros. "oh, i guess he means where i once filled my trunk with water and squirted some on a man, as i did on the monkeys just now," said the swaying elephant. "why did you do that?" chako wanted to know. "well, i'll tell you when i get to that part of my story," said the elephant. "now do you all want to hear me talk?" "oh, yes! yes!" cried the animals in the circus tent. "tell us your story, umboo! tell us about when you were a baby in the far-off jungle of africa." "i did not come from africa; i came from an indian jungle," said umboo. "my friends, the african elephants, are much larger than i am, and they are wilder and fiercer, and so they are hardly every caught for the circus." "i remember a great big elephant in a circus i was once with--not this one, though," said humpo, the camel. "his name was jug--no it was not jug, and it wasn't jig, but it began with a j." "maybe it was jumbo," suggested umboo. "that was it--jumbo!" cried humpo. "he was a very big elephant." "yes, i guess he was," said umboo. "i have heard of him, but i never saw him. he was an african elephant, and they are all large. poor jumbo!" "why do you say that?" asked chako the monkey. "poor jumbo?" "because he is dead," said umboo. "poor jumbo was struck by one of those big puffing animals, of steam and steel and iron, that pull our circus train over the shiny rails." "you mean a choo-choo-locomotive-steam-engine," said woo-uff, the lion. "i suppose that is the name," said umboo. "anyhow, jumbo was hit by an engine, and, big as he was, it killed him. his bones, or skeleton, are in a museum in new york now." "is new york a jungle?" asked gink, who had not been with the circus very long. "new york a jungle? of course not!" laughed snarlie, the tiger. "new york is a big city, and sometimes we circus animals are taken there to help with the show. i've been in new york lots of times." "well, don't let it make you proud," said chako, the other monkey. "i have been there myself, and i'd much rather be in the jungle." "say, are we going to listen to you animals talk or hear the story umboo is going to tell us?" asked humpo, the camel. "i thought he was going to make us forget the heat." "so i am," said umboo, in a kind voice, "only i wanted to speak about old jumbo, there used to be a song about him, many years ago. it went something like this, and i heard a little english boy sing it: "alice said to jumbo: 'i love you!' jumbo said to alice: 'i don't believe you do; 'cause if you love me truly, as you say you do, come over to america to barnum's show!'" "that's the song they used to sing about jumbo, more than twenty years ago," said umboo. "my! how can you remember so far back?" asked chako. "oh, we elephants live to a good old age," said umboo. "why, i am fifty years old now, and yet i am young! some of the elephants in the jungle lived to be a hundred and twenty years old!" "oh, my!" cried chako. "did they have circuses as long ago as that?" "yes, but not the kind that traveled about, and showed in white tents," said umboo. "but i have heard my father and mother say that we elephants live to be very old." "and can you remember so far back, when you were a baby in the jungle?" asked humpo. "oh, yes, very easily," answered umboo. "i am going to tell you a story about how first i was a little elephant in the great, green forest, or jungle, and then i'll tell you how i was caught, and worked in a lumber yard in india, and how i was then sold to a circus." "well, then, please begin!" begged chako. "it is getting hot again in this monkey cage, and if you haven't any water to squirt on us tell us your story." "i will!" promised the elephant. and then, as the afternoon show was over, and it was not yet time for the night one to begin, the animals had a little quiet time to themselves. and, as they had done once before, they got ready to listen to a story. in the book before this i have written for you the story of woo-uff, the lion. and before that i gave you the story of snarlie, the tiger. and now we come to umboo. "the first thing i remember," began the elephant, "was when i was a little baby in the jungle." "were you very little?" asked snarlie the tiger. "well, i have heard my mother say i weighed about two hundred pounds the first day i came into the world," answered umboo. "so, though i was little for an elephant, i would have made a very big monkey, i suppose. and for a time i just stayed near my mother, between her two, big front legs, so the other elephants would not step on me, and i drank the milk my mother gave me, for my teeth were not yet ready for me to chew roots, leaves and grass." "tell us something that happened!" begged chako, "and make it exciting, so we will forget about the heat!" "well," said umboo, "i'll tell you of a terrible fright we had, and how--" but just then something else happened. into the tent came running one of the circus men, and he cried to another, who was asleep on some hay near the elephants. "come! loosen umboo! we need him to help us get one of the wagons out of the mud! bring umboo, the strongest of all elephants!" chapter ii on the march umboo, the big circus elephant, was unchained from the stake in the circus tent to which he was made fast, and led out by one of the men. "oh, where are you going?" asked horni, the rhinoceros, who had been taking a little doze, and who woke up, just as the men came in. "i thought i heard some one say you were going to tell a story, umboo," spoke the rhinoceros. "i was going to, and i started it," the elephant answered, "but now i must go out and help push a wagon loose from where it is stuck in the mud. i'll be back pretty soon, for it is no trouble at all for me to push even a big circus wagon." "yes, you are very strong," said chako, the monkey. "well, don't forget to come back and tell us about the jungle. that will make us forget the heat." "come, umboo!" called one of the men, as he loosed the heavy elephant chains. "you must help us with the wagon." out of the circus tent walked the big elephant. he could understand some of the things the circus men said to him, just as your dog can understand you, when you call: "come here, jack!" then he runs to you, wagging his tail. but if you say: "go on home, jack!" how his tail droops, and how sadly your dog looks at you, even though you know it is best for him to go back, and not, perhaps, go to school with you, like mary's little lamb. so, in much the same way, umboo knew what the men wanted of him. he was led across the circus lot, outside the big, white tent, that was gay with many-colored flags, and as umboo swayed along, some boys, who were watching for what they might see, caught sight of the great elephant. "hey, jim! here's one of the big ones!" shouted one boy. "maybe he's going to take a drink out of the canal," said another. "maybe they're going to give him a swim," spoke a third boy. but the men had something else for umboo to do just then. they led him to where one of the big wagons, covered with red and gold paint, and shiny with pieces of looking glass, was stuck fast in the mud on a hill. for it had rained the day before the circus came to show in the town, and the ground was soft. "now, umboo!" called the circus man, who was really one of the elephant keepers, and who gave them food and water, "now, umboo, let us see if you can get this wagon out of the mud, as you did once before. the horses can not pull it, but you are stronger than many horses." the horses, with red plumes on their heads, were still hitched to the wagon. there were eight of them, but they had pulled and pulled, and still the wagon was stuck in the mud. "are you going to help us, umboo?" asked one of the horses who knew the elephant, for the circus animals can talk among themselves, just as you boys and girls do. "are you going to help us?" "i am going to try," umboo answered. "you look tired, horsies! take a little rest now, while i look and see which is the best way to push. then, when i blow through my nose like a trumpet horn, you pull and i'll push, and we'll have the wagon out of the mud very soon!" umboo was led up to the back of the wagon. he looked at where the wheels were sunk away down in the soft ground, and then, being the strongest and most wise of all the beasts of the world, the elephant put his big, broad head against the wagon. "now, then, horsies! pull!" he cried, trumpeting through his trunk, which was hollow like a hose. "pull, horsies!" the horses pulled and umboo, the elephant, pushed, and soon the wagon was out on firm, hard ground. "that's good!" cried the circus man. "i knew umboo could do it!" then he gave the elephant a sweet bun, which he had saved for him, and back to the tent went umboo. "now, please go on with your story!" begged chako. "tell us what happened in the jungle." "i will," said umboo, and this is the story he told. umboo was only one of a number of baby elephants that lived with their fathers and mothers in the deep, green jungles of india. not like the other jungle beasts were the elephants, for the big animals had no regular home. they did not live in caves as did the lions and tigers, for no cave was large enough for a herd of elephants. and, except in the case of solitary, or lonely elephants, which are often savage beasts, or "rogues," all elephants live in herds--a number of them always keeping together, just like a herd of cows. another reason why elephants do not live in one place, like a lion's cave, or in a nest or lair under the thick grass where a tiger brings up her striped babies, is that elephants eat so much that they have to keep moving from place to place to get more food. they will eat all there is in one part of the jungle, and then travel many miles to a new place, not coming back to the first one until there are more green leaves, fresh grass, or new bark on the trees which they have partly stripped. so umboo, the two-hundred-pound baby elephant, lived with his mother in the jungle, drinking nothing but milk for the first six months, as he had no teeth to chew even the most tender grass. "well, are you strong enough to walk along now?" umboo's mother asked him one day in the jungle, and this was when he was about half a week old. "oh, yes, i can walk now," said the baby elephant, as he swayed to and fro between his mother's front legs, while she stood over him to keep the other big elephants, and some of the half-grown elephant boys and girls, from bumping into him, and knocking him over. "i can walk all right. but why do you ask me that?" umboo wanted to know. "because the herd is going to march away," said mrs. stumptail, which was the name of umboo's mother. "they are going to march to another part of the jungle, and your father and i will march with them, as we do not want to be left behind. there is not much more left here to eat. we have taken all the palm nuts and leaves from the trees. we have only been waiting until you grew strong enough to march." "oh, i can march all right," said umboo, telling his story to the circus animals in the tent. "look how fast i can go!" out he started from under his mother's body, striding across a grassy place in the jungle. but umboo was not as good at walking as he had thought. even though he weighed two hundred pounds his legs were not very strong, and soon he began to totter. "look out!" cried his mother. "you are going to fall!" and she reached out her trunk and wound it around umboo, holding him up. "hello!" trumpeted mr. stumptail, coming up just then with a big green branch in his trunk. "what's the matter here?" "umboo was just showing me how well he could walk," said his mother, speaking elephant talk, of course. "i told him the herd would soon be on the march, and that he must come along." "but we won't go until he is strong enough," said umboo's father. "here," he said to mrs. stumptail, "eat this branch of palm nuts. they are good and sweet. eat them while i go and see old tusker. i'll tell him not to start to lead the herd to another part of the jungle until umboo is stronger." then, giving the mother elephant a branch of palm nuts, which food the big jungle animals like best of all, mr. stumptail went to see tusker, the oldest and largest elephant of the jungle--he who always led the herd on the march. "my new little boy elephant is not quite strong enough to march, yet," said mr. stumptail to tusker. "can we wait here another day or two?" "oh, yes, of course, mr. stumptail," said the kind, old head elephant. "you know the herd will never go faster than the mothers and baby elephants can travel." and this is true, as any old elephant hunter will tell you. "thank you," said mr. stumptail, to tusker; for elephants are polite to each other, even though, in the jungle, they sometimes may be a bit rough toward lions and tigers, of whom they are afraid. back to the mother elephant and baby umboo went mr. stumptail, to tell them there was no hurry about the herd marching away. and two or three days later umboo had grown stronger and was not so wobbly on his legs. he could run about a little, and once he even tried to bump his head against another elephant boy, quite older than he was. "here! you mustn't do that!" cried his mother. "what trick are you up to now?" "well, this elephant laughed at your tail," said umboo. "he said it was a little short one, and not long like his mother's!" "don't mind that!" said mrs. stumptail, with a sort of laugh away down in her trunk. "all our family have short, or stumpy tails. that is how we get our name. the stumptail elephants are very stylish, let me tell you." "oh, then it's all right," said umboo, who was called by that name because he had made that sort of noise or sound through his nose, when he was a day old. and elephants and jungle folk are named for the sort of noises they make, or for something they do, or look like, just as indians are named. so umboo played in the deep jungle forest with the other little elephant boys and girls until his mother and father saw that he was strong enough to walk well by himself. "now we will start on a long march!" called tusker one day. "the jungle here is well eaten, and, besides, it is no longer safe for us here. so we will march." "why isn't the jungle safe here any more?" asked umboo of his mother. "i'll tell you," answered tusker, who heard what the little elephant asked. "the other day," went on the big chap, "i went to the top of the hill over there," and he pointed with his trunk. "i heard up there a noise like thunder, but it was not thunder." "what was it?" asked umboo, who liked to listen to the talk of the old herd-leader. the other little elephants also gathered around to listen. "it was the noise of the guns of the hunters," said tusker. "they are coming to our jungle, and where the hunters come is no place for us. so we must march away and hide. also there is not much food left here. we must go to a new jungle-place." raising his trunk in the air tusker gave a loud call. all the other elephants gathered around him, and off he started, leading the way through the green forest. "now if i go too fast for any of you baby elephants, just squeak and i'll stop," said the big, kind elephant. "we will go only as fast as you little chaps can walk." "you are very kind," said mrs. stumptail, helping umboo, with her trunk, to get over a rough bit of ground. on and on marched the elephants to find a new place in the jungle, where they would be safe from the hunters, and where they could find more sweet bark, leaves and palm nuts to eat. umboo walked near his mother, as the other small elephant boys and girls walked near their mothers, and the bigger elephants helped the smaller and weaker ones over the rough places. pretty soon, in the jungle, the herd of elephants came to what seemed a big silver ribbon, shining in the sun. it sparkled like a looking glass on a circus wagon, though, as yet, neither umboo, nor any of the other big animals had ever seen a show. "what is that?" asked umboo of his mother. "that is a river of water," she answered. "it is water to drink and wash in." "oh, i never could drink all that water," said the baby elephant. "no one expects you to!" said his mother, with an elephant laugh. "but we are going to swim across it to get on the other side." "what is swimming?" asked umboo. "it means going in the water, and wiggling your legs so that you will float across and not sink," said mrs. stumptail. "see, we are at the jungle river now, and we will go across." "oh, but i'm afraid!" cried umboo, holding back. "i don't want to go in all that water." mrs. stumptail reached out her trunk and caught her little boy around the middle of his stomach. "you must do as i tell you!" she said. "up you go!" and she lifted him high in the air. "oh, did she let you fall?" suddenly asked chako, who, with the other animals in the circus tent, was eagerly listening to the story umboo was telling. "did she let you fall?" chapter iii sliding down hill "look here!" cried snarlie, the tiger, when chako, the monkey, had asked his question. "look here, chako! you mustn't interrupt like that when umboo is talking! let him tell his story, just as you let me tell mine. and maybe umboo's jungle story will go in a book, as mine did." "is yours in a book?" asked humpo, the camel. "it is," answered snarlie, and he did not speak at all proudly as some tigers might. "my story is in a book, and there are pictures of me, and also toto, the little indian princess. for i came from india, just as umboo did." "now who is talking?" asked woo-uff, the lion. "i thought we were to listen to umboo's story." "that's right--we were," said snarlie. "i'm sorry i talked so much. but i was telling chako about the books we are in, woo-uff." "yes, books are all well enough," said the lion, "but give me a good piece of meat. now go on, umboo. what was it chako asked?" "i wanted to know if umboo's mother let him fall when she lifted him high up in her trunk when they came to the jungle river," said the monkey in the circus cage. "no," answered umboo, "she did not drop me. my mother was very strong, and her trunk had a good hold of me. she didn't drop me at all." "then what did she lift you up for?" asked chako. "once, in the jungle where i came from, i saw a big elephant lift up a tiger in his trunk, and the elephant threw the tiger down on the ground as hard as he could, and hurt him." "that was because the tiger was going to bite the elephant if he could," answered umboo. "elephants only have their tusks, and trunk and big feet to fight with. they can't bite as you monkeys can, nor as lions and tigers can. but my mother lifted me up in her trunk to put me on her back." "what did she want to do that for?" asked humpo, the camel. "was a hunter coming with a gun?" "no, but she was going to swim across the river with the rest of the herd," answered umboo, "and she knew i was too little to know how to swim yet. i learned how later, though, and i liked the water. but this time my mother took me across the river on her back." "it's a good thing your mother didn't have a camel-back like humpo," said woo-uff, with a sort of chuckling laugh. "why?" asked horni, the rhinoceros. "because, if mrs. stumptail had a back, with humps in, as the camels have, umboo would have fallen off into the water," said the lion, as he opened his big mouth in a sleepy yawn, showing his big, white, sharp teeth. "my mother's back was big and strong," said umboo. "it was flat, and not humpy, like a camel's, though their backs are all right on the desert. my mother lifted me up on her back with her trunk, and there i sat while she and the other elephants waded into the river." and then the circus elephant went on telling his story. into the jungle river walked the elephants, the littlest ones on their mothers' backs, and some, very small ones, held in their mothers' trunks, which were lifted high in the air. these were the babies of the herd who were too small to ride safely on the backs of the big creatures. "pooh! i'm bigger than you! i can swim like the other elephants!" said keedah; a large elephant boy, as he looked up and saw umboo on his mother's back. "i don't have to be carried across a river! i can swim by myself." "and so will my little boy, soon," said mrs. stumptail. "swim on your own side, keedah, and don't splash water on umboo." but keedah was a little elephant chap full of mischief, and he did not do as he was told. instead he filled his trunk with water and sprayed it all over umboo. "ouch!" cried the little elephant baby, for the water felt cold, at first. "stop it, keedah!" "ha! ha! i made you get wet, whether you swim or not!" laughed keedah. "i'll put some more water on you!" "no you don't! now you swim along!" suddenly cried mrs. stumptail. "get away!" with that she tapped keedah on his head with her trunk two or three times, and, when an elephant wants to, it can strike very hard with its long nose, even though it seems soft. "ouch! ouch!" trumpeted keedah as he swam out of reach of mrs. stumptail. "ouch! let me alone!" "learn to behave yourself then," said umboo's mother. "i'm going to tell my father on you!" cried the mischievous little elephant. "well, it won't do you any good," said a heavy voice behind him, and there was keedah's father himself swimming along. "i saw what you did to umboo," went on the old gentleman elephant, "and mrs. stumptail did just right to tap you with her trunk. now be a good boy, and don't shower any more water on the baby elephants." so keedah promised that he wouldn't, and umboo clung as tightly as he could, with his sprawly legs, to his mother's broad back as she swam across the river. the water was wide, at this part of the jungle, but elephants are good swimmers. they can go in very deep water, and as long as they can keep the tip end of their trunk out, so they can breathe, the rest of their body can sink away down below the surface. and when the elephants are in the water the flies, mosquitoes and other biting bugs of the jungle can not harm them. for, though the skin of elephants, rhinoceros beasts, and even the hippopotami, is very thick, some bugs can bite through it enough to give pain, and the animals don't like that. but in the water nothing can bite them, unless it's a crocodile, and none of those big fellows would come near a whole herd of elephants. "what are we going to do when we get on the other side of the river?" asked umboo of his mother, as he reached his trunk down in the water and took a little drink. "oh, we will rest a while, eat something, perhaps, and then we will keep on marching to a better part of the jungle," she answered. "i know what i'm going to do when i get on the other shore," spoke keedah, as once more he swam up along side of umboo and his mother. "what?" asked the little elephant who was having such a nice ride across the river. "what are you going to do?" "i am going to have a slide down hill," went on keedah, who did not seem to be going to make any more trouble. "what's sliding down hill?" asked umboo, and of course, you understand, all this talk was in animal language. "sliding down hill is fun," went on keedah. "you know old tusker went up to the top of a place, called a hill, to look and see about the hunters in the jungle. well, there is a hill on the other side of this river, and when we get across i'm going to the top of it and slide down. "it's hard work going up hill," went on the larger elephant boy, "but it's easy coming down. you just sit on your hind legs, hold your trunk up in the air and down you come as fast as anything!" "and be careful you don't bump into anything," said mrs. stumptail. "sliding down hill is all right if you don't bump into anything. you must be careful, umboo. don't slide down any hills unless you ask me first." "i won't," promised the baby elephant. "but tell me more about it, keedah. did you ever slide down hill?" "many a time. i was with the herd last year when we swam this same river. i could swim then, too, and when we came to the hill i climbed up. then i came down lots faster than i walked up, and i went splash into the river. that didn't hurt at all," he said to umboo's mother. "no, it doesn't hurt to slide into the water," said the old elephant lady. "if you do any sliding, umboo, see that you splash into the water, and not on the hard ground." "i will, after i learn to swim," spoke umboo. a little later the herd of elephants were safely across the jungle river. some rested in the shade of trees, pulling off the low branches and the palm nuts. others rolled in the mud, to make a sort of coating over their skins, to keep off the flies. others went to the top of the hill to slide down, and keedah went with them. "oh, mother! i wish i could slide!" said umboo, when he saw what fun the other elephants were having. they really did slide down hill, just as otters do, only the otter, or beaver, likes to have water on his slide, and the elephants did not care whether their slide was wet or dry. down they came, over sticks and stones, and their skin was so tough that they never got hurt. and yet a fly could bite through that same hide! but that is because a fly has a very fine, sharp bill, which can go through the tiny pores, or holes, in the elephant's skin. "oh, i want to slide!" said umboo to his mother. "i'm big enough, and if i can't swim when i splash in the water, you can be near to pull me out. please let me slide down hill!" "and did she let you?" asked snarlie, the tiger, as the elephant stopped in the telling his story long enough to take a bite of hay. "did she let you, umboo?" chapter iv umboo learns something umboo, the big circus elephant, swallowed the sweet hay he had been chewing, and was about to keep on with the telling of his story about the things that happened to him when he was a little chap in the indian jungle, when a lot of men came in the tent where the animals were standing about, or resting in their cages. "oh, now we can't hear any more of the story," said chako, the big monkey, to gink the little, long-tailed chap. "why can't we?" gink wanted to know. "because the circus is going to move on. our cage will be put on the steam cars, and away we will go, and umboo, and the rest of the elephants, will be put in big box-cars." "won't we ever see him again, or hear more of his story?" asked gink, who had not been with the circus very long, and so did not know much about it. "oh, yes, of course we'll hear more later on," answered chako, "but not until tomorrow. now the circus is going to move." and that is just what happened. the men closed the sides of the cages, shutting the animals up in them. the tent was taken down, horses were hitched to the wagons, and away went the whole, big circus on a train to the next town where the show was to be given. "it's too bad!" exclaimed horni, the rhinoceros, who had a big horn on the end of his nose. "it's too bad, umboo! i wanted to hear you tell about sliding down hill." "i'll tell you tomorrow," said the elephant. "now i have to go and help the horses, by pushing on some of the heavy wagons with my head. i'll finish the sliding-down-hill part of my story tomorrow." "all right, don't forget!" called chako, just before the men closed down the sides of the monkey cage. "i won't," promised umboo. "it was the same way when i was telling my story," said snarlie, the tiger. "every now and then i had to stop when the circus moved from one place to another." all through the night the trains of cars, with the circus wagons, tents, horses and performers, rolled along. in the morning the cars stopped just outside a big city, where the show was to be given for three days. "and now i'll have a chance to tell you a lot more about what we elephants did in the jungle," said umboo, when, once more, all the animal friends were in the tent together. "that is i'll tell you more, if you aren't tired of hearing it," he added. "tired? i should say not!" chattered gink. "go on, umboo, if you please. tell us a lot more!" "and don't forget about sliding down hill," added woo-uff, the lion. "did your mother let you?" "oh, yes, she let me," answered umboo. "at first she did not want to, for a lot of the big elephants were having this fun. but, after a while, when they went away from the hill, having slid down enough, and when keedah, and some of the other elephant boys and girls, took their turn, i went with them. "at first i was a little afraid, when i got to the top of the hill, and saw how steep it was, and how far it seemed down to the bottom where the river ran. but i stuck my front feet out in front of me, and i sat down on the back part of my hind legs, where my skin is very thick, and then, all of a sudden keedah came up behind me and gave me a push." "did you go down?" asked snarlie, laughing so that his sharp, white teeth showed in his red mouth. "did i go down? i should say i did!" cried umboo. "i went down so fast i almost turned over in a somersault, the way the trick dogs do in our circus. and, at first, i was scared. "but the hill of dirt was smooth, without any big stones in it, and away i slid. when i got to the water, in i went with a big splash; though of course i didn't make as much of a splatter as some of the larger elephants did." "was it fun?" asked humpo, the camel. "at first i didn't like it," answered umboo. "the water got up my trunk, and choked me a little, and took my breath away. but my mother stood on the bank of the river and soon pulled me out; and when i went down next time i curled my trunk up, so then i was all right." the other circus animals liked so much to hear umboo's story of sliding down hill, that they kept asking him questions about it until nearly dinner time. but when the men came in the tent, bringing hay for the horses, elephants and camels, big chunks of meat for the lions and tigers, and dried bread for the monkeys, then all the animals were quiet for a time--at least they made no noise except chewing. and after their meal they all went to sleep for a little while, those in cages curling up in a corner, and the horses lying down on straw, but the elephants took their sleep standing up, for an elephant, even in the jungle, never lies down except perhaps to roll in water, or a mud-puddle. and the only time they lie down in a circus is when they are doing some trick. "now i guess you have slid down hill enough, umboo," said the elephant's mother to him. "it is all right to have some fun, but there are other things to do in the jungle besides that. you must learn a few things." "i had to learn things too," said woo-uff. "i had to learn how to creep up on fat goats, and knock them over with my big paws. there was an old lion named boom-boom, and he and i--" "wait a minute! wait a minute!" called humpo, the camel, as he was chewing some hay in the circus tent after his dinner. "is this your story, or umboo's?" "oh, i forgot. i beg your pardon, umboo!" said the big lion. "please go on." so umboo went on telling his story, speaking of how his mother told him there were other things to do in the jungle besides sliding down hill to splash into the river. it was some time after this, when umboo had grown larger and stronger, and two of his tusks or teeth, had grown out of his jaw, sticking far beyond his lips, that his mother said to him: "now, umboo, it is time you learned how to get something to eat for yourself. up to now i have given you milk, or you have eaten the sweet palm nuts or the tree branches i pulled down for you, or those the other elephants left. now it is time you learned to do things for yourself. come with me, umboo." "where are we going?" asked the small elephant. that is he was smaller than his mother, though he was very large along side of a dog or a cat. "where are we going?" "far into the jungle," answered mrs. stumptail. umboo followed after her, brushing his way through the bushes, pushing aside even those that had thorns on them, for he never felt the sharp pricks through his thick skin, though, as i have told you, some kinds of bugs can bite their way through even this. suddenly, as umboo walked along behind his mother, he began to sniff the air through his trunk. "what is that good smell?" he asked, in elephant talk, of course. "it smells just like those nice, sweet roots you gave me to eat the other day." "and that is just what you do smell, umboo," said his mother. "near here, in the jungle, grow trees with those sweet roots. if you want to eat some now see if you can find any. in that way you will learn when i am not with you. hunt around now, and see if you can't smell where the sweet roots grow." umboo was hungry and he wanted, very much, to get the roots. so he began sniffing with his trunk close to the ground. when he moved one way the smell was not so strong. "that means you are moving away from the roots," his mother told him. "come over this way." so umboo moved the other way, and the smell of the sweet roots grew stronger, just as when you come nearer to a bakery or candy shop. "ah! here they are! right down under the ground, here!" suddenly cried umboo, tapping with his trunk on a certain place under a big tree. "the roots are here, mother," he said. "but how am i going to get them out? i can't eat them if they are under the dirt!" "how would you think you might get them out?" asked mrs. stumptail. "come, be a smart elephant, umboo. use your brains. elephants are the smartest animals in the world. think a little and then see what you will do." so umboo thought, and then he remembered seeing what the other elephants did when they were hungry, and wanted to dig up tree roots. "i guess i'll poke away the dirt with my feet," he said. "yes, that's a good way to begin," said mrs. stumptail. so umboo, with his big, broad fore feet, loosened the dirt over the tree roots. they were not down very deep, being the top roots, and not the big heavy ones, buried far down in the earth. "ha! now i can see the roots!" cried the little boy elephant. "they are uncovered, but still i can't lift them up with my trunk, mother. what shall i do next?" "what are your tusks for?" asked mrs. stumptail. "don't be so silly! pry up the roots with your tusks!" so umboo knelt down and put one of his big long teeth under a root. then with a twist of his head he pried the root up from the ground. "there! see how easy it is!" said his mother. then umboo chewed the sweet root, but he did not swallow the hard, woody part. that would not have been good for him. "oh, but this is sweet!" he cried, shutting his eyes as he chewed away. "this is the sweetest root i ever ate." "and you dug it up yourself! that is best part of it," said his mother. "you have learned to do something for yourself. now, when you find yourself alone in the jungle, if you should stray away from the rest of the herd, you will know how to get something to eat. you have learned something." "is this all i have to learn?" umboo wanted to know. "indeed not!" cried his mother. "there are many more things that you must know. but one thing at a time. a little later i will show you how to pull down a big tree, when there are palm nuts, or sweet branches, growing near the top, which you cannot reach, no matter how you try. pulling trees down will be the next lesson. but dig up some more roots." "i will dig some for you," said umboo. "excuse me for not giving you some of the first ones i dug." "oh, that's all right," said mrs. stumptail. "i wanted you to learn, but you may give me some of the next ones you pry up." umboo uncovered more roots, and gave his mother some, and then, as he was moving to another part of the jungle, there suddenly sounded through the forest a loud, shrill cry. "quick, umboo, come with me!" cried his mother. "that is tusker calling us!" "what does he want?" asked umboo. "he wants to tell us there is danger!" said umboo's mother. "hurry! come with me back to the rest of the herd!" chapter v picking nuts not stopping to dig up any more roots, umboo rushed off through the jungle after his mother, who hurried on ahead. as they crashed along, breaking their way through bushes and knocking down small trees, they heard again the shrill trumpet of tusker, the oldest and largest elephant of the jungle. "what is he saying?" asked umboo of his mother, as he hurried along, now close to her. "what is tusker saying?" "he is telling of some kind of danger," said the older elephant. "just what it is i don't know. but the herd will be moving away very soon, to hide in a dark part of the jungle, and we must go with them." as umboo and his mother came out into an open part of the forest, where they had left the other elephants, when umboo had been led away to be given his root-digging lesson, there was great excitement. tusker stood on top of a little hill, his trunk high in the air, making all sorts of queer, trumpeting noises. "we were waiting for you," said mr. stumptail to umboo's mother. "we are going to run away and hide. tusker is calling you." "well, tell him we are here now," said mrs. stumptail. "i had to give umboo his lesson." "and i dug up some sweet roots," said the little elephant, "but i didn't have time to bring you any," he told his father. "some other time will do," spoke mr. stumptail. "hello, tusker!" he called through his trunk to the old, big elephant. "here they are now! umboo and his mother have come back. we can all go hide in the jungle." "why must we hide?" asked umboo. "because tusker smelled danger," answered keedah, who was with the other small elephants where they were gathered together, the older ones about them. "he smelled white and black hunters, with guns, and they are coming to shoot us, tusker says. so he called a warning to all of us." "i heard it away off where i was digging up roots," said umboo. "but did tusker see the hunters with their guns?" "no, i didn't see them," said tusker himself, coming down from the hill just then. "but i smelled them, and that is the same thing. the wind was blowing from them to me, and i could smell them very plainly. come now, elephants! into the deep, dark part of the jungle, where the hunters can not find us, we will go--far into the jungle." then the herd moved off, and umboo's mother told him, as they hurried along, that an elephant's eyes can not see very far. "we have not a very sharp sight, like the hawks or the vultures," said mrs. stumptail, "so we have to depend on our noses. we can smell things a long way off, and when you are older you will get to know the difference between the sweet roots, under the ground, and the man-smell, which means danger. "tusker smelled the man-smell, even though he could not see the white and black hunters, and then he trumpeted through his trunk to tell us all to run away," said mrs. stumptail. through the jungle crashed the herd of elephants, not going any faster, though, than umboo and the other small ones could trot along. though an elephant is very big and heavy he can move swiftly through the forest, and go in places where no horse could travel, for the way would be too rough, and great vines and trees would be strung across the path. indeed there is no path, the elephants making one for themselves, and when once a herd starts off it can hardly ever be caught by a hunter on foot. "do you think any of us will be shot?" asked umboo, as he shuffled along beside his mother. "how does it feel to be shot?" "my! but you ask a lot of questions," said mrs. stumptail; and i think umboo was like a lot of boys and girls i know. but then if you don't ask questions how are you ever going to find out anything? "i can tell you how it feels to be shot," said a middle-aged elephant, who was hurrying along, next to mr. stumptail. "it hurts very much, umboo! it hurts very much, and worse than a whole lot of big bugs biting you at once." "were you ever shot?" asked umboo. "indeed i was," answered the elephant, whose name was bango, called so because he used to bang big trees down with his head. "i was shot twice." "tell me about it," said umboo. "it was some years ago," went on bango. "i was with another herd, and we were eating away in the jungle. all at once i heard a noise like a little clap of thunder, and i felt a sharp pain in my head. one of the hard things the hunters shoot in their guns had hit me. then another struck me in the leg." "didn't any of you smell the hunter coming?" asked mr. stumptail. "didn't you smell him and get out of the way?" "no," answered bango, "none of us did. the wind was blowing the wrong way, i guess. but as soon as we heard the gun, and when i gave a blast through my trunk, as i felt myself hurt, then all the herd knew what had happened, and away we rushed, just as we are rushing now. we went very fast." "did the hunter get any of you?" asked umboo. "not that time. i was the only one hit," said bango. "but another time five or six of the herd i was with were killed by hunters." "what for?" asked keedah, who was now more friendly with umboo. "why did the hunters kill the elephants, bango?" "to get their big teeth, or tusks. our tusks are ivory, you know, and the hunter men, so i have been told, take our teeth to make into round balls, with which they play games, or they use them to put on machines that make tinkle-tinkle sounds." by this bango meant pianos, the keys of which used to be made from ivory, though now they are mostly celluloid. and the game men play, with balls made from elephants' tusks, is called billiards. on and on through the jungle hurried the elephants, until at last tusker, who led the way, came to a stop. "this is far enough," he said. "i do not believe the hunters will find us here. we will rest now." indeed it was time to stop, for some of the smaller elephants were quite tired out. big elephants can hurry through the jungle very fast for as long as twenty hours at a time, stopping, perhaps, only during the very hottest part of the day. and when an elephant is very tired it begins to perspire, or "sweat," over each eye, and two little hollow places there look as though they had been wet with a sponge. in the cooler part of the shady jungle the elephants rested, some of them pulling down branches from the trees to get at the leaves or tender bark. umboo began sniffing along the ground with his trunk. "what are you doing?" asked keedah. "i am smelling for sweet roots," was the answer. "my mother showed me how to do it. do you want me to show you?" "i learned that long ago," said keedah. "why i can even get palm nuts off a high tree by knocking the tree down. can you do that? smelling out earth-roots is nothing!" "i think it is something," spoke umboo. "and, when i get a little bigger my mother is going to show me how to pull over, or knock down, a whole tree. but now i am hungry for roots." so umboo kept on sniffing at the ground with his trunk. he was feeling quite hungry. suddenly keedah cried: "ha! i have found some sweet roots! i am going to dig them up!" "and i have found some, too!" exclaimed umboo, as through his long nose of a trunk he sniffed the good smell. then the two elephant boys dug up the earth with their feet, sort of pawing aside the soft dirt, and with their tusks they pried up the roots, chewing the soft part. at first the older elephants were uneasy, or worried, for fear that, even though they were in a deep part of the jungle, the hunters might come after them. tusker and some of the big father-elephants went about, with their trunks high in the air, sniffing, sniffing and sniffing for any smell of danger. but there seemed to be none. the hunters were left many miles away, and the elephants could rest and eat in peace. for many months after this they roamed about, going from place to place in the jungle as they ate one spot bare of roots and leaves. sometimes the place where they drank water would dry up, and they would have to move to another river or spring. for an elephant must have plenty of water. all this while umboo kept on digging up sweet roots when ever he felt he wanted some, until he could do it almost as well as his mother or father could. one day, when the elephant boy was traveling through the jungle he looked up and saw, growing on top of a tree, some palm nuts. elephants are very fond of these, and will go a great way to get them. there are many kinds of palm trees, and on some grow cocoanuts, and on others dates; but the palm nuts the elephants eat are different. umboo looked up at the palm nuts growing on the tree in the jungle, and said: "oh, how i wish i had some of those." "well," said mrs. stumptail, "how do you think you can get them?" "if i were a monkey," said the elephant boy, "i could climb up the tree and pick them off." umboo had often, in the jungle, seen the monkeys do this. "but you are not a monkey," said his mother. "can you reach up with your trunk and pull down the nuts?" umboo tried, but his trunk was not long enough. "i guess the only way to get the nuts is to break down the tree; but how can i do that?" he asked. "your head is the strongest part of you," said mrs. stumptail. "see if you can knock the tree over." "bang!" went umboo's head against the tree. the tree shook and shivered, and a few nuts were knocked down, but not enough. "well," said the elephant boy, as he banged the tree again, "i don't mind doing this for fun, as it doesn't hurt, but the tree doesn't seem to be coming down very fast. and i can't get the nuts until it does. what shall i do, mother?" "just think a little harder," said mrs. stumptail. "i want you to grow up to be a smart elephant boy, and to do that you must think for yourself. i shall not always be with you. try and think now how to get the tree down." "i know!" cried umboo. "i can pull it over with my trunk!" he wrapped his long trunk around the tree and began to pull. he had often pulled up small trees and bushes this way, but the palm nut tree was stronger. though umboo pulled and pulled, digging his feet hard down into the ground, the tree did not come up. "oh, dear!" said the elephant boy. "i don't believe anyone can get this tree down, mother!" "nonsense!" exclaimed mrs. stumptail. "don't be such a baby. think hard, umboo! you can easily uproot that tree and get all the nuts you want. let me see you do it!" chapter vi umboo is lost umboo wanted to grow up to be a big, strong smart elephant. he wanted to be like tusker, the leader of the herd, and he thought if he were as tall, and strong as that mighty fellow he would have no trouble at all in uprooting the tree. "there must be some way of doing it," said umboo to himself as he looked up at the palm nuts on top of the tree, and then he glanced at his mother who was watching him. of course mrs. stumptail herself could easily have pulled the tree for umboo, as it was not very large, but she did not want to do this. just as your mother wants you to learn to lace your own shoes, or button them, and tie your hair ribbons. as he stood thinking of what best to do, umboo scraped with his feet in the dirt around the roots of the tree. soon he uncovered some of the roots. they were not a kind he liked to eat, but, as he saw the roots laid bare, a new idea came into the head of the elephant boy. "ha! i know what i can do!" he said. "i can make the roots loose with my long tusks, and then it will be easy to push the tree over with my head. the roots won't hold it up any more!" "that's it!" exclaimed his mother. "i was wondering how long it would take you to think of that. and it is better that you should think of it for yourself than that i should tell you. now you will never forget. so loosen the dirt around the roots, umboo, and then see what happens." kneeling down, umboo put his tusks under the roots and pried them up, as he used to pry the sweet ones up which he liked to eat. in a little while he had broken many of the big roots. then he stood up, backed away from the tree, and rushed at it to strike it with his big head which was like a battering-ram. once, twice, three times umboo hit the tree. it shivered and shook, and then, because the roots no longer held it up, over it went with a crash. "hurray!" cried umboo, or what meant the same thing in elephant talk. "now i can get the palm nuts!" "yes," said his mother. "you have learned something else." with the tree lying flat on the ground, it was easy for umboo to reach the palm nuts with his trunk. he pulled them off and ate them, first, though, giving his mother some. for elephants, and other animals, know how to be kind and polite, though of course, they are not so good at it as are you boys and girls. as umboo and his mother were eating the palm nuts, along came keedah. "hello!" cried the other elephant boy. "how did you get the palm tree down, mrs. stumptail?" "i did it," said umboo. "you?" cried keedah. "no! you are not strong enough for that!" "no, i wasn't strong enough to knock this tree over with my head, or pull it down with my trunk, until i loosened the dirt at the roots," said umboo. "after that it was easy." "well, you are getting to be like us bigger boys," said keedah. "may i have some of the palm nuts, umboo?" "yes," was the answer, for umboo felt a little proud at what he had done, and, like a real person, he wanted others to know it. "did you ever knock down a palm tree?" asked umboo of keedah. "often," was the answer. "i learned to dig at the roots just as you did. but when it rains you don't have to do that." "why not?" umboo wanted to know. "because the rain water makes the dirt soft around the roots, and we don't have to dig it loose with our tusks. wait until some day when it rains, and you'll see how easy it is to knock over bigger trees than this." and umboo found that this was so. about a week after that it rained hard, and to the hot, tired and dusty elephants in the jungle the cooling showers were a delight. the rain soaked into the ground, until it was wet and soft, like a sponge. umboo, splashing in a mud puddle, walked away from where he had been standing near his mother. "where are you going?" asked mrs. stumptail. "i am going to see if i can do as keedah said he could do, and knock over a tree without digging at the roots," answered the elephant boy. "the ground is rain-soaked now, and soft." "very well," spoke his mother. "you may try it. but don't go too far away. the herd may move on through the jungle, and then you would be lost." "i'll be careful," promised umboo. off started the elephant boy, splashing through the mud and water. he did not need to wear rubber boots, or take an umbrella. in fact he would not have known what to do with either, though once, in a circus, i saw an elephant with an umbrella. but then i saw one with a hand organ, too, and you'd never see that in the jungle. but umboo's big feet were made for walking in mud and water, and his thick skin, though bugs could bite through it at times, did not let any rain leak through to wet him. there was plenty on the outside, however, just as there is outside your rubber coat. "i'll just go off by myself and knock a great big tree over with my head," thought umboo. "then the other elephants will see what i can do. i wonder if it will be easy, on account of the ground being soft from the rain?" on and on through the jungle wandered umboo. he was big enough to travel by himself now, though of course he did not want to leave his mother, nor the herd, which was like home to him. he was one of a big family of elephants, some being his sisters, his brothers or his cousins. all around him, through the forest, umboo could hear the other elephants crashing about in the wet. they were looking for good things to eat, and none of them went very far away from the others. they wanted to be near where they could hear tusker sound his trumpet call of danger, if he had to do so. but umboo being young, and perhaps rather foolish, thought he could go off as far as he pleased into the jungle. "i can find my way back again, after i have knocked over a big tree," he thought to himself. "it will be easy." the elephant boy saw several trees with bunches of palm nuts on them, but none was large enough for him. he wanted to pick out an extra large one; not as big, of course, as his mother or father or tusker could have butted over, but still one bigger than the other trees he had been used to knocking down. at last, when he had tramped on quite a distance through the mud and water of the jungle, umboo saw before him a fine, large palm tree. growing in the top, so far up that he could not reach any except the very lowest, and littlest, ones, were a number of clusters of palm nuts. "ah! that's the tree i'll knock down!" thought umboo. he went up to it, and looked at the ground around the roots. it was soft and spongy as he stepped on it, and water oozed out. "this ought to be easy," said the elephant to himself. "very easy!" he put his head against the trunk of the tree and pushed. at first the tree only swayed a little, as though blown by the wind. then the elephant boy, who was quite strong now, pushed harder and harder. then he drew back his head and struck the palm tree a hard blow. and then, all of a sudden, over it went, the roots pulling loose from the soft, wet ground. over the tree went, falling with a crash! "ah ha!" laughed umboo. "that's the way to do it! keedah was right! it is very easy to knock over a tree when the ground is soft and muddy. now for some good nuts to eat." with his trunk umboo pulled the palm nuts off the tree and stuffed them into his mouth. an elephant's trunk is to him what your hands are to you children. after he had eaten as many of the nuts as he wanted (and you may be sure that was quite a number, for elephants have big appetites) umboo tore off a large branch, with nuts clinging to it and started off through the jungle with it. "i'll take this back to the herd with me," he thought. "my mother or father may like it. and i can show it to keedah. he can tell by the size of this branch that the tree i knocked over must be a big one. then i'll bring him here and show him the tree. i'm almost as big and strong as he is." so thinking, umboo went on through the forest. each tree, leaf and vine was dripping water, for it was still raining hard. steam arose from the ground, for the earth was hot and the water was warm, as it always is in the jungle. perhaps it was this steam, which was like a fog, rising all around him, that puzzled umboo. and most certainly he was puzzled, for, when he had been walking quite a distance, he suddenly stopped and listened. "this is strange," he said to himself. "i don't hear any of the other elephants. and i ought to be back with the herd now." he listened more carefully, flapping his ears which were, by this time, about as large as a baby's bath tub. they were still growing. to and fro umboo moved his ears, listening first one way and then the other. he could hear the patter of the rain, and the chatter of a monkey now and then, also the fluttering of the big jungle birds, with, every little while, the rustle of a snake. but the elephant boy could not hear the noise made by the other elephants. "i guess i haven't walked far enough," he said to himself. "i must go along through the jungle some more. but i did not think i came as far as this when i was looking for a tree to knock over." so, taking a tighter hold of the branch of palm nuts in his trunk, off started umboo again, splashing through the muddy puddles. he looked this way and that, and he listened every now and then, stopping to do this, for he made so much noise himself, as he hurried along, that he could hear nothing else. "well, this is certainly funny!" thought umboo, when he had stopped and listened about ten times. "i can't hear any other elephants at all. i wonder if they could have gone away and left me?" then he knew, that, though the other animals might have gone away and left him, his father and mother would not do this. "and," thought umboo, "if there had been any danger from hunters and their guns, tusker would have sounded his call, and i would have heard that. i guess i haven't gone back far enough." then he hurried on again, but, after awhile, when he had listened and could hear nothing of the herd of elephants, and could not see them through the trees, umboo began to be afraid. "i guess i must be lost!" he said. "that's it! my mother said it might happen to me, and it has. i'm lost!" and so he was! poor umboo was lost in the jungle, and the rain was coming down harder than ever! chapter vii umboo and the snake "weren't you terribly frightened?" asked chako, the lively monkey, as he swung by his tail from a bar in the top of his circus cage. "weren't you dreadfully scared, umboo, when you found out you were lost in the jungle?" "indeed i was," answered the elephant boy, who was telling his story to his friends in the big, white tent. "i was lost once, in the jungle like that," went on the monkey chap, "and all i had to eat was a cocoanut. and i--" "wait a minute! wait a minute!" cried humpo the camel. "are we listening to your story, chako, or to umboo's?" "oh, that's so! i forgot!" exclaimed chako. "go on, umboo. i won't talk any more." "well, i won't either--at least for a while," said umboo. "for here come the keepers with our dinners. let's eat instead of talking." and surely enough, into the circus tent came the men with the food for the animals--hay for the elephants, meat for the lions and tigers, and dried bread and peanuts for the monkeys. then after a sleep, which most animals take about as soon as they have eaten, it was time for the circus to begin. into the tent where the jungle folk were kept, came the boys and girls, with their fathers and mothers, or uncles, aunts and cousins. "oh, look at the big elephant!" cried one boy. "i'm going to give him some peanuts!" and he stopped in front of umboo. "no, don't!" cried a little girl who was with the boy. "he might bite you." "pooh! he can't!" said the boy. "he can only reach me with his long nose of a trunk, and there aren't any teeth in that. his teeth are in his mouth, farther up." "well, he's got a pinching thing on the end of his trunk," spoke the little girl, "and he can nip you." "i don't guess he will," went on the boy. "anyhow i'd like to give him some peanuts." "and i'd like to have them," said umboo, in elephant talk, of course, which the other animals could understand, but which was not known to the little boy and girl, nor to the other children in the circus tent. then the little boy grew brave, and held out a bag, partly filled with peanuts, to umboo, who took them in his trunk, and chewed them up, first, though, taking them out of the bag, for he did not like to chew paper. "i wish i could ride on the elephant's back!" said the little boy. "children do ride on the backs of elephants in india, the country where you and i came from, don't they, umboo?" asked snarlie, the tiger, when the children had passed on to the tent where the performers were to do their circus tricks. "oh, yes, many a ride i have given children in india," said umboo. "but that was after i was caught in the jungle trap and tamed." "tell us about that!" begged chako. "all in good time! all in good time," said the big elephant, in a sort of drowsy voice, for he had hardly slept through all his nap that day, before the circus crowds came in. "i have yet to tell you how i was lost, and how i got back to the rest of the herd. but seeing the children remind me of the days in india," added umboo. "and it reminded me also," spoke snarlie. "well do i recall how little princess toto rode on the back of a great elephant like yourself, umboo, and how it was then i first saw her. afterward i went to live with her, and there was a palace, with a fountain in it where the water sparkled in the sun." "what's a palace?" asked chako, the monkey. "is it something good to eat, like a cocoanut?" "indeed it is not," said snarlie. "a palace is a big house, like this circus tent, only it is made of stone. princess toto and i lived there, but now i live in a circus, and i shall never see toto again! i liked her very much." "i like children, too," said woo-uff, the lion, in his deep, rumbly voice. "once a little african boy named gur was kind to me, and gave me a drink of water when i was caught in the net. he was a good boy." "did he ride on an elephant's back?" asked snarlie. "i never saw him do that," answered the lion, "though he may have. but the elephants of africa, where i came from, are wilder, larger and more fierce than those of india, where our friend umboo used to live. people hardly ever ride on an african elephant's back." "well, let us hear more of umboo's story," suggested humpo, the camel. "it seems to me everyone is talking but him." "that's so," spoke horni, the rhinoceros. "please go on, umboo. tell us about how you were lost in the jungle." so the big circus elephant, slowly swaying to and fro, and gently clanking his chains, told more of his jungle story. when he looked all around among the trees, which were dripping water from the heavy rain, and when he could not see any of the other elephants, umboo felt very badly indeed. for animals, even those who live in the jungle, get lonesome, the same as you boys and girls do when you go away from home. "well, if i am lost," thought umboo to himself, as he held the branch of palm nuts, "i must see if i can not find the way home." for though elephants have no real home, traveling as they do to and fro in the jungle so much, umboo called "home" the place where he had last seen his mother and the rest of the herd. since umboo could not see a long way through the trees, as he might have done if he had eyes as sharp and bright as a big vulture bird, he had to do what most elephants do--smell. so he raised his trunk in the air, dropping the palm branch to the ground, and sniffed as hard as he could. he wanted to smell the elephant smell--the odor that would come from the herd of the big animals who were somewhere in the jungle eating leaves and bark. but umboo could not smell them. nor could he smell any danger, and he was glad of that. all the smells that came to him were those of the jungle--the soft mud smell, the odor of wet, green leaves and the smell of the falling rain. all those smells umboo knew and loved. but he could not smell the other elephants, and if he could have done so he would have known which way to walk to get to them. slowly he turned himself around, so as to smell each way the wind blew, toward him and from him. but it was of no use. no elephant smell came to him. "i guess i am too far away," thought the elephant boy to himself. "i must walk on farther. then i'll come to where my mother is. i wish i had not gone away from her." picking up the palm branch again, with the sweet nuts still fast to it, umboo started off once more through the mud and water. the rain came down harder than ever, but he did not mind that. it washed his skin of the dried mud and dust that had been on it some time, and when it rained the bugs did not bite so much. also the rain was not cold, for it was pleasant and warm in the jungle. only it was lonesome to the elephant boy, who, never before, had been so long away from his mother. on he tramped, splashing this way and that through the puddles, wading through little brooks and, once, even swimming over a small river, for, by this time umboo was as good a swimmer as the other elephants. "but i don't remember swimming that river before," said umboo to himself, as he crawled out on the farther bank, with the branch of palm nuts held high in his trunk. "surely i must have come the wrong way. i am worse lost than ever!" and so umboo was. but there was no help for it. he must keep on, and he hoped, before it grew dark, that he would find the herd, and his mother with it. after he had swum across the river umboo pushed on through the jungle for a mile or more. all at once he heard, off to one side, something crashing through the bushes much as he was doing. "ha! perhaps that is another elephant!" thought umboo. "maybe it is my mother or my father, or perhaps old tusker coming to look for me. i shall be glad of that! "hello there!" cried umboo in elephant talk. "is that you, mother? here i am, over here!" the crashing of the bushes stopped, and a loud voice said: "no, i am not your mother. what is the matter with you, elephant boy?" and out of the jungle came stalking a big rhinoceros. on his head, close to the end of his nose, grew a long, sharp horn. at first umboo was afraid of this horn, but the rhinoceros did not seem to be cross, and the elephant boy went closer to him. "the matter with me," said umboo, "is that i am lost. i went out in the jungle, away from where our herd of elephants was feeding, and now i can't find my way back again. can you tell me where my mother is, mr. rhino?" "i am sorry to say that i can not," answered the rhinoceros, scratching his leg with his horn. "but why did you go away from the herd?" "i wanted to go out in the jungle and knock over a big tree," said umboo. "keedah, one of the boys in the herd, said it was easy to do when the ground was soft from the rain." "and did you do it?" asked the rhinoceros. "yes," answered umboo, "i did. this branch of palm nuts is from the tree i knocked over with my head. i'd give you some, only i am saving them for my mother." "oh, that's all right; thank you," said the other jungle beast. "i don't care much for palm nuts anyhow, and i'd rather you would save them for your mother." "do you know where my mother is?" asked umboo eagerly. "i am sorry to say i do not," was the reply. "i have been wandering about the jungle myself, looking for a rhinoceros friend of mine, but i haven't found him." "did you see a herd of elephants?" asked umboo eagerly. "no, i didn't exactly see them," answered mr. rhino, "but about two showers ago i heard a big noise in the jungle back of me, and perhaps that was the elephant herd." mr. rhino said "two showers ago," instead of "two hours," you see, because the jungle animals have no clocks or watches, and they tell time by the sun, or by the number of rain-showers in a day. and umboo knew that very well, so he knew about how long ago it was that the rhinoceros had heard the loud sounds of which he spoke. "oh, so you heard the elephants, did you?" exclaimed umboo. "i am glad of that. now i'll hurry off and find them. thank you for telling me." "oh, that's all right," politely answered the rhinoceros. "i hope you find your mother and other friends. good-bye!" he wiggled his horn at umboo, who waved his trunk with the palm tree branch in it, and once more, off through the jungle started the elephant boy. on and on he went. but either he did not go the right way, or two showers ago was longer than either he or the rhinoceros thought, for umboo did not even smell the other elephants, much less see them or hear them. "oh, dear!" thought umboo again. "i'm surely lost as bad as before! what shall i do?" he stood and looked about him in the dripping wet jungle. he felt hungry, but he did not like to eat the palm nuts he was saving for his mother, so he chewed some leaves from a tree, and nibbled a bit of bark. but neither was as good as the palm nuts would have been. then, as umboo stood there, he suddenly heard a loud, hissing noise. it seemed to come from right under his feet, and, looking down, he saw a large snake. now all jungle animals are afraid of snakes for the serpents can bite and poison at the same time. so though a snake may not be very strong, he can kill by poison some of the strongest beasts. thus it was that umboo, who would have fought even a tiger, was afraid of the snake. "ah, ha! you would nip me, would you?" cried the elephant, as he raised his big foot to crush the snake before it had a chance to bite and poison him. chapter viii umboo finds his mother "did the snake bite you?" asked chako, the funny monkey chap, who was hanging by his tail, upside down, listening to the story told by umboo. "did the snake bite you?" "oh, can't you keep quiet?" asked woo-uff, the lion, in his deep, rumbly voice. "let umboo alone! he'll tell us what happened." "oh, i beg your pardon," said chako. "i was so anxious that i could hardly wait to hear. we monkeys are very much afraid of snakes, you know." "so i have heard," said woo-uff. "please go on, umboo." so umboo told the rest of his story. in the jungle he stood, with one foot raised, ready to crush the big snake. "please do not step on me!" hissed the snake, for that was his way of talking. "please do not put your big foot on me, elephant boy!" "but i am afraid you will bite me," said umboo. "no, i'll not do that," answered the snake. "i do sometimes bite, when i am hungry, but i am not hungry now. besides, you are quite too big to bite." "oh, ho, if you feel that way about it, all right," said umboo, and he put his foot down, but not on the snake. "there are much larger elephants though, than i am. i wish i could see some of them now. tell me," he asked the hissing serpent, "did you see anything of the elephant herd on your travels through the jungle?" "no, not exactly," the snake made answer. "but, as you were kind enough not to step on me, i will do you a favor. i will show you the way through the jungle to where the other elephants are. "can you do it?" asked umboo. "surely," replied the snake. "we serpents are the wisest of all creatures, not even excepting you big elephants. for we have to stay so low down on the ground that we would easily be stepped on and killed by other beasts, if we were not wise enough to keep out of the way. so, though i have not seen your mother, or the elephant herd, i can find them for you." "how did you know i was looking for my mother?" asked umboo. "i did not tell you that." "no, but you told the rhinoceros," said the snake. "ha! then you must have very good ears, mrs. snake, to have heard that, for it was a long way from here," said umboo. "you must have very good ears indeed, though they are not as large as mine. in fact i can not see them at all." "never mind about my ears," said the snake. "i told you we serpents were very wise. we know many things. and now, if you please, follow me and i will show you the way through the jungle to where your mother is, and the rest of the herd. but as i have to crawl along on the ground, please be careful not to step on me. we snakes do not like to be stepped on." "i'll be careful," promised umboo. then the snake glided, or crawled, along through the jungle, and umboo, watching which way she went, followed, carrying in his trunk the branch of palm nuts for his mother. on and on went the snake, now and then stopping to coil and raise her head above the ground so she might listen. the water drops glistened on her shiny scales, and she was very beautiful in color, though she was so dangerous and deadly. "what are you stopping for?" asked umboo at one time. "i am trying to listen to hear the tramp of the herd of elephants," the snake answered. "do not make any noise." so umboo stood still, and was very quiet, but he could hear nothing. however, the snake must have heard, for she uncoiled herself and started off another way, saying: "follow me, umboo." "how did you know my name was umboo?" asked the elephant boy. "i did not tell you that." "we serpents are wise, and know many things," was the answer, and umboo began to believe that. "it is a good thing i met her," he said to himself, as he followed the glistening snake through the jungle. "i am glad i did not step on her as i was first going to do." on and on through the jungle went umboo, following the guiding snake, whose glistening scales and bright colors he could easily see amid the green leaves and bushes. at last the snake came to a stop and once more coiled and reared up her head. "make no noise, big elephant boy!" she hissed. umboo stood still and was very quiet. "ha! i thought so!" said the snake. "go over that way," and she pointed with her head. "walk about a mile, straight along, and you will come to your mother and the herd of elephants." "how do you know?" asked umboo. "because i can hear them," answered the snake. "i can hear the tramping of their big feet. i can hear them trumpeting through their long noses of trunks, and i can hear them tearing down the tree branches and stripping off the bark. that is how i know. "i would go closer, and take you nearer to them, but some of them might step on me, without finding out first, that i would do them no harm. but you can easily find your way from here. keep straight on," said the snake. "thank you, i will," answered umboo. "i would give you some of these palm nuts, only i am saving them for my mother." "thank you," said the snake. "but i do not eat palm nuts. take them on to your mother, elephant boy." then the snake glided away through the jungle, and, watching the end of her tail vanish under a bush, umboo started off by himself. he had not heard the sounds spoken of by the serpent, but he knew the noises were such as a herd of elephants would make. "she must have good ears, to hear what she heard," thought the elephant boy. "and yet her ears were not as large as mine." so, flapping his own big ears, and wishing he could hear with them as well as the snake could with her small ones, umboo stalked on through the jungle in the way she had told him to go. it was not very long before he heard a crashing sound. then he lifted his trunk, still holding the palm branch, and he sniffed and snuffed. and then, to the long, rubbery nose of the elephant boy, came the wild smell of other jungle animals. "ah! now i smell the herd!" he cried. "now i am not lost any more! hurray!" of course when an elephant says "hurray" it is different than the way you boys and girls say it. but it means the same thing. on hurried umboo. the crashing noises sounded more plainly now, and the elephant smell became stronger. then, as he burst his way through the bushes, umboo saw the other elephants standing together in a little clearing in the jungle, and umboo's mother seemed to be talking to them. "ha!" suddenly cried keedah, the larger elephant boy, as he saw the lost one. "here he comes now! here is umboo!" mrs. stumptail swung around and started toward him. "where in the world have you been?" she asked. "why, umboo! i have been so worried about you, and so has your father! we were just going out into the jungle to look for you." "that's what we were," said tusker. "and hard work it would have been with night coming on. we want to travel to a new place, too, and looking for you would have held us back. what do you mean by going off by yourself this way?" "i went to see if i could knock over a big palm tree when the ground was soft from rain," said umboo. "and did you do it?" asked mr. stumptail. "i did," answered umboo. "i knocked over a big tree. it was easy, and here is a branch of it for you, and it has some nuts on," and he handed his mother the one he had brought with him all the way through the jungle. "oh, thank you!" said mrs. stumptail. "you are a very good boy, umboo, and i shall like these nuts very much. but why did you stay away so long?" "i was lost," answered the elephant chap. "i could not find my way back after i knocked over the tree. i met a rhinoceros, but he could not tell me where you were. then i met a kind snake, and she showed me how to find you." "well, don't get lost again," said umboo's mother. "we are glad you have come back, for, as tusker says, we are about to travel on, and we did not want to leave you behind. so get ready now, we are going to a new part of the jungle." a little later the herd started off, and umboo walked with some of the other young elephants, or calves, as they are called. he told them the different things that happened to him when he was lost in the jungle. on and on went the herd of elephants. they traveled nearly all night, and the next day they stopped to rest, for the sun was too hot for even such big, strong beasts. umboo and the others were feeding in a quiet part of the forest, when suddenly tusker, who was always on the watch, no matter whether he was eating or not, gave a loud trumpet call. "ha! that means danger!" thought umboo, who, by this time knew the meaning of the different calls. "i wonder what it can be?" chapter ix to the salt spring quickly, as the other elephants in the jungle heard the trumpet call of tusker, they ran in from the different trees, where they were pulling off leaves or stripping bark, and gathered around the big leader. tusker stood with upraised trunk, his eyes flashing in the sun. "what is it?" asked mr. stumptail, and some of the others. "what is the matter now?" "i smell danger," cried tusker. "i smell the man-smell, and that always means danger to us. there are hunters coming--either black or white--and they will have guns or bows and arrows to shoot us. we are near danger and we must go far away. come, elephants--away!" tusker raised his trunk again, and took a long breath through it. he was smelling to see in which direction the danger of the man-smell lay, and he would turn aside from that. "the smell comes from the south," he said to the other elephants. "we must march to the north! come!" so he led the way through the jungle, umboo and the other elephants following. as yet only a few of the others had smelled the danger-smell, and none of them heard any noise made by the hunters, if they were coming to shoot their guns or bows and arrows. but they all knew that tusker was a wise elephant, and would lead them out of trouble. so they followed him. on and on through the jungle crashed the big animals. they did not stop when trees and bushes got in their way, but broke them down, and stepped on them. a rush of elephants through the jungle to get away from danger is almost as hard to stop as a runaway locomotive and train of cars. "can you keep up with us?" asked umboo's mother of him as he trotted along beside her. "are we going too fast for you?" "oh, no. i can go quite fast now," said the elephant boy, and he really could, for he had grown much in the last few months. plenty of palm nuts and the bark and leaves of the jungle trees had made him taller and stronger, and his legs were better fitted for running. still tusker was a wise old elephant, and he knew, even in running from danger, that it was not well to go so fast that the smaller animals in the herd could not keep up. if he did that they would fall behind, and be caught or killed. so, every now and then the old elephant leader stopped a bit, and looked back. if he saw any of the boys or girls lagging, or going slow, he would stop for them to rest a little. still, even with rests now and then, the herd went on very fast, crashing through the jungle, to get away from the danger. at last tusker stopped, and said: "well, i think we have come far enough. we are beyond the reach of the hunters now. we can stop and eat and sleep in peace." so the elephants stopped. you see, now, why it was they had no regular homes. they have to move so often, either to go to new places in the jungle to find food, or to run from danger, so that a cave, such as lions or tigers have, or a nest, such as birds live in, would be of no use to elephants. they must live in the open, ready to hurry on for many miles at a moment's notice. tusker, and some of the older and wiser beasts, listened as well as they could, flapping their big ears slowly to and fro. they also smelled the air with their trunks. and, as there was no sign of danger, they felt that it would be safe to take a long rest. they were hungry; for running, or exercise, gives elephants appetites just as it does you boys and girls. and some of the smaller elephants were sleepy. for, though they do not lie down to rest, elephants must sleep, as do other beasts, although they do it standing up. that night the herd remained quietly in the new spot in the jungle whither tusker had led them. some of them ate and some of them slept, and when morning came they went to a river of water; and each one took a long drink. some of them swam about, and it was now that umboo and the young elephants had some fun. for you know that jungle beasts--even the largest of them--like to play and have fun. you have seen kittens at play, and puppy dogs; and little lions and tigers, as well as the smaller elephants, like to do the same thing--have fun. umboo was standing on the bank of the river, having just been in for a swim, when batu, another elephant boy, came up to him. "do you want to have some fun?" asked batu. "yes," answered umboo. "what doing?" "do you see keedah over there, scraping his toe nails on a big stone?" asked batu, for sometimes the toe nails of elephants grow too long and too rough, and have to be worn down. keedah was doing this to his. "yes, i see him," answered umboo. "what about him?" "this," answered batu, with a chuckling laugh that made him shake all over, for he was quite fat. "we will go up to him, as he stands with his back to the water, and while i am talking to him, and asking if his toe nails hurt, you can give him a push and knock him into the river." "oh, yes, we'll do that. it will be fun!" laughed umboo. for he knew that it would not hurt keedah to splash into the water, and the elephant boys and girls used often to play that trick on one another, just as you children, perhaps, do at the seashore. so up to the elephant boy, who was scraping his toe nails on a stone, slyly went umboo and batu. and batu said: "ah, keedah! do your toes hurt you very much?" "oh, no, not so very much," was the answer. "i am getting to be a big elephant now, and i do not mind a little hurt." "ha! then maybe you won't mind this!" suddenly cried umboo with a laugh, as he quietly went up close to keedah, and, butting him with his head, as a goat butts, knocked him down the bank into the river. "oh! ugh! blurg! splub!" cried keedah, as he splattered about in the water. "what are you doing that for?" "oh, just to have some fun," answered umboo and batu, laughing as they ran off. "well, i'll show you some more fun!" cried keedah, as he scrambled up the river bank, and ran after the other two elephant boys, his trunk raised high in the air. umboo and batu ran as fast as they could, of course, and keedah raced after them. finally he caught them, and struck them with his trunk. but it was all in fun, and no one minded it. then, a little later, when umboo was standing near the river, keedah came up behind him and knocked him into the water. "now we are even!" laughed keedah as he ran away. "i don't mind!" said umboo. "i was going in for another swim, anyhow. i like to be wet." so he splashed about in the water and had fun, as did the other elephant boys and girls, and the larger elephants watched them, and let the water soak into their own tough hides. for about a week the herd of elephants stayed near the jungle river. it was a good place for them. many palm trees grew about, and there were plenty of other things to eat. there was water to drink and bathe in, and shade to rest in when the sun beat down too hot on the jungle. so the elephants liked it there. but one day when umboo and batu were thinking up another fun-trick to play on keedah, suddenly the trumpet call of tusker was heard again. "more danger!" exclaimed umboo. "i wonder what it is this time?" "let us go ask," suggested batu. "the others are getting ready to leave. they are closing in. perhaps we have to run away again." and that is just what the elephants had to do. "it is the hunters once more!" cried tusker. "i smell the man-smell! the danger-smell comes down to me on the wind. we must hurry on. once more the hunters are after us!" and he trumpeted loudly on his trunk, to call in from the farthest parts of the forest the elephants who might have wandered away for food. soon the herd was on the march again. swiftly they went through the jungle, breaking down small trees and big bushes. they stopped not for thorns, nor anything else in the path. on and on they went, crashing along--anywhere to get away from the hunters with their guns and arrows. "are these the same hunters from whom we ran before?" asked umboo of his mother, as he trotted along beside her. "i do not know," she answered. "it may be that they are." for many miles tusker led his elephant friends through the jungle. then suddenly he stopped and gave a loud trumpet call. "does that mean it is all right, and that we can stop to rest?" asked umboo. "i do not think so," said mr. stumptail. "that still is tusker's danger call. perhaps there are hunters ahead of us, as well as behind." tusker stopped, and around him gathered the other elephants. "what is the matter?" asked umboo. "see, boy," answered the old elephant. "there is a fence of big trees ahead. we can not get through that. it is right across our path," and with his trunk he pointed to where there was, indeed, a high fence made of trees, cut down and set closely in the earth and so strong that even the biggest elephant would have had hard work to knock them down. "well, if we can't go that way we can go another," said tusker. so he turned about, and walked off another way, the other elephants following him. "who put the fence there, mother?" asked umboo. "i do not know," answered mrs. stumptail. "perhaps the hunters did, so we could not get into their gardens and eat the corn and other things that grow there. very good things grow in the gardens which the white and black men plant, and, more than once in the night, i have broken in and eaten them. but it is dangerous, and tusker does not want to lead us into danger. we will keep away from the fence." now, though the elephants did not know it, this fence was not built to keep elephants out of a garden. there were no gardens in that part of the jungle. the fence was put up by hunters on purpose to turn the elephants back, and soon you shall hear why this was done. "are we in danger now?" asked umboo of his father as they hurried along, close beside tusker. "no, i think we are all right now," said the oldest, wisest and largest elephant of the herd. "i am going to lead you to the salt springs, where we can taste the salt of the earth. one way is as good as another, and if the fence stops us on one path we will go a new way. we are going to the salt springs." every year the herds of elephants in india come down to eat salt, for they need it to keep them well, as horses and cows do on the farm. and the elephant hunters know this too, and so they get ready to capture the wild elephants when they come down each season to get the salt. the herd was not going so fast now. tusker felt that they were well away from the hunters, and, though seeing the fence at first scared him a little, he now thought everything was all right. "we will have good times when we get to the salt springs," said tusker to the other elephants. "there we can rest, and the hunters will not shoot us." "yes, i am hungry for some salt," said mrs. stumptail, for she had been to the springs before, and so had many of the older animals. along marched tusker at the head of the herd, and after him came the others. they, too, were hungry for salt, and umboo was quite anxious to taste some, for he had had very little, as yet. but he liked it very much, and was anxious for more. but an hour or so later, when traveling along toward where the salt springs bubbled up in the jungle, tusker suddenly stopped again. once more he gave the danger signal through his trunk. "what is the matter now?" asked mr. stumptail. "more trouble?" "another fence!" cried the old elephant. "the jungle is full of strong fences! we can not go this way, either!" "what can we do?" asked umboo. "there is a fence behind us, and now one in front of us. what can we do?" "let me think a minute," said tusker. "i fear there is danger on both sides of us." chapter x in a trap all the other elephants waited while tusker stood there, swaying to and fro in the jungle thinking. some people say animals do not think, but i believe they do. at least it is thinking to them, though it may not seem so to us. "well, are we going to stay here all day?" asked a young elephant, who was crowded in among the others at the back of the herd. "i want to get to some place where i can have palm nuts to eat. i am hungry. let's go on!" "be quiet!" called umboo's father to this elephant. "don't you see that tusker is trying to think, and find the best way out of danger for us. wait a bit." so the elephants waited, and finally tusker with a shake of his big ears, said: "i never knew anything like this before. always when we have come to the salt springs the way has been clear. there have been no man-made fences to stop us. but, since they are here it must be that it is not meant for us to go where the fences are. very well. i know how to get to the salt springs without going near these things across our paths. we can go straight ahead, between the two fences!" and that was just what the hunters, who had put up the fences in the jungle wanted. they wanted the elephants to go along between them, for, at the places where the fences came to an end, was a strong stockade, or trap, to catch the wild elephants. umboo, and none of the other elephants knew this at the time, but they learned it later, to their sorrow, some of them. when hunters in the indian jungle wish to capture a lot of wild elephants, to work for them, or to be turned into trick elephants for the circus, the hunters do this. first they find the place where, each year, the wild elephants come down from the hills, or out of the jungle, to taste the salt. for, as i told you, elephants must have salt once in a while, just as horses, cows and sheep on the farm need it. the elephants will travel a long way, and brave many dangers, to get salt. knowing this the hunters build long fences on each side of the road leading down from the hills to the salt spring. when the elephants crash their way through the jungle, on their way to the salt, they come to one of the fences. this turns them aside, and they go along until they come to another. then, just as did tusker, and his friend umboo and the other elephants, being between two strong fences, there is only one other thing to do. they can go between them toward the salt spring, or away from it. but, as they want salt very much, the big animals tramp along the two miles of fence toward the salty place, and, knowing the elephants will do this, the hunters are ready for them. now i shall tell you what happened. for a few minutes longer tusker stood swaying in the jungle. he was trying to think what was the best thing for him to do, for he was the leader of the herd, and they would all do as he did, just as a flock of sheep will follow the old ram, even on the dangerous railroad track sometimes. "come!" trumpeted tusker through his trunk, "we will go between the two fences to the salt springs." "is the salt good, mother?" asked umboo, for he had only had a little in his life, and as i told you, hardly remembered it. "very good, indeed," said mrs. stumptail. "you shall soon see and taste for yourself." so along through the jungle, half way between the two lines of fence, went the elephants, little and big. they had not gone very far before, all of a sudden, tusker stopped and raised his trunk in the air. "be careful!" he cried. "i smell danger! i smell the man smell! oh, elephants, i fear something is going to happen." and something did happen. from behind the herd of elephants, and from both sides of them, came a terrible noise. it was as though a hundred thunderbolts had been shot off at once, and a terrible clapping sound was heard, as if the wings of great birds were flapping. these noises were made by hunters up in the trees on each side of, and behind, the elephants. the hunters fired their guns, making the noise like small thunder bolts and other black men banged pieces of dry wood together, making the clapping sound. the elephants were very much frightened. never before had they heard anything like this. "oh, what is it?" cried umboo, keeping close to his mother. "what is it all about. does the salt spring make that noise?" "no, it isn't that," said mrs. stumptail. "that must be the danger of which tusker spoke. be quiet and listen to what he is saying." the old elephant leader had to trumpet through his trunk as loudly as he could to be heard above the noise of the guns and clappers. "there is danger, o elephants!" cried tusker. "the man-smell is all around us, and the terrible noises are behind, and on both sides of us. there is only one place that is quiet, and that is straight ahead. we must go that way! forward!" and straight ahead rushed the elephants, toward the place where there was no noise. as they went on mr. stumptail looked to either side and saw where the two lines of fence came together into a place like a big ring, and the ring also had a fence around it. "look, tusker!" cried umboo's father. "is it all right to go there where the fence is?" "it is the only place to go to get away from the hunters," said tusker. "they are behind us and on both sides. only ahead of us is there none. we must go that way!" and this is just what the hunters wanted. they made no noise in front of the elephants on purpose so they would rush that way. for, in that direction, was the strongly fenced-in stockade, or trap, with long barriers on each side leading to it. to the elephants, who were frightened by the shooting and clapping noises behind, and on both sides of them, the silence in front of them seemed just what they wanted. toward it they ran, not knowing that the trap was waiting for them. into it they rushed, the noise behind them sounding louder and louder now, with more guns shooting and more clappers clapping. into the quiet of the stockade rushed tusker, mr. and mrs. stumptail, umboo, keedah and all the others. and then, when they were safely in the trap, a great big door of logs, as strong as the fence of trees of which the stockade was built, fell with a bang behind them, shutting the elephants in. then the shooting and clapping stopped. for a moment it was quiet in the jungle, the only sound being the wind blowing in the trees, or the rubbing of the rough-skinned elephants' bodies, one against the other, making a queer, shuffling noise. the big animals crowded together in the middle of the stockade trap, and waited for what would happen next. "is this the salt spring, mother?" asked umboo. "no," she sadly answered. "it is not. this is dreadful!" "what has happened?" asked umboo. "and why do tusker and the other big elephants look so scared?" "because we are caught in a trap," answered the boy elephant's mother. "i have heard tell of these places, but i was never in one before." "can't we get out?" umboo wanted to know. "tusker will try, and so will your father," said mrs. stumptail. "all the strong elephants will try to break out. perhaps it will be all right yet. listen, tusker is going to speak." tusker, the big bull, raised his trunk and said: "o, elephants! i am sorry, but i seem to have led you into a trap. i did not know it was here. i tried to lead you away from the man-smell and away from the danger, but i have led you into worse. now i will try to get you out. i see what has happened. the hunters made their fences in the jungle so we could only come this way--this way into the trap. but we shall break out! "come over here by me, mr. stumptail, and you too, mr. one tusk, and you also, bumper head. come, we will rush at the fence of this trap and batter it down. in that way we can get out. we shall fool these hunters yet. come, we will batter down the fence and once more we will be in our jungle!" "yes, we will knock down the fence!" cried the other big elephants through their trunks. and they made such a rumble, and struck the ground so heavily with their great feet, that the earth trembled. chapter xi umboo goes to school "what is going to happen now?" asked umboo the big elephant boy of his mother, as the great creatures stood huddled together in the middle of the stockade, or trap. "what is going to happen now?" "wait and see," advised mrs. stumptail, and she was much worried. i have called umboo a "big" elephant boy, for he was small no longer. he had grown fast since i began telling you about him as a baby drinking milk, and now, though of course he was not as large as his mother or father, nor as strong as tusker, i must not call him "little" any more. "come, elephant brothers!" cried tusker. "we will break down the trap fence, and then we shall be free to go out into our jungle again." but it was not so easy to do this as it was to say it. the men who had built the fences and trap well know that the elephants would try to get out, and the stockade had been made very strong. besides this there had been dug, inside the trap, and close to where the heavy tree-stakes had been driven into the ground, a ditch, or trench. there was no water in this ditch but on account of the trench the elephants could not get near enough the inside of the fence to strike it with their heads. if they had done so they would have gotten their front feet into the dug-out place, and, perhaps, would have fallen over and hurt themselves. so when tusker and the others hoped to knock the fence down by hitting, or butting, it with their heads, they found they could not, as the ditch stopped them. they could only just reach the fence by stretching out their trunks; they could not bang it with their big heads as they wanted to. "can't we ever get out of the trap?" asked umboo of his mother when tusker and the others had found they could not knock down the stockade fence. "can't we ever get out?" "and did you ever get out?" eagerly asked snarlie, the tiger, who, with the other circus animals, listened to umboo's story. "did you ever get out of the trap, umboo?" "tell us about that part!" begged woo-uff, the lion. "once i was caught in a trap, but it was made of a net, with ropes of bark. it was then that gur, the kind boy, gave me a drink of water." "and i was in a trap also," spoke snarlie, the striped tiger. "i fell into a deep pit. it was almost like your trap, umboo, except that the sides were of dirt, and the pit was very deep. i could not jump out. but after a while i did not mind being caught, for i was taken care of by princess toto." "let us hear how umboo got out of the trap," said chako, the monkey. "how do you know he got out?" asked humpo, the camel. "isn't he here with us now?" asked chako, who was a very smart monkey. "and if he hadn't got out of the trap he wouldn't be here. anybody knows that!" "oh, yes; that's so," said humpo, who did not think much, being quite content to eat hay, and let others do most of the talking. "but, all the same," went on the humpy creature, "i should like to hear how umboo did get out of the trap." "i'll tell you," said the elephant boy, and he went on with his story. when the big elephants found, because of the ditch, that they could not get near enough the stockade fence to knock it down with their big heads, they became very wild. they raised their trunks and made loud trumpet sounds through them. they beat the earth with their feet until the ground trembled, and some of them rushed at the gate, which had fallen shut behind them, as they hurried into the trap to get away from the noise. but the gate, which had no ditch in front of it, was the strongest part of the trap, and the elephants could not batter it down, try as they did. tusker and the others banged into it, but the gate held firmly. "well, if we can't get out, what are we going to do?" asked umboo of his mother. "we shall have to stay here until the hunter-men come, i suppose," answered mrs. stumptail. "will they shoot us?" asked umboo. "i hope not," his mother said. but umboo need not have been afraid of that. elephants in india are worth too much to shoot. they can be sold to circuses and park menageries. but, better than this, the elephants in india do much work. they pull great wagons, that many horses could not move, and they work in lumber yards, piling up the big, heavy logs of teakwood, from which those queer, chinese carved tables and chairs are made, and which wood is also used in ships. the indians teach the elephants how to pile up big logs very carefully, and so straight that a big pile may be made without one falling off. besides this the rich men of india, the princes, own many elephants, which they ride on in little houses, called howdahs which are strapped to the backs of the big animals. but before the wild elephants can be used thus they must go to school, to learn to be gentle, and to do as their drivers, or mahouts, tell them to do. and so umboo went to school and i shall tell you about that. of course it was not such a school as you boys go to, and the big elephant boy did not have to learn to read and write. but he had to learn the meaning of indian words, so that when he heard them he would know which meant go to the right or which to the left, and which meant to stand still, to kneel down or to go forward. but i am getting a little ahead of my story. umboo was still in the stockade trap with the other elephants. and there they were kept two or three days, without anything to eat or anything to drink. fast they were kept in the stockade, where they could not get out, and as the days passed, and they felt very badly at not having anything to eat, or anything to drink, the elephants grew more quiet. no longer did they rush at the fence, and fall into the ditch. they huddled together in the middle part, and rubbed their trunks against one another, as men, in trouble, might shake hands. "oh, will we ever get out of this, and have sweet bark and palm nuts to eat again?" asked umboo. "it was almost better to be lost in the jungle, as i was, than it is to be here, for then i had enough to eat. but of course i was lonesome without you," he said to his mother. "but i am hungry now." "perhaps they will let us out, or feed us soon," she said. and, a little while after this, a noise was heard at the strong gate of the trap. it was slowly opened, but the elephants that were caught did not rush out. they feared more danger. and then, to the surprise of umboo and the others, in through the gate came great big elephants, and on the tops of their heads sat men, dressed in black clothing. and the men had strong ropes in their hands. as soon as tusker saw these men, and smelled them, he cried through his trunk: "ho, brothers! here is danger indeed! i smell the man-smell, even though it comes with other elephants like ourselves. we must get away from the danger!" tusker rushed at the gate, but before he could reach it two of the new elephants, who were tame, hurried toward him. the men on their heads threw the big ropes about tusker, and he was pulled by the two elephants over toward a tree in the stockade, where he was made fast. tusker tried, with all his strength to break the ropes, but they only slipped easily around the tree, from which the bark had been taken to make it smooth and slippery for this very purpose. "be quiet, big, wild elephant," said one of the tame ones with a man on his head. "be quiet and tell your friends to be quiet also. no one will hurt them. they will have food to eat, and sweet water to drink, if they are quiet." tusker heard this, and so did some of the other wild elephants. they were hungry and thirsty. "will you give us water to drink?" asked tusker, for his trunk and mouth were very dry. "you shall have water enough to swim in," answered one of the keonkies, or tame elephants. "and may we eat?" "you shall have all the palm nuts you want. that is if you are quiet." "then," said tusker to umboo, and the other wild elephants, "we may as well take it easy and be quiet. raging about will do us no good, and we must eat and drink." so most of the wild elephants became quiet. some of them still tore around, trumpeting, but the big tame elephants pulled them with ropes to the trees where they were made fast. mrs. stumptail, and the other mother elephants, soon calmed down, and the boys and girls, like umboo and keedah, did as their mothers did. in a short time the wild elephants were all either tied fast to trees, or were led away between two of the tame ones. umboo was taken away from his mother. "oh, where am i going?" he cried to the tame elephants, one on either side of him. "i want to stay with you, mother! where are you taking me?" "do not make such a fuss, elephant boy," spoke one of the tame ones. "you will come to no harm, and you will see your mother again. you are going to go to school. you are young, and you will learn much more easily than some of the big elephants. also you will have good things to eat and water to drink. be nice now, and come with us." umboo had to go along whether he wanted to or not, for the big, tame elephants would pull him by the ropes. they led him to a sort of stable, and there he found some green fodder, some palm nuts and a tub of water. and umboo drank the water first, for he was very thirsty. then he ate and he felt better, though he wondered what had become of his mother. but he did not wonder long, for elephants, and other animals, are not like boys and girls. they grow up more quickly, and get ready to go about for themselves, getting their own food, and living their own lives. and umboo was big enough, now, to get along without his mother. "were you once living in the jungle, as i was?" asked umboo of chang, which was the name of one of the tame elephants. "surely," answered chang, "i was as wild as tusker, your big herd-leader. but when i was caught in the trap, as you were, and sent to school, i found the life here was much easier than in the jungle. it is true i have to do as the mahouts tell me, but they treat me kindly, they feed me and i never have to go thirsty, and when my toe nails get too long they smooth them down for me with a rough brick. also they scrub my skin to keep away the biting bugs. you will like it here, umboo, and soon you will go to school and learn how to pile the teakwood logs." "and will i ride men on my head?" asked umboo. "yes, you will learn to do that, and many things more," said chang. but even he did not know all the wonderful things that were to happen to umboo, nor how he was to go in the circus. chapter xii umboo is sold umboo, the big elephant boy, did not at once begin to learn the teakwood log-piling lesson. just as in school you do not learn to read the first day, so it was with umboo. he had to be trained by his keeper and the keonkies, or tame elephants. and, after the first feeling of being sorry at having been taken away from his mother, umboo grew to like the new life. his mother was sent to another big stable, farther away, though umboo saw her once in a while. with him, however, were many of the wild elephants he had known when the herd was in the jungle. keedah was one of these elephants. "i don't like it here at all!" snarled keedah, when he had been led up beside umboo, a few days after they had all been caught in the trap. "i don't like it, and i'm not going to stay!" "what are you going to do?" asked umboo. "i am going to run away," said the elephant boy, whom umboo had once, in fun, knocked into the river. "i am going to run away, and go out in the jungle." "oh, no. i wouldn't do that if i were you," quietly said one of the tame elephants, coming up behind keedah just then, and the half-wild elephant was so surprised that he nearly dropped a wisp of hay he was eating. "if you ran away we should have to run into the jungle after you," went on the tame elephant. "and when we brought you back you would not have a nice time. it is better to do as you are told, and to learn to do what the black and white men tell you. for then you will be kindly treated, and have plenty to eat. and the work you will learn to do, after you go to school, as you and umboo will go, will not be hard. take my advice and stay where you are." "well, i guess i'll have to," said keedah, with a funny look at umboo. "i didn't know he heard me," he whispered, as if the tame elephant were a teacher in school, which, in a way, he was. and then began long days and months of lessons for umboo and the other wild elephants. they were not wild any longer, for the first thing they learned was that the tame elephants would help them, and next that the white and black men would be kind to them and feed them. so the jungle elephants, who used to roam about with tusker for their leader, lost most of their wildness, quieted down, and were sent to different places in india to work in the lumber yards, or to carry princes on their backs. umboo and his mother had to say good-bye, but they hoped to meet again, and though for a time umboo felt sad, he soon forgot it as he had many things to learn. one of the first was to let a man come near him to pat his trunk, and to feed him. in the beginning umboo was very much afraid, because he smelled the man-smell, which tusker had so often said meant danger. but umboo grew to know that not all men were dangerous. for, though some might be hunters, with guns and sharp arrows, those who had caught the wild elephants were kind to the big animals. "i wonder why i am afraid of the man?" thought umboo. "he is much smaller than i am. his head hardly comes up to my tusks, and some of the tame elephants are even larger than i. why are we so afraid of the men as to do just as they tell us?" of course umboo did not know, but it is because man, who is also an animal, is put in charge of all the beasts of the jungle, the woods and fields. animals are given to help man, and to feed him. and as a man has more brains--that is he is smarter than animals--he rules over them. thus it is that even great elephants, and savage lions and tigers, as well as horses, know that man is their master, and must do as he wants them to. so, though he could see that he was larger than a man, umboo did not think much farther than this, and so he never made up his mind that, if he wanted to, he could run away, and that no one man could hold him. but perhaps it was just as well as it was, and that the elephant remained gentle and did as he was told, not trying to use his great strength against his friends. one of the first things umboo learned was to walk along, when he was told to do so in the indian language. at first umboo did not know what this word meant. but his keeper gently pricked him with a sharp hook, called an "ankus," and to get away from the prick, which was like the bite of a big fly, umboo stepped out and walked away. "ha! that is what i wanted you to do, little one," said the indian, speaking to umboo as he might to a child. and indeed the indian mahouts consider their elephants almost like children. when umboo had learned that a certain word meant that he was to walk along, he was taught two others, one of which meant to go to the left, and the other to go to the right. then, in a few weeks, he learned a fourth word, which meant to stand still, and then a fifth one, which meant to kneel down. and though, at first, the elephant boy did not like doing the things he was told to do, as well as he had liked playing about in the jungle, he soon grew to see that his life was easier than it had been with tusker and the others. he never had to hunt for food, as it was brought to him by the keepers. nor was he ever thirsty. and, best of all, he never had to drop what he was eating and run away, crashing through the jungle, because tusker, or some other elephant had trumpeted the call of: "danger! i smell the man-smell!" umboo was used to the man-smell now, and knew that no harm would come to him. he knew the men were his friends. and so he who had once been a wild baby elephant, grew to be a tame, big strong beast, who could carry heavy teakwood logs on his tusks, and pile them in great heaps near the river, where they were loaded upon great ships. umboo did not know the boats were ships, but they were, and soon he was to have a ride in one. but i have not reached that part of his story yet. sometimes, instead of being made to pile the logs in the lumber yard, umboo would be taken into the forest, where the indians cut the trees down. the forest was something like the jungle where the boy elephant had once lived with tusker and the others, and where he had played, and once been lost. in the forest were great trees of teakwood and these the elephant workers had to drag out so they could be loaded upon carts, with great wooden wheels, and brought to the river. one day umboo and keedah were taken together to the teak forest. "now is our chance, umboo," said the other elephant after a while as they went farther and farther into the woods. "now is our chance!" "our chance for what?" asked umboo, speaking in elephant talk, of course, and which the indian keepers did not always understand. "this is our chance to run away and go back to the jungle," went on keedah. "when the men are not looking, after we have hauled out a few big logs, we will go away and hide. at night we can run off to the jungle." "no," said umboo, shaking his trunk, "i am not going to do it. if we run away they will find us and bring us back. besides, i like it in the lumber yard. it is fun to pile up the big logs, and lay them straight." "pooh! i don't think so," said keedah, who had not given up all his wild ways. "i am going to run!" and so, watching his chance, when the indian men were not looking, keedah sneaked off into the dark part of the woods. in a little while he was missed, and the keepers, with shouts, started after him. they tied umboo to a tree with chains, leaving him there while they went to hunt keedah. "they need not have chained me," thought umboo. "i would not run away. i like my men friends too much, for they are good to me." the keepers got other elephants and hunted keedah in the forest. for three days they searched for him, and at last they found him and brought him back. for keedah had forgotten some of his wildness, and did not know so well how to keep away from the men who were after him, as he had known when he lived in the herd, with tusker to lead the way. so keedah, tired and dirty, and hungry too, it must be said--for he had not found good things to eat in the woods--keedah was brought back. and he was kept chained up for a week, and given only water and not much food. this was to tame him down, and make him learn that it did not pay to run off when he was taken to the teakwood forest. "i wish i had done as you did, and stayed," said keedah sorrowfully to umboo. "i am not going to run away any more." so umboo and the other wild elephants who were caught at the same time as he was, stayed around the lumber camp, and did work for their white and black masters. sometimes a few of the elephants were sold, and taken away by indian princes, to live in stables near the palaces, to have gold and silver cloths fastened on their backs, and then the howdahs, in which rode the rich indians, would be strapped on. sometimes other wild elephants were brought in, having been caught as umboo had been. and once umboo helped to tame one of these little wild ones, telling him to be nice, as he would be kindly treated and have food and water. and one day new adventures came to umboo. by this time he was a big, strong elephant, nearly fully grown, for it was now many years since he had been a baby in the jungle. and one day, as he was standing near a pile of lumber, that he had helped to build, one of the white men, whom he knew, and who had been kind to umboo, took a handkerchief from his white, linen coat pocket, and wiped his face, for the day was hot. then a little spirit of mischief seemed to enter umboo. and this little spirit, or fairy, seemed to whisper: "take his handkerchief out of his pocket with your trunk, umboo, and make believe wipe your own face with it. that will be a funny little trick, and will make the men laugh, and maybe they will give you some soft, brown sugar." this the elephants like very much. umboo saw the edge of the handkerchief sticking out of the man's pocket. very softly the elephant reached put his trunk and took it. then umboo flourished the piece of white linen in the air, as the man had done, and pretended to use it, though umboo's face was much larger than the man's, and really needed no handkerchief. the man turned around, as he heard his friends laughing, and when he saw what umboo had done the man smiled and said: "ha! that elephant is too smart to be piling lumber. i heard the other day where i could sell one to go in a circus. i'll sell umboo! he will make a good circus elephant, to do tricks." and so umboo was sold, though at first he did not know what that was, nor where he was to be taken. he only thought of how the men laughed when he took out the handkerchief from the pocket. chapter xiii umboo on the ship the man who bought umboo was one who owned part of a circus. he traveled about in india, and other far-off countries, looking for strange animals that he could send to america, across the ocean, where they would be put in cages and tents and shown to boys and girls, and also grown-up folk. you may think a circus is all fun and peanuts and pink lemonade, but it also teaches us something. without a circus many boys and girls would never know what an elephant looks like; or a lion, or tiger or camel, except, perhaps, by pictures. "and i'll send this trick elephant over to a circus," said the man who had bought umboo from the lumber yard. "i think he will be a smart elephant, and make the boys and girls laugh." he knew umboo liked boys and girls, for many of them had ridden on his back as he worked in the lumber yard. "i thought umboo was smart as soon as i saw him take the handkerchief from my pocket," said the lumber man to the circus man. "that is why i sent for you to let you buy him. for i knew you wanted a smart, young elephant for your circus." "yes, i am glad to get umboo," spoke the circus man. "i wonder if he will do that handkerchief trick again? i'll try him." so the circus man stood near our elephant friend, and let the end of his handkerchief stick a little way out of his pocket. umboo knew at once what was wanted of him. "i'll just pull that white rag out and hear the men laugh," thought the elephant boy to himself. "i don't know why they think it is so funny, but i'll do it. i guess they would think it more funny if they could have seen me knock keedah into the river." umboo reached out his trunk, when the man's back was turned toward him, and gently took out the handkerchief. then the big elephant boy pretended to wipe his face with it. "ha! ha!" laughed the circus man. "that is a good trick! i must give the elephant a big lump of sugar." he did so, and umboo liked it very much, letting the sweet juice trickle down his throat. "i wish they would give me sugar every time i take out the white rag," thought umboo. "it's fun!" after this umboo did not pile lumber any more. he was taken out of the yard, and kept by himself in a small stable, and given nice things to eat until one day the circus man opened the door and called: "well, umboo, i guess we are ready to start now. you are going to say good-bye to india and to the jungle. you are going where jumbo went--off to america to be in a circus show!" of course umboo did not understand all that the circus man said to him, but the elephant boy thought to himself: "well, he is kind to me. he gives me sugar. i'll go with him, and pull that white rag out of his pocket as often as he lets me. i wonder what he was saying about jumbo?" for umboo remembered hearing the other elephants talking about jumbo, who, however, came from africa and not from india. "come, umboo!" called the circus man. "you are going on a big ship, and take a long ride. i hope you will not be seasick." umboo did not know exactly what a ship was. he had seen big boats come up the river, near where he worked, to get lumber, and some of the elephants, who had been down near the ocean shore, said those boats were ships. and of course umboo did not know what it meant to be seasick. however he liked the circus man, and when the elephant boy came out of the stable he felt around with his trunk in the man's pocket. "for," thought umboo, "if i pull that white rag out of his coat again, maybe he'll give me some more sweet sugar." so, with the tip of his trunk, which could pick up little things, even as you can with your fingers, umboo felt about for the handkerchief. he did not find it, however. "ha! ha!" laughed the circus man, "you did not forget, did you? you are going to be a good trick elephant, i'm sure. here is my handkerchief, in my other pocket. i put it there to fool you!" and he turned about so that the white cloth could be seen hanging down on the other side of his coat. "ha! that's funny!" thought umboo. "i did not know the man had two pockets!" then the elephant pulled out the handkerchief again, and the man laughed and gave him a extra large lump of sugar. "now come with me, umboo," said the man, and he led him away, out of the lumber yard. "where are you going?" called keedah, and some of the other boys. "i don't know," answered umboo, in elephant talk, of course. "but i heard the man say something about making me do tricks in a circus." "oh, then you are going to have a fine, time," said one of the keonkies, or tame elephants, that help train the wild ones. "if you go to the circus you will have fun. a friend of mine was once in one, and then, in his old age, he came back to india to live. and he said he never enjoyed himself so much as in a circus. and how he did used to talk about the peanuts!" "what are peanuts?" asked umboo. "i don't know," answered the keonkie, "but zoop--that the was the name of my friend--said they were almost as good as the sweet sugar and palm nuts." "then they must be very good," said umboo, "and i shall like them. good-bye, friends!" he called. "maybe some day i'll come back from the circus." "but you never did; did you?" asked snarlie the tiger, who, with the other animals in the tent, was listening to umboo's story. "you never did go back, for you are here yet." "no, i haven't gone back to india, and i don't believe i ever shall," spoke umboo. "sometimes i wish i could go back in the jungle for a little while, and get a few palm nuts, but the peanuts here are just as good, and there is never any danger." "please go on with your story," begged horni, the rhinoceros. "i want to hear how you got over here, and joined the circus." "i came on a ship, just as you did," answered umboo, and then he went on to tell how he was led away from the lumber yard. to get from the place where he had, for a year or more, been piling up teakwood logs, to the great, salt ocean which the ships crossed, umboo had to take a ride on the railroad. he might have walked, but this would have taken too long. umboo had never before seen a railroad, a railroad car or a locomotive, and when he first noticed the big, black engine, puffing out smoke and steam, the elephant boy was as frightened as when he had seen the snake in the jungle. umboo raised his trunk in the air, and made a loud trumpet sound of danger. "don't be afraid," said a tame elephant near by. "there is nothing to hurt you." "nothing to hurt me!" cried umboo. "what do you call that big, black thing, whose breath steams out of the top of his head, as mine sometimes comes out of my trunk on a cold morning? nothing to be afraid of? why, that is worse than a big rhino! much worse!" "that is the engine, and it will give you a nice ride," said the tame elephant. "it will pull you along the shiny rails, and you will never have to lift your foot. go close up to it, and see that it will not hurt you. don't be afraid!" umboo trembled, but the circus man spoke kind words to him, and then the elephant walked slowly up to the engine, or locomotive. it snorted and puffed and tooted its whistle, and at each new sound umboo started back, and would have run away. but the man spoke to him, and the tame elephant talked to him, and finally umboo saw that the engine did not get off the shiny rails. "well, if it stays on them it can't chase after me," thought umboo. "i can run to one side, but that big, black animal, that puffs steam out of the top of its head, can't. i guess i'll be all right." then umboo was led past the engine, (which, of course, did him no harm) up a sort of little bridge of wood--a runway--that went from the ground into a big freight, or box car. at first umboo feared this bridge might break with him, as he was so heavy, and an elephant doesn't like to step on anything that will give way and let him fall. so umboo first tried it with one foot, and then with another, and, finding it would not break, he stepped on it and walked into the car. there was plenty of straw in it, so umboo would not be hurt if the car jolted as it rumbled along over the railroad tracks, and inside his new stable the elephant boy found some sweet roots and palm nuts. he was so interested in eating these that, at first, he did not notice when the train started, and before he knew it umboo found himself being pulled along without having to take a step. "ha!" thought the elephant. "it's just as the keonkie told me, i can move without lifting a foot! i am having a fine ride!" two days later umboo reached the seashore and was led from the railroad car, and over to a big ship that was waiting in the harbor. to umboo it looked more like a big house than a ship, and when they took him to the gang-plank, or another run-way, as they had taken him to the one that led into the freight car, he was again afraid something would break and let him fall. but when he tried it with his fore-feet, and found it firm, up it he walked and soon he was in a sort of stable, on board the big ship. to his surprise, umboo found other elephants there also, and from various parts of the ship came the smell of many different wild animals--camels, sacred cows from india, a rhinoceros, a buffalo and many strange beasts. for this was a circus ship, and was bringing to america many strange birds and animals from the jungle. "now, umboo, we are off!" said the circus man, as he came down to see the elephants and other creatures. "you are all going to start across the ocean in this big ship, and i hope none of you will be seasick." of course umboo and the other elephants did not understand exactly what the man said, but they knew he was kind to them, for he gave them some food to eat and water to drink. pretty soon the ship began to pitch and toss and roll. it was out on the big ocean. the elephants did not so much mind the rolling motion, as they never stopped swaying themselves, and they were used to it, but some of the other animals had a bad time. i wish i could tell you all that happened on board the ship, that was taking umboo to the circus, but i have not room in this book. i'll tell you one thing that happened, though, and umboo often used to laugh about it later. one day, when the ship had been sailing about a week, a man came down in the hold, or stable where the elephants were. this man was a sort of joker. he liked to play tricks on animals and sometimes on his friends, and this time he thought he would play a trick on umboo. the man took a sour lemon, and plastered it all on the outside with some sticky brown sugar. this he held out to umboo, saying: "here; have a nice, sweet lump!" of course umboo thought it was all sugar, but when he chewed it, and found inside a sour lemon, it made tears come into his eyes, and he curled his trunk, and made such a funny, wrinkled face, that the man laughed and exclaimed: "oh, see how the elephant likes a lemon! isn't that a funny trick!" but i don't think it was a funny trick at all, and neither did umboo. as soon as he could do so, he let the sour lemon drop out of his mouth into the straw on which he stood. "ha!" said the elephant next to umboo. "if i could reach that man i'd tickle him with my trunk, and maybe pinch him, too." "so would i," said umboo. "but i can't reach him," and he could not, for the elephant was chained fast to the wall of the ship. "but i'll know him when i see him again," exclaimed umboo, "and the next time he comes near me maybe i can play a trick on him." "i hope you can," said the other elephant. and now you wait and see what happened. the ship sailed on and on over the sea, each day coming nearer and nearer to america, which is the land of the circus. and umboo and the other animals grew tired of being kept below decks, in the darkness. they wanted to get out into the sunshine. each day umboo kept watch for the man who had given him the lemon in the lump of sugar, but the trick-player did not again come down where the elephants were. and finally, one day, the circus man came down. he quietly rubbed the trunk of umboo, patted him, and spoke kind words to him, feeding him good sugar. "now, my trick elephant," he said, "we will soon be going ashore, and we will see how you like a circus." chapter xiv umboo in the circus many things happened to umboo after he was taken out of the ship in which he had crossed the ocean. and there were so many of them that he could not remember all of them to tell his circus friends who were listening to his story. "but did you get seasick?" asked humpo, the camel. "that's what i want to know. did you get seasick?" "no, i did not," answered umboo. "but i was tired of staying in the dark part of the ship so long. i wanted to get out in the sun. and i wanted to see if i could do that trick again, of taking the white rag from the man's pocket." "and did you?" asked snarlie, the tiger. "i did, the first chance i had," answered umboo. "but that was not until i had been off the ship for a day or so." umboo and the other animals were taken from the ship, and again put in railroad cars to be taken to a sort of training place. wild animals, fresh from the jungle, are not taken at once to the circus. if they were the lions would roar, the tigers would snarl and the elephants would try to break loose and run away, and this would so scare the boys and girls who went to the circus that they would never come again. so circus men first send the animals to a sort of training camp. there is one in bridgeport, conn., and another in new jersey, on the hackensack meadows. there the wild beasts are taken in charge, by men who know how to train them. and it was to a place like this that umboo was taken. it was not at all like a circus, except for the number of wild animals about. there was no big white tent; nothing but a sort of large barn, and there were no gay flags fluttering, and no bands playing music. all that would come later. umboo was chained in the middle of the barn, with the other elephants, and some hay was given him to eat. at first the elephant, who, not long before, had been wild in the jungle, and later piling teakwood logs, was uneasy and a bit frightened. so were his companions. "but don't be afraid, umboo," said the kind man who had come all the way from india with the elephant. "you will soon like it here, though you may not like being taught tricks. but you will like it when you can do funny things, and make the boys and girls laugh. also, when you do your tricks well, you shall have lumps of sugar." "well, i hope there will be no lemons inside the lumps," said umboo to char, another big beast next to him. "what is that about lemons in sugar?" asked char. "oh, a man on the ship played a trick on me," answered umboo. "i haven't seen him since, but i am on the lookout for him, and when i do see him, if i get near enough--well, i'll make him wish he hadn't fooled me." "it was a mean trick," said char. "i hope you find that man." for a few days the elephants, and other wild jungle animals, who were to be tamed and taught to do things in the circus, were left to themselves. this was to get them quiet after their long trip, and to make them feel at home. umboo did not have to be tamed, for he was already kind and gentle. but some of the lions and tigers were fierce and wild, and they had to get to know that the circus men would not harm them. most of the elephants, like umboo, were no longer wild, but they knew nothing about being trained to do tricks. none of them could even so much as take a handkerchief out of a man's pocket, so really umboo was one class ahead of them. but that did not make him proud. one day, about a week after he had come to the circus-barn, umboo saw some men coming toward him with ropes and other things. among the men was the one from india, and this man umboo liked. "now, umboo" said this man, "you are going to learn a harder trick than that of taking a handkerchief from my pocket. you are going to learn to stand on your hind legs. it may seem hard to you at first, but it is easy when you know how, and you will like it. the boys and girls who come to the circus to see you, will like it, too, and you will get sugar if you do the trick well." of course umboo did not know all that the man said to him, but he understood that something new was going on, and he reached out his trunk to touch his friend. "i haven't any sugar for you now," said the man with a laugh, "but i may have some later. let me see how you behave." the men began putting ropes around umboo's big neck. he did not mind this, for it had been done before, in india, when he was to pull a heavy wagon of teakwood logs. but this time it was different. all of a sudden umboo felt his front legs being lifted from the ground. his head and trunk went up in the air, and all his weight came on his hind legs. they were strong enough to bear it, but the elephant did not know what was going on. "it's all right, my elephant friend!" said the man from india. "up! up! stand up! stand on your hind legs, umboo!" and umboo had to do this whether he wanted to or not. the rope, on which the men were pulling, and which was fast to a hook in the ceiling of the barn over head, was lifting umboo's front feet from the ground. this left him only his hind legs, and he had to stand on them whether he wanted to or not. if you have ever tried to teach your dog to stand on his hind legs, you will know what was being done to umboo. when you try to teach your dog this trick, you generally take him where he can stand up in a corner, so he can lean against the wall and will not fall over backwards or sideways; for that is what he feels like doing when you lift up his front legs. but an elephant is so big, you see, that it would take a very large corner for him to back into. and he is so big and heavy that not even ten men could lift up his front legs. so they just hitch a rope around his head, and then men, hauling on the rope and pulleys, lift the front of the elephant, as men hoist up a piano. "ugh!" grunted umboo through his trunk, as he felt his head and front legs going up. "what in the world is this?" "don't be afraid, my jungle friend," said an old big, tame elephant, who was kept in the circus barn just to make the others feel more at home. "don't be afraid. you are only being taught the first of your tricks. i was taught the same way. it won't hurt you. here, throw your weight on your back legs, and stand on them--this way." and, to the surprise of umboo, the other elephant, without the help of any ropes, reared himself up in the air and stood on his hind legs just as your dog can do. "that's the way to do it!" said the trick elephant. "i wonder if i can?" said umboo. "try it," urged his new friend. and when the man loosed the ropes, and let umboo's front legs down, after they had hoisted them up once, he suddenly gave a little spring, and up he went, standing on his hind legs all by himself, and almost as good as the trick beast could do it. "well, i declare!" cried one of the men. "that elephant is the smartest one we ever trained. he does the trick after being shown just once!" "oh, yes, i knew he was smart when he did that handkerchief trick," said the man from india. "umboo will be ready to join the circus before any of the others." once more umboo was hoisted up by the ropes, but there was really no need for it. he knew what was wanted of him, and he did it. "that's fine!" said the big elephant. "if you learn the other things as easily as you learned this trick, you will have no trouble." "are there other tricks to learn." asked umboo. "oh, many of them," answered wang, the best trick elephant in the circus. "you have only just begun." and umboo found that this was so. in the ten days that followed he was taught many more tricks. some of them he did not learn so easily as he had the one of standing on his hind legs, and the ropes had to be used many times. but the other trick elephants, of whom there was more than one, showed the untrained ones what to do, and, in time, umboo and his friends could go through many "stunts," as the circus men called them. umboo learned to lie down and "play dead," he learned to stand on a little stool, like an over-turned washtub, he learned to kneel down over a man stretched on the ground, and not crush him with the great body, weighing more than two tons of coal. other tricks, which umboo learned, were to take pennies in his trunk, lift up a lid of a "bank," which was a big box, drop the pennies in and ring a bell, as if he had put money in a cash drawer. he also learned to turn the handle of a hand organ with his trunk, to ring a dinner bell, and do many other tricks, such as you have seen elephants do in a circus. then, one day, the man from india came where umboo was, and giving him some peanuts, which our friend had learned to like very much, said: "well, now it is time you joined the circus. you know enough tricks to make a start, and your circus-trainer will teach you more. so off to the circus you go, umboo! off to the circus!" and the next day umboo went. chapter xv umboo remembers brightly in the sun gleamed the white tents. in the wind the gay flags fluttered. here and there were men selling pink lemonade and peanuts. around the green grass were the big wagons--wagons that needed eight or ten horses to pull, wagons shining with gold and silver mirrors--heavy, rumbling wagons, which umboo and the other elephants had to push out of the mud when the horses could not pull them. "and so this is the circus, is it?" asked umboo, as his friend, wang, and he were led up to the tents. "this is the circus," spoke wang. "but i forgot. this is your first one; isn't it?" "the very first," answered umboo. "my! it's lots different from the barn where i learned my tricks, isn't it?" "oh, yes, heaps different. it's more jolly," said wang. "and it's different from the jungle," went on umboo. "oh, yes indeed! it isn't at all like the jungle," said wang. "i remember the jungle very well. i always had to be sniffing here and there for danger, and often i had to drink muddy water, or else i went hungry. here that never happens. all we have to do here is to perform our tricks, push a wagon out of the mud now and then, and eat and sleep. you'll like it here, umboo." "i'm sure i shall," he answered. "but what is that funny noise?" "that is the music playing," answered wang. "in the circus we do our tricks to band music. it's more fun that way." umboo liked the music, and there was one man who played a big horn--larger than himself, and the horn went: "umph-umph!" just as tusker used to trumpet through his trunk. umboo and the other elephants were taken into the animal tent, and placed around the outer ring, their legs chained to stakes driven in the ground. in cages were monkeys, lions, tigers and other beasts of the wood or jungle. "was it this circus of ours which you were first taken to, umboo?" asked humpo. "i came here about a year ago." "no, it was not this one, but it was one like it," said the elephant. "i came here about a year ago." "i remember that time," said snarlie. "i liked you as soon as i saw you, umboo." "so did i," spoke woo-uff, the lion, stretching out his big paws. "let us hear the rest of umboo's story," suggested chako, the monkey. "did you like the circus?" "indeed i did, very much," umboo answered. then he told how he stood in the ring, and watched the boys and girls, and the men and women, come in to look at the animals before they went in the main tent, to sit down and watch the performers and animals do their tricks and "stunts." boys and girls, and some grown-folk, too, gave the elephants peanuts and bits of popcorn balls which the big fellows liked very much, indeed. while umboo was standing in line, with the other elephants, waiting until it was time for them to go in the big tent, and perform their tricks, such as standing on their hind legs and getting up on small barrels, our jungle friend saw a man coming toward him with a bag in his hand. and, all at once umboo remembered something. he looked sharply at the man and thought: "ha! there is the fellow who gave me the sour lemon inside the lump of sugar. now is my chance to play a trick on him." the man, with the bag in his hand, walked toward umboo. to that man all elephants looked alike. he did not know he had ever seen this one before, and had played a mean trick on him. and the man said to another man who was with him: "watch me fool this elephant. i have an empty bag. i have blown it up full of wind, so that it looks like a bag of peanuts. i'll give it to this elephant and fool him." "maybe he'll bite you," said the other man, and the first one answered: "pooh! i'm not afraid. watch me! i fooled an elephant once before. i gave him a lemon in some candy, and you should see the funny face he made. ha! ha!" "ah, ha!" thought umboo to himself. "he laughs, does he? wait until i see what a funny face he is going to make." the man held out the bag of wind to umboo. but, instead of taking it, and getting fooled, the wise elephant suddenly dipped his trunk into a tub of water that stood near. umboo sucked his trunk full of water and then, all at once, before the man knew what was going to happen, umboo blew the water all over him. "whewiff!" went the water in the man's face, and all over his new suit, that he had put on to wear to the circus. "oh, my!" cried the man. "what happened?" and he spluttered and stuttered and gurgled. "what happened?" he asked, as he backed away and wiped the water from his face. "i guess what happened," said the man who was with him, but who did not get wet, "was that the elephant played a trick on you, instead of you playing one on him. that's what happened!" "i guess it did," said the man, whose windblown bag was all wet and flabby now. "but i don't see why he did it. i never fooled him before!" "maybe this is the same elephant you fooled with the lemon," said the second man. "it couldn't be," spoke the wet one. "that was a long while ago, on a ship, and an elephant can't remember." "but i did remember," said umboo, as he told his story to his circus friends. "i could remember that man even now, if i saw him. and so i got even with him for giving me a lemon," and the big elephant laughed, until he shook all over like a bath-tub full of jelly. "what happened after that?" asked umboo. "oh, after that the man went out of the circus tent," said the elephant. "everybody was laughing at him and the funny faces he made. but the water didn't hurt him much, and he soon dried for it was a hot day." "and did you do your tricks in the circus?" asked chako. "oh, yes, i went in the ring, and heard the music play. then all us elephants stood on our hind legs, and i played the hand organ, rang a bell, put pennies in my bank and did many tricks. and one i did i liked best of all." "what was that?" asked horni, the rhinoceros. "it was firing a little brass cannon," answered umboo. "some other elephants and myself played soldiers at war, and toward the end i had to pull a string with my trunk. in some way, i don't just know how, the string fired the cannon. none of the other elephants would do it. they were afraid, but i wasn't. i saw that the cannon wouldn't hurt me if i didn't get in front where its black mouth was, so i pulled the string. and when i did the cannon went 'bang!' and the band played, and the big drum went 'boom!' and the big horn went 'umph-umph!' and the boys and girls yelled like anything. it was lots of fun! "i liked that circus very much. i hope, someday, they'll let me shoot a cannon here." "maybe they will," said woo-uff, the lion. "i should like to hear it. but is that all your story, umboo?" "that is all, yes. i stayed with that circus for some time, and then was sold again, and as you all know, brought here. and i like it here very much, because you are all so kind to me. and i enjoyed listening to the story you told, woo-uff, and to snarlie's story also." "well, we liked yours," said chako, the monkey, as he hung by his tail and ate a peanut. "is there any one else who can tell a story?" asked snarlie. "we will soon be traveling on again, but after that, when we settle down to rest, i should like to hear another tale." "i can tell about my jungle," said chako. "we have had enough of jungles," said woo-uff. "does any circus animal know any other kind of stories?" "how would you like to hear one about the hot, sandy desert?" asked humpo, the camel. "that would be fine!" cried umboo. "tell us your story, humpo!" "i will," promised the camel. and, if all goes well, that story will be in the next circus animal book; if you think you would like to read it. it will be called "humpo, the camel." the elephants swayed to and fro, their leg-chains clanking in the tent. the monkeys chattered among themselves. snarlie, the big, striped tiger yawned and stretched. woo-uff, the lion, laughed. "ha! i wonder what makes that lion so jolly?" said one of the circus keepers. "perhaps the elephant tickled him," suggested a second man. "maybe he had a funny dream," spoke another. "both wrong!" said woo-uff, in animal language that the other circus beasts could understand. "i was laughing at the way umboo squirted water on the lemon-man." "yes, that was funny," said umboo. "very funny!" and he, too, laughed as he chewed his hay. and, now that his story is finished, we will say good-bye to him and his friends for a while. the end. http://www.freeliterature.org (images generously made available by the internet archive.) the memoirs of a white elephant by judith gautier translated from the french by s. a. b. harvey illustrated by l. h. smith and s. b. kite new york duffield & company foreword (_avant-propos_) we are told by writers of antiquity that elephants have written sentences in greek, and that one of them was even known to speak. there is, therefore, nothing unreasonable in the supposition that the white elephant of this history, the famous "_iravata_" so celebrated throughout asia, should have written his own memoirs. the story of his long existence--at times so glorious, and at other times so full of misfortune--in the kingdom of siam, and the india of the maharajahs and the english, is full of most curious and interesting adventure. after being almost worshipped as an idol, _iravata_ becomes a warrior; he is made prisoner with his master, whose life he saves, and whom he assists to escape. later he is deemed worthy to be the guardian and companion of the lovely little princess parvati, for whose amusement he invents wonderful games, and to whom he renders a loving service. we see how a wicked sentiment having crept into the heart of the faithful elephant, usually so wise and good, he is separated for a long time from his beloved princess, and meets with painful and trying experiences. but at last he once more finds his devoted friend the princess, and her forgiveness restores him to happiness. j. g. foreword to the american edition my dear children:-- this story was written by mademoiselle gautier, a french lady who lives in paris. she is very handsome, and very learned, and is able to write and speak chinese, which is the most difficult language in the world. she has also written beautiful tales of persia, japan, and other far-away countries. this story was meant for french children, but i have made it into english, so that my little american friends can have the pleasure of hearing all about "_iravata_" the good and wise elephant, and his friends, the _king_ and _queen of golconda_, and the charming little _princess parvati_. _iravata_ meets with many surprising adventures. at one time he becomes a "war-elephant," and goes into battle in magnificent armour carrying the king on his back. he fights tremendously, but nevertheless is taken prisoner, and the king, his master, is condemned to death by his cruel enemies. but the clever elephant finds a way to liberate his master, and they escape together, and after many adventures reach home safely. later on _iravata_ becomes restless and unhappy, and runs away, and after many wanderings, he joins a circus. here he performs many amusing feats. but, growing homesick, he is at last only too glad to return to his home in the palace of golconda, where he lives happily ever after. s. a. b. h. atlantic city, . contents foreword i. the student of golconda ii. the native forest iii. the triumphal procession iv. royal elephant of siam v. the dowry of the princess vi. the departure vii. the light of the world viii. battle ix. the escape x. ganesa xi. we are taken for robbers xii. parvati xiii. my princess xiv. elephant games xv. science xvi. fine clothes xvii. the abduction xviii. retribution xix. the hermit xx. despair xxi. jealousy xxii. flight xxiii. the herd xxiv. the brahman xxv. the iron ring xxvi. "the grand circus of the two worlds" xxvii. my debut xxviii. comedian xxix. the return to paradise illustrations a splendid procession was formed and began its march. i followed next after the king ... _frontispiece_ transported with rage i ran at him, seized him with my trunk and dragged him from the saddle parvati ran to him, laughing and quite recovered "which of you has been good?" she inquired i uttered a sudden roar and at the same time leaped toward the serpent "he is white, and that is all the more reason for sending him off" "oh, iravata! iravata!" she said in a low voice the memoirs of a white elephant [illustration] chapter i the student of golconda first of all i must tell you how i learned to write. this knowledge came to me somewhat late in my long life, but it has to be mentioned at the outset, for although you men have taught my race to perform many laborious tasks, you have not been in the habit of sending us to school, and an elephant capable of reading and writing is a phenomenon so rare as to seem almost incredible. i say _rare_, for i have heard it stated that my case is not entirely unique. during my long association with mankind i have come to understand much of their speech. i am even acquainted with several languages; siamese, hindustani, and a little english. i might have been able to speak; i attempted to do so at times; but i only succeeded in producing such extraordinary sounds as set my teachers laughing, and terrified my companion elephants, if they chanced to hear me; for my utterances resembled neither their own language nor that of mankind! i was about sixty years old (which is the prime of youth with us), when chance enabled me to learn letters, and eventually to write the words which i was never able to pronounce. * * * * * the enclosure reserved for me in the palace of golconda, where i was permitted to roam entirely at liberty, was bordered on one side by a wall of bricks enameled in blue and green. it was quite a high wall, but it reached only to my shoulder, so that i could, if inclined, look over the top very easily. i spent much of my time at this place, owing to some tall tamarind trees, which cast a fresh and delicious shade all around. i had plenty of leisure, indeed, i was actually idle, for i was rarely called upon except for processions. so, after my morning bath had been taken, my toilet made, and my breakfast finished, my guardians, or rather my servants, were at liberty to sleep, or to go about visiting and amusing themselves--while i stood motionless under the trees, going over in my mind the many experiences of my past life. every day there arose from an adjoining courtyard merry shouts and laughter, which would be followed by a silence, and then by a monotonous chanting. it was a class of little boys who were reciting the alphabet, for a school was being taught there. under shady trees, on turf covered here and there with small carpets, a number of children with red caps romped and played, when the master was not there. as soon as he appeared all was silence, and he seated himself upon a larger rug, under an old tree. on the trunk of the tree was fastened a white tablet, on which he wrote with a red pencil. i looked and listened, at first without much interest, noticing chiefly the mischievous antics of the children, who made faces at me, and glanced over with all sorts of grimaces--exploding suddenly with laughter for which no cause was apparent.... punishments rained! tears succeeded laughter! and i, who felt myself somewhat the cause of the disturbance, no longer ventured to show myself. _but my curiosity was awakened_. the idea of trying to learn what was being taught to the small men became fixed in my mind. i could not speak--but who knows?--i might learn to write! concealed in the foliage from the eyes of the frolicsome little urchins, i gave an extreme attention to the lessons--sometimes making such violent efforts to understand that i trembled from head to foot. all that was required was simply to pronounce the letters of the alphabet, one after another, and trace them on the white tablet. at night now, instead of sleeping, i exercised my memory; and when in spite of my endeavors i could not recall the form or the sound of a letter, i uttered such cries of despair that my guardians were aroused. one day there stood before the tablet a boy who was quite large, but extremely stupid. he had stood for some minutes with his head hanging down, his finger in his mouth, shifting himself from one foot to the other in a sulky manner--_he did not know_! all at once an impulse seized me. i extended my trunk over the wall, and taking the pencil gently, with the tip of my trunk, from the hand of the little dunce (somewhat excited by my own audacity), i traced on the white tablet a gigantic "_e_"!!!! the stupefaction was such that it could only be manifested by profound silence, and gaping mouths. emboldened by success i seized the wet cloth with which the tablet was cleaned, and effaced the "e" which i had drawn. then, in smaller characters, and doing my very best, i wrote the entire alphabet, from end to end. this time the master fell on his face, crying out, _"a miracle"_ and the children ran away, terrified. as for me, i expressed my satisfaction by moving backward and forward my big ears. the teacher now rose trembling, detached the tablet (being careful not to obliterate any of the writing), and, after saluting me most humbly, went away. a few moments later i saw my mahout advancing towards me, and, without mounting, he led me through the great avenues of the park to the entrance of the palace. here ordinarily was seated my dear mistress. but now she had left her couch, and, kneeling on a cushion, was examining the tablet covered with letters which the schoolmaster had brought her. standing around her were visitors, also looking on--several hindus and an englishman. as soon as she saw me she ran to me, clapping her hands. "_is it true? is it true?_" cried she. "_iravata, did you really do it?_" i replied by winking my eyes and flapping my ears. "_yes!--he says yes!_" said my sweet mistress, who always understood me. but the englishman shook his head, with an air of incredulity. "in order to believe such a thing," said he, "i should have to see it with my own eyes--hearsay is not enough." i attempted to efface the writing. "no, no," said the schoolmaster, removing it out of my reach. "i saw the miracle, and i implore the royal soul which inhabits the body of this elephant to allow me to retain the proofs!" upon a sign from the princess the scribes were sent for. they came and unrolled before me a long scroll of white satin, and gave me a pencil dipped in gold ink. the englishman, with a singular grimace, put a morsel of glass in front of one of his eyes, and became observant. secure now of myself, not permitting myself to be embarrassed by the scrutiny of the company, i clasped the pencil firmly with the tip of my trunk, and slowly, and with deliberation, i wrote very neatly the alphabet, from beginning to end. "iravata!--my faithful friend!" said the princess, "_i knew that you were more than our equal_!"... then, with her lovely white arms she clasped my ugly trunk, and leaned her cheek against my rough skin. i felt her tears falling upon me, and trembling myself with emotion, i knelt down and wept, too. "very curious!... very curious!" murmured the englishman, who seemed much excited, and continually let fall and replaced the bit of glass in the corner of his eye. "what have you to say, milord? you, who are one of the most learned men in england?" inquired the princess, drying my eyes with the corner of her gauze scarf. the philosopher recovered his composure. "quintus mucius, who was three times consul, relates that he saw an elephant draw in greek characters this sentence. "_it is i who have written these words, and have dedicated the celtic spoils_" and _elien_ mentions an elephant who was able to write entire phrases, and even talk. i was formerly unable to credit these statements. but it is evident that, such things being possible, we must bow to the authority of the ancients, our predecessors, and apologize for having doubted their word." my princess decided that the schoolmaster should now be attached to my person, and entrusted with the responsibility of teaching me to write syllables, and words (should that prove possible). the good man performed his task with reverence, and with a patience worthy of a saint. for my part, i made such struggles to learn that i grew thin in a way to cause anxiety to those who loved me, and my skin at last floated about my bones, like a mantle that is too large. but when they spoke of interrupting my lessons i uttered such shrieks of despair that it was not to be thought of. i was compelled, however, to regulate my hours of study, and above all not to omit my meals, which had often happened in the fever of learning which had taken hold of me. at last i was rewarded for my diligence. i was able at length to write the beloved name of my princess! it is true it was instantly blotted out by the tears with which i deluged the paper! from this moment it seemed as if veils had been removed from my understanding. i made rapid progress, and with the greatest ease. so much so, that my professor was not considered to be sufficiently learned for his position, and a celebrated brahman was called upon to complete my education. i learned that all golconda thought of nothing but me. and it was expected that, when i should become proficient in writing, wonderful revelations would be made by me, concerning the successive migrations of the royal soul which at present inhabited my person. but what i have written has been simply the story of my life, portions of which my dear mistress was unacquainted with. the work was at once translated from the hindustani, in which i had written it, into all the languages of asia and europe, and sold by hundreds of thousands. this honour (which has excited much envy in the minds of authors whose works were not so successful), did not inspire me with vanity. my reward--my recompense--was _her_ joy, and _her_ pride: the rest of the world was of no account to me; for all that i had achieved was solely and exclusively for _her_. chapter ii the native forest i was born in the forest of laos, and regarding my youth i have retained only very confused memories; occasional punishments inflicted by my mother, when i refused to take my bath, or to follow her in search of food; some gay frolics with elephants of my own age; excessive fear during the great storms; pillage of the enemy's fields--and long beatitudes on the borders of streams, and in the silent glades of the forest. that is all. for in those days the mists rested on my mind, which later on were cleared away. when i grew large i perceived with surprise that the elders of the herd of which i was a member regarded me with disfavour. this pained me, and i would have been glad to think that i was mistaken; but it was evident that no matter what advances were made by me, i was avoided by all. i sought for some cause for this aversion, and soon discovered it by observing my reflection in a pool. _i was not like the others!_ my skin instead of being like theirs, gray and dingy, was white, and in spots of a pinkish colour.... how did that happen? mortification overwhelmed me. and i formed the habit of retiring from the herd which despised me, and of remaining by myself. one day when i was thus alone, sad and humiliated, at a distance from the herd, i noticed a slight noise in the thicket, near me. i parted the branches with my trunk, and saw a singular being, who walked on two legs--and yet was not a bird. he wore neither feathers nor fur; but on his skin there shone brilliant stones, and bits of bright colours that made him look like a flower! _i beheld for the first time a man_. an extreme terror seized me; but a curiosity equally intense kept me motionless in the presence of this creature--so small that without the slightest effort i could have crushed him, and who yet in some way appeared to me more formidable and powerful than i. while i was gazing at him he saw me, and instantly threw himself on the ground, making extraordinary motions, of which i did not comprehend the meaning, but which did not seem to me to be hostile. after a few moments he rose and retired, bowing at every step, till i lost sight of him. i returned next day to the same spot, in the hope of seeing him again; the man was there, but this time he was not alone. on seeing me his companions, like himself, performed the same singular movements, throwing themselves on their faces upon the ground, and doubling their bodies backwards and forwards. my astonishment was great, and my fears diminished. i thought the men so pretty, so light and graceful in their motions, that i could not tire of watching them. after a while they went away, and i saw them no more. one day soon after, when alone as usual i descended to the lake to drink, i saw upon the opposite shore an elephant who looked over at me and made friendly signals. it flattered me that he did not seem to feel repelled by my appearance, but on the contrary seemed to admire me, and was disposed to make my acquaintance. but he was a stranger to me, and certainly did not belong to our herd. he gathered some delicate roots, of a kind that we elephants greatly enjoy, and held them out to me, as though to offer them for my acceptance. i hesitated no longer, but began to swim across the lake. on reaching the other side i gave the polite stranger to understand that i was attracted, not so much by the sight of the delicacies as by the wish to enjoy his company. he insisted upon my accepting a portion of his hospitality, and began, very sociably, to eat up the rest. then, after some gambols, which seemed to me very graceful, he moved off, inviting me by his looks to follow. i did not need urging, and we plunged into the forest, running, frolicking, pulling fruits and flowers. i was so delighted with the companionship of my new friend that i took no notice of the direction in which he was leading me. but suddenly i stopped. i saw with uneasiness that i was quite lost. we had come out onto a plain that was strange to me, and where, in the distance, singular objects showed against the sky--tall points the colour of snow, and brilliant red mounds, and smoke ... things that seemed to me not natural! seeing my hesitation, my companion gave me a friendly blow with his trunk, of sufficient force, however, to show more than ordinary strength. my suspicions were not allayed by this blow, under which my flank smarted; i refused to go further. the stranger then uttered a long call, which was answered by similar calls. seriously frightened now, i turned abruptly towards the forest. a dozen elephants barred the way. he who had so duped me (for what reason i could not imagine), fearing the effects of my indignation, now promptly retired. he set off running; but i was so much larger than he that it seemed easy to overtake him. i rushed in pursuit, but just as i caught up with him i was obliged to stop short. he had entered the open door of a formidable stockade, made of the trunks of giant trees. it was _inside_ that he wished to lead me, _to make me a prisoner_!. i tried to draw back and escape, but i was surrounded by the accomplices of my false friend, who beat me cruelly with their trunks, and at last forced me into the enclosure--the door being at once shut behind me. seeing myself caught, i uttered my war-cry, and charged the palisades, throwing all my weight against them, in the hope of breaking through. i ran madly round the enclosure, thrusting my tusks into the walls, and seizing the timbers with my trunk, endeavouring to wrench them apart. it was against the door that i strove most furiously.... but all was useless. my enemies had prudently disappeared; they did not return till i was exhausted, paralyzed by my impotent rage, and until, motionless, and with drooping head, i owned myself _vanquished_! then he who had lured me into this _trap_ reappeared and approached me, dragging enormous chains, which he wound around my feet. groaning deeply, i reproached him with his perfidy; but he gave me to understand that i was in no danger, and that if i would be submissive i would have no cause to regret my lost liberty. the night came. i was left alone, chained in this manner. i strove with desperation to break my manacles, but without success. at last, worn out with grief and fatigue, i threw myself on the ground, and after a time fell asleep. chapter iii the triumphal procession when i opened my eyes the sun was up, and i saw, all standing around the stockade, the elephants of the day before--but out of my reach! they were fastened by the foot, by means of a rope which they could have broken without the slightest effort. they were eating with great relish the fine roots and grasses piled up in front of them. i was too sad and mortified to feel hungry, and i looked gloomily at these prisoners, whose happiness and contentment i could not understand. after they had finished eating some men arrived, and far from showing fear, they saluted them by flapping their ears--giving every sign of joy. each man seemed to be welcomed by one special elephant to whom he gave his sole attention. he loosened the rope from the foot, and rubbed the rough skin with an ointment, and then, upon a signal, the captive bent back one of his fore-legs to enable the man to mount upon his colossal back. i looked at all this with such astonishment that i almost for the moment forgot my own sufferings. and now, each man being seated upon the neck of an elephant, they, one after another, fell into line and marched out of the enclosure, and the gate was shut behind them. i was alone; abandoned. the day was long and cruel. the sun scorched me, and hunger and thirst began to cause me suffering. i struggled no more. my legs were lacerated by the vain efforts i had made. i was prostrate--hopeless!--and considered myself as one already dead!... at sunset the elephants returned, each one bearing a ration of food; and again i saw them eat joyously, while hunger gnawed my stomach and no one noticed me. the night again descended. i could no longer suppress my screams, which were more of misery than of rage. hunger and thirst prevented me from sleeping, even for a moment. in the morning a man came towards me. he stopped at some distance, and began to speak to me. i could not, of course, understand what he said to me, but his voice was gentle, and he did not appear to threaten me. when he had finished speaking he uncovered a bowl that he carried filled with some unfamiliar food, the appetizing odour of which made me fairly quiver! then he came near, and kneeling, held out the bowl to me. i was so famished that i forgot all pride, and even all prudence (for what was offered me might have been poisoned)! at any rate, i never had tasted anything so delicious; and when the basin was empty i carefully picked up the smallest crumbs that had fallen on the ground. the elephant who had captured me now drew near, bearing a man on his back; he made me understand by little slaps of his trunk that i should bend back one of my fore-legs to allow the man who had fed me to get upon my neck. i obeyed, resigned to anything, and the man sprang up very lightly and placed himself near my head. then he pricked me with an iron--but very gently--just to let me know that he was armed, and that he could hurt me terribly at this point, so sensitive with us, at the least sign of rebellion. sufficiently warned, i allowed myself to show no impatience. then they removed my manacles; the other elephant took up the march, and i followed quietly. we left the stockade, and they led me to a pool in which i was permitted to bathe and drink. after the privations i had suffered the bath seemed so delightful that i could not make up my mind to leave it when the time came; but a prick on the ear told me plainly that i must obey, and i was so afraid of being again deprived of food and drink that i rushed out of the water, determined to do all i was bid. we now went towards the strange objects that i had seen in the distance on the plain, on the day i was made prisoner. i learned later that it was the city of bangok, the capital of siam. i had never yet beheld a city, and my curiosity was so aroused that i was anxious to reach it. as we drew near men appeared on the sides of the road, more and more numerously, so that the way was crowded. they stood on each side of the pathway, and to my great surprise, i at last discovered that it was _i_ whom they were expecting, and had come out to see! at my approach they uttered shouts of joy; and when i passed before them they threw themselves, face-downward, upon the earth, with extended arms, then rose and followed me. at the gates of the city a procession appeared, with cloth of gold, and arms, and streamers of silk on long poles. all at once there was a noise--so wonderful that i stopped short. one would have said it was composed of shrieks and groans, and claps of thunder, and whistling winds, mingled with the songs of birds! i was so terrified that i turned to escape, but found myself trunk to trunk with my companion, who was following me. his perfect tranquility, and the roguish wink that he gave me, reassured me, and i felt mortified to have exhibited less courage than others before so many spectators, and i wheeled about so promptly that the man on my head did not have time to prick my ear. i was ordered to stop in front of the leader of the procession, who saluted me, and made an address. the great and fearful noise had ceased, but began again as soon as this personage had finished his speech. the procession turned around now and preceded me, and we again moved on. i then saw that it was men who were _making_ all this noise. they struck various objects--they tapped them--they whistled into them--and seemed to take the greatest trouble! that which they made was called "_music_." i grew used to it in time, and even came to think it agreeable. i was no longer afraid, and all that i saw interested me, and delighted me greatly. in the city the crowds were even denser, and the rejoicings more noisy. they spread carpets on the route i was to traverse; the houses were wreathed with garlands of flowers, and from the windows they threw phials of perfume, which my rider caught, flying, and sprinkled over me. why were they so glad to see me? why were all these honours showered upon me? i, who in my own herd had been repulsed and disdained.... i could find no reply at the time, but later on i learned that it was the whiteness of my skin which alone was responsible for all this enthusiasm. that which seemed to elephants a defect, seemed admirable to men, and made me more valuable than a treasure. they believed my presence was a sign of happiness--of victory--of prosperity to the kingdom--and they treated me accordingly. we had now reached a great square in front of a magnificent building which might well cause amazement to a "wild" elephant. often since then i have seen this palace, and with better understanding, but always with the same astonishment and admiration. it was like a mountain of snow, carved into domes and great stairways, with painted statues, and columns encrusted with jewels, and tipped with globes of crystal that dazzled the eyes. the tall golden points rose higher than the domes, and in many places red standards floated, and on all of them there was the figure of a _white elephant_! all the court, in costume of ceremony was assembled on the lower steps of the stairway. above, on the platform, on either side of a doorway of red and gold, elephants covered with superb housings were ranged--eight to the right, eight to the left, all standing motionless. they summoned me to the foot of the stair, and there i was told to stop. a great silence fell upon all. one would have said that there was nobody there. the crowd which had been so noisy now was mute. the red and gold doorway was opened wide, and all the people prostrated themselves, resting their foreheads upon the earth. _the king of siam appeared_. he was borne by four porters in a pavilion of gold, in which he sat with crossed legs. his robe was covered with jewels, and scattered blinding rays. before him walked young boys dressed in crimson, who waved great bunches of feathers attached to long sticks; others carried silver basins out of which came clouds of perfumed smoke. i am able to describe all this now, with words which i have learned since then; but at that time i admired without understanding, and i felt as if i was looking upon all the _stars of heaven,_ and the _sun at noonday_, and all the _flowers of the loveliest spring_--at one and the same time!... the bearers of the king descended the steps in front of me. his majesty approached. then my conductor pricked my ear, and my companion struck my leg with his trunk, indicating that i was to kneel. i did so voluntarily, in the presence of such splendour, which seemed to me as if it might burn any one who should touch it! the king inclined his head slightly.... _the king of siam had saluted me!_ (i learned afterwards that i was the only one who had ever been honoured in such fashion. and i was soon able to return the king's salute, or rather to anticipate it.) his majesty addressed me with a few words which had an agreeable sound. he bestowed on me the name of "_king-magnanimous_" with the rank of _mandarin of the first class_. he placed upon my head a chaplet of pearls set with gold and precious stones, and then retired to his palace. the multitude, who until now had remained prostrated, now rose up, and with shouts and cries of joy, accompanied me to my own palace, where i was to dwell. it was in a garden, in the midst of an immense lawn. the walls were of sandal wood, and the great roofs extended far out on all sides; they were lacquered in red and glistened in the sunlight, with here and there globes of copper, and carved likenesses of elephants' heads. i was taken into an immense hall, so high that the red rafters which interlaced overhead and supported the roof made me think of the branches of my native forest, when the sunset reddens them. an old elephant was walking slowly about the hall. as soon as he saw me he advanced towards me, flapping his ears in welcome. his tusks were ornamented with rings and golden bells, and he wore on his head a diadem like that which the king had just placed on mine. but all this did not improve his appearance. his skin was mottled with dingy patches, like dried earth, and cracked in spots; his eyes and ears were encircled with rednesses; his tusks were yellow and broken, and he walked with difficulty. but he seemed amiable, and i returned his courtesies. my conductor descended from my neck, while officers and servants prostrated themselves before me as they had done before the king himself. then they led me to a huge table of marble, where in great bowls and vessels of silver and gold were bananas, sugar-canes, all sorts of delicious fruits, and choice grasses--and cakes--and rice--and melted butter.... _what a feast!_ ah! how i wished that those of my herd who had made a mock of me could see how i was treated by _men_! my heart swelled with pride, and i no longer regretted my liberty and my native forest. chapter iv. royal elephant of siam prince-formidable, for such was the name of my ancient companion, reclining not far from me upon a bed of fragrant branches, now told me something of his history, and also instructed me as to my duties of royal elephant. "i have been here rather more than one hundred years," said he. "i am very old, and i am sick, in spite of the white monkeys that you see frisking about up there in the rafters. they are kept here to preserve us from evil diseases; but all those who were here with me in this palace died within a few days of each other, of some ailment which they seemed to take from each other, and i, the oldest of all of them, am the only survivor. "for several years i have been alone--the only white elephant--and the greatest anxiety has been felt in court circles on this account. no others could be discovered, notwithstanding the incessant hunts which were made throughout the forests. it was thought that great misfortunes menaced the kingdom, and your arrival has caused rejoicings throughout the country." "why is it that they consider us so important?" asked i. "what is there extraordinary about us? among elephants they seem rather to despise us!" "i understand," said prince-formidable, "that men, when they die are transformed into animals; the noblest into elephants, and kings into white elephants. we are therefore ancient kings; though, for my part, i have no recollection of having been either a man or a king." "nor i either," said i. "i don't remember anything at all! but is it then on account of envy that the gray elephants dislike us?" "no," said prince-formidable. "those of us who have not lived among men are mere brutes, and don't know anything. they think the colour of our skin results from disease, and so consider us inferior to themselves; while on the contrary it is really a sign of royalty.... you see what poor ignorant creatures they are!" i admired the wisdom and experience of my new friend, who had lived so long and seen so much. i never tired of asking him questions, and he replied with an inexhaustible good nature. to-day i am able to translate in words what he was obliged to tell me in the very limited language of elephants. over and over he had to begin again and repeat; but he was never impatient, although he was himself so superior, and had long understood the language of men. "attention!" said he to me, upon hearing the sound of distant music. "here are the _talapoins_, who are coming to give you their benediction." he tried to make me understand who they were, but although i pretended out of politeness to do so, i had not in reality the least idea of what was meant, except that it was some new honour that was to be conferred upon me. the _talapoins_ had shaven heads, and their ears stood out, and they wore long yellow gowns with big sleeves. on entering they did not prostrate themselves--and i confess this shocked me somewhat! the oldest marched in the centre. he stopped before me, and began talking in a queer voice, very high and unpleasant; then, without stopping his remarks, he took from the hand of one of his followers a mop with an ivory handle, while another one held a basin of water, in which he dipped the mop, and commenced to sprinkle me in a way that displeased me exceedingly. he squirted the water in my eyes and ears, and as it lasted longer than i thought needful, i seized the mop out of his hand, and sousing it well in the water i shook it over all three of them--giving as good as i had received! they escaped, laughing and wiping their faces with their-long sleeves, and i gave a loud scream of triumph, to proclaim my victory, and my satisfaction!... but prince-formidable did not approve my conduct--he thought it lacked dignity. soon after this they came to take us to the bath. a slave marched in front, striking cymbals in order to make way for us, and others held over our heads magnificent umbrellas. it was in our own park that the beautiful pond was situated, and i was allowed this time to plunge and swim, and roll over as long as i wanted. a repast as plentiful as it was delicious ended the day, which had certainly been to me in every way most satisfactory. it continued in this manner, from day to day, with the exception of the talapoins, who never returned. only one hour in the day was somewhat distressing to me. it was my daily lesson, which i had to take each evening, before going to bed. the man who had first sat upon my head remained my principal guardian--my "mahout," and he had to teach me, and make me understand the indispensible words of command, such as "forward," "backward," "kneel," "rise," "right," "left," "halt," "faster," "slower," "that's right," "that's wrong," "do it again," "that's enough," "_salute the king._" prince-formidable assisted me by translating these orders to me in elephant-speech, so that i soon knew all that was needful. several years passed in this way very pleasantly, but rather monotonously. prince-formidable died the second year after my arrival. they gave him a royal funeral and all the court went into mourning. for a while i was alone. then other white elephants came in; but the new ones were very ignorant, and seemed sulky and rebellious in their dispositions--so that i took but little notice of them. chapter v the dowry of the princess one day my mahout, who like all others of his class, had the habit of making long discourses (which i finally grew to understand), came and stood before me, as he always did when he wished me to listen. i at once became attentive, for i saw from his agitated air that something of importance was concerned. "king-magnanimous," said he, "ought we to rejoice--or ought we to weep? is a new life for us a good, or an evil thing? should one dread change, or should one welcome it? these are questions which are being balanced in my mind, like the weights in a pair of scales! you, who are now an elephant, but were once a king could tell me, if only you could speak. you could tell me if the numerous transformations, the changes, have brought you most joy or sorrow. your wisdom could put an end to my anxiety, perhaps; but perhaps, on the other hand, you can look no further into the future than i; and you would say to me, "_let us resign ourselves to what we cannot help_, _and wait to either weep or rejoice_, _till events prove good or ill._"... well! so will we do. we will resign ourselves, and wait. "that which is about to happen you know not--and that is what i am going to tell you. "our great king, _phra, puttie, chucka, ka, rap, si, klan, si, kla, mom, ka, phra, puttie, chow_ (for i cannot mention the king's name without giving him all his titles--i who am only a simple mahout--when the prime minister, himself durst not do so!)--our great king is the father of several princes, and also of a princess--a beautiful princess--who is of a marriageable age.... _well! that is it!_ she is about to be married. the king _phra, puttie, chucka_ has bestowed the hand of the princess saphire-of-heaven upon a hindu, the prince of golconda: and this marriage, which at first would seem of little interest to us, is going to overturn our whole existence. "know, king-magnanimous, that your glorious person is to form part of the dowry of the princess. yes! even so. without asking your pleasure in this affair, they have made a gift of you to a stranger prince, who may not have for your majesty the respect due you. "and i--poor mahout--what am i without the noble elephant whom i attend? and what is your majesty without me? "therefore they have also made a gift of me, and i am now a fragment of the royal dowry. we are bound to each other till death--we are but one! you go where i conduct you, and i must go where you go. oh! king-magnanimous, _ought we to weep or rejoice_?" really, i could not say. and i was greatly disturbed at what had been told me. to leave this life, so sweet and tranquil, but which sometimes wearied me by its monotony and inaction.... abandon this beautiful home so abundantly provided with good things!... surely this was cause for weeping! but then, to see new countries, new cities, meet with new adventures--that was perhaps something to rejoice at! ... like my mahout, i concluded the best way was to wait--and for the present to be resigned. [illustration] chapter vi the departure the day of our departure arrived, and very early in the morning the slaves came to make my toilet. they rubbed me all over several times with a pomade perfumed with magnolia and santal; they placed on my back a mantle of purple and gold, and upon my head a chaplet of pearls and the royal diadem. they fastened heavy gold bracelets on my legs, and on my tusks gold rings set with jewels; from each of my ears there hung down a great tail of horse-hair, white and silky. arrayed thus, i was conscious of my magnificence, and longed to show myself to the people. still, i gave a backward glance at the palace i was leaving, and sounded a few notes of farewell to the elephants who were remaining, with whom i had begun to be quite friendly. they replied by thundering outbursts of trumpeting, the noise of which followed me for a long way. all the inhabitants of bangok were out, as on the day of my triumphal entry. they were in holiday costume, and were moving towards the palace of the king. there a splendid procession was formed and began its march, preceded by one hundred musicians dressed in green and crimson. the king was seated in a howdah of gold fillagree, on a colossal black elephant--a giant among elephants. on his right and on his left were the prince and princess, on mounts of more than ordinary size. the howdah of the bride was enclosed by a fringe of jewels which rendered her invisible. the prince was young and handsome; he had a charming expression, which at once inspired me with confidence. i followed next after the king, conducted by my mahout, who walked on foot beside me. and after me came the mandarins, ministers, and other high functionaries, according to rank, and mounted on elephants or horses, followed by their servants, who carried behind each noble lord the tea-pot of honour, which in siam is an insignia of nobility, the greater or less richness of which indicates the importance of the owner. then came the baggage of the princess, consisting of numberless boxes of teak wood, marvelously carved. the ceremony of the marriage had already taken place, and had occupied eight days. this was the "farewell" of the king, the princes and the people to their princess, whom they were escorting to the shore, whence she was to depart. we stopped on the way at the richest pagoda in the city, where they worship a buddha carved out of a single emerald, which has not its equal in the world, for it is three feet tall, and as thick as the body of a man. after this we descended by narrow streets, traversed by bridges and canals to the shores of the river--the broad and beautiful mei-nam. in the distance were seen the deep blue mountains against the brilliant sky--the chain of "_the-hundred-peaks_"--the "_rameau-sabad_"--the "_hill-of-precious-stones_" and others. but the spectacle of the river, all covered with shipping bearing flags, and decorated with flowers, was incomparable! there were great junks of red and gold, with their sails of matting spread out like fans, their masts carrying pennants, and their prows rounded and made to imitate the head of a gigantic fish with goggle eyes; all sorts of boats, sampans, and rafts, supporting tents of silk which looked like floating summer-houses! all laden to the water's edge with a gay and noisy crowd, and with bands of music and singers, who played and sang by turns. salvos of artillery, louder than thunder, burst forth when the king appeared, and the people gave such a deafening shout that i should have died of fright, had i not learned by this time to permit nothing to startle me. the vessel which was to convey us to india lay at the wharf with steam up, and splendidly decorated. it was here we were to part. the king and the bride and groom descended from their elephants. the mandarins formed a circle; and all the people kept silence. then the king, "_sacred master of heads, sacred master of lives, possessor of everything, lord of the white elephants, infallible, and all-powerful_," made a speech, while chewing betel, which stained his mouth crimson, and obliged him to spit frequently into a silver basin, which was held by a slave. the prince, kneeling before his royal father-in-law, also made a speech, less long--chewing nothing! the bride wept behind her veils. when it was time to embark there was some confusion on account of the princess's innumerable boxes of teak wood, and because of the horses, whom my presence terrified greatly. a long whistle was heard; the musicians played; the cannon boomed; a swaying movement made me feel dizzy--and the shore receded. all the boats followed us at first with oars and sails, but were soon left behind. the king stood on the wharf as long as he could see us. i was deeply moved at leaving this city, where i had at first suffered so severely, but where my existence afterwards had been so happy and glorious. my mahout, leaning against me, we both looked back. at a turn of the river all disappeared; our eyes met, and both were full of tears. "king-magnanimous," said he, after a moment of silence, "let us wait before we either weep or rejoice. let us see what fate has in store for us!" soon the river grew so broad that the banks could no longer be seen. the water began to move in a singular manner, and the ship also, causing me most unpleasant sensations. little by little we put out to sea.... then it was horrible! my head spun round; my legs failed me; an atrocious misery twisted me in the stomach. i was shamefully sick, and thought a thousand times that i was dying! i can, therefore, say nothing of this voyage, which is the most distressing memory of my life. never, never would i go again to sea--except it might be to serve _her_. but for any other reason i would massacre whoever should compel me to put foot on a boat!... [illustration] chapter vii the light of the world the rajah of golconda, my new master, was called _alemguir_, which signifies, "the light of the world." he certainly did not show me the respect to which i was accustomed; he did not prostrate himself, nor even salute me; but he did better than either--he loved me. from the first he spoke kind words to me, not in my quality of "white elephant," which is a distinction much less thought of in india than in siam, but because he found me intelligent, good-tempered, and obedient--more so than any of his other elephants. he remembered me and came to see me every day, and saw to it that i was not allowed to lack anything. he had changed my name from "_king-magnanimous_" to "_iravata_," which is the name of the elephant who bears the god indra. the title was certainly sufficiently honourable, and i was easily consoled for being no longer worshipped as an idol by the pleasure of being treated as a friend. alemguir would have preferred that his queen, saphire-of-heaven should always use me as her mount; but she never would consent to install herself on my back.... "it would be a sacrilege!" said she, "_and a grave offence to one of my ancestors_!" she was persuaded that i was one of her forefathers, undergoing a transformation for the time being. her husband rallied her good-naturedly upon the subject, but she would not yield. so he gave her a black elephant, and kept me for his own service. i was proud to carry my prince in promenades, in festivals, and in tiger hunting, which he taught me. my life was much less indolent than in siam, and much more varied and interesting. my mahout, in spite of the trouble that this stirring existence imposed upon him also found it pleasanter than the monotony of the old life--and as usual he confided his sentiments to me! i was also instructed in the art of war, for during the year following the marriage of alemguir with saphire-of-heaven grave anxieties came to darken the happiness of the young married couple. a powerful neighbour, the maharajah of mysore sought without ceasing to fasten a quarrel upon the prince of golconda, concerning certain questions of boundaries. alemguir did all in his power to avoid hostilities, but the ill-will of his opponent was evident, and in spite of the conciliatory efforts of the ambassadors, a war seemed imminent. the princess wrote to her father, the king of siam, who sent cannon, and a few soldiers; but the enemy was formidable, and the apprehensions of all increased from hour to hour. one day the ambassadors returned in dismay; diplomacy had failed, negotiations were at an end, and the maharajah of mysore declared war. the necessary preparations were made in haste; and one morning i was invested with my armour. a sheathing of horn covered me and descended below my knees; on my head was a helmet of metal, with a visor of iron, perforated with holes for the eyes, and a point projected from the middle of the forehead. my crupper and flanks were defended by flexible armour, as was my trunk, which had a ridge running down the centre armed with pointed teeth of metal; and upon my tusks were steel casings, sharp and cutting, which lengthened them greatly and made of them terrific weapons. thus accoutred, my mahout, who was also in armour, and weighed more heavily than usual upon my neck, guided me to the portico of the palace overlooking the great courtyard, where were assembled all the chiefs of the army. prince alemguir appeared at the entrance, and the officers saluted him by clashing their arms. he was magnificent in his warlike array. he wore a tunic of gold-linked armour, under a light breastplate studded with diamonds; he carried a round shield that blazed with jewels, and his helmet was gold with a diamond crest. standing upon the upper steps of the portico he harangued his troops; but as i did not then understand hindustani i do not know what he said. when he was about to mount, the princess saphire-of-heaven rushed out of the palace, followed by all her women, and threw herself, sobbing into the arms of her husband. "alas!" cried she, "what will become of me, separated from you? how shall i endure the continual anguish of knowing you exposed to wounds and death? the heir which we hoped would be born in joy and festivity, now will enter life amid tears and despair! perhaps he will be born an orphan--for if the father is killed, the mother will not survive!" i listened to this and felt my heart ache under my coat of horn. the prince, much affected, could hardly restrain his tears. he made an effort, however, to master his emotion, and replied with calmness. "every man," said he, "owes his life to his country; and the prince more than any other man. our honour, and the welfare of our people are more dear to us than our own happiness. we must set an example of courage and self-sacrifice, instead of allowing ourselves to be softened by tears. "if the war proves cruel to me--and i die--you, my beloved wife, will live to bring up our child; and hereafter we shall find each other, and be forever happy in the life to come!" he gently disengaged the clasp of her delicate arms. the veil of the princess caught on the breastplate of the prince and was torn. the prince gathered a fragment, and kept it as a talisman. and now alemguir was in the howdah, and it was to me that the princess appealed, with breathless sobs. "iravata, thou who art strong, and who lovest thy master, and who ought to love me, for thou hast the soul of one of my ancestors.... guard the prince! protect him, and bring him back to me living--for if he comes not back i shall die!" speaking these words the princess became as pale as snow, and fell fainting into the arms of her servants. i made a resolve in my heart to defend my master with all my might, and not to fail in risking my life for the safety of his. taking advantage of the swoon of the princess, which made her unconscious, alemguir gave the signal to depart. we left the palace, and then the city, to join the main army, which was encamped outside on the plains. the artillery and the elephants were placed in the centre; the horsemen on the right and left, and the foot-soldiers in front and at the rear. the trumpets sounded a warlike march; the drums beat; the whole army gave a shout--and we marched on the enemy. chapter viii battle what a fearful thing is a battle! how terrible--how grand! it intoxicates, and stuns you. the music, the roar of the cannon, the firing, the shouts of the combatants; the tumult, the smoke, the dust--excite in you a strange madness, which makes you hate the creatures which you can scarcely see--whom you have never known, and who, for no other reason, are filled with the same murderous rage towards you! at first i, who had never killed anything but tigers, shuddered at the thought of shedding human blood. i hesitated--i avoided giving blows. but suddenly i saw my master in danger; a horseman was aiming at him at close range. he had not time to fire--my armed tusks disappeared in the belly of the horse, which i lifted high up in the air, and whose bleeding carcass i tossed, with its rider, into the ranks of the enemy. from that moment it was carnage where i went. i pierced. i cut. i disembowelled all before me--making corpses of the living, and crushing to pulp the dead under my great feet, which soon were shod with blood. the prince encouraged me by his voice, and pushed constantly forward. his gun, which a soldier behind him reloaded as fast as it was discharged, was never silent, and his aim was so sure that he never missed. the enemy's ranks crumbled before us. and alemguir, full of ardour urged me on and on! he desired to reach the maharajah of mysore, who in the centre of his army directed the battle. at last he found him, shouted defiance at him, and defied him to meet him in single combat. the maharajah smiled scornfully and did not answer. all at once my mahout, who, being occupied with guiding me, and less carried away by the fury of the battle, had a better opportunity of observing the situation, cried out in a voice of horror, "_back!--back!--or you are lost_!" but the prince continued to shout "_forward!"_ and my mahout could jab my ear as much as he chose--i refused to obey! "prince! prince! you are lost!" groaned the unhappy slave. "the army of golconda is in retreat, and we are surrounded! it is too late to escape!" a ball struck him. with a groan he rolled off my neck, clinging an instant, deluging me with blood, then he fell. dead. he was dead! i stopped, horrified; turning the body gently over with the tip of my trunk--he did not move; he did not breathe; it was the end. my poor mahout had breathed his last so quickly--almost without pain. this then, was what "_fate_" had in store for _him_! i could see him off there, at bangok, saying so gravely to me, "ought we to rejoice, or weep?" alas! he was dead; he could neither weep or rejoice any more!... but around me were shouts of triumph. my master still fought. "take him alive!" cried the maharajah from his elephant. "he shall die by the hand of the executioner!" i tried to rush forward but my feet were entangled in running knots which they had thrown around me, and my furious efforts only drew them tighter. all was ended. i was taken; and my master with me. poor princess saphire-of-heaven! in her desolate palace she was suffering a thousand times more from fear and anxiety than we from our misfortune. for her also it was _fate_! i could hear her sweet voice entreating me to bring back to her her beloved husband; and behold! we were vanquished--prisoners--and the prince, loaded with chains, was now listening to the sentence that condemned him to die a shameful death at dawn on the morrow! _i_ was of value. _i_ made part of the "_spoils_." and they had no intention of killing _me_. but i had been so terrible in battle that they dared not come near me. i set to thinking with all the powers of my poor, feeble mind. it seemed as if i had best pretend to submit. i began to feel the smart of my wounds, and the fatigue of the combat; and my heavy armour weighed on me painfully. i began to utter plaintive moans--as if imploring assistance from those standing about. one of them, seeing me so quiet, ventured to approach. i redoubled my moans, making them very soft. "he must be hurt," said the man. "we must look after him, and take care of him, for he is an animal of great price!" all drew near. they took off my armour, i helping them as well as i could. when it was off i sank on the ground, as if exhausted. i had received a great many wounds, but only one was of any consequence; it was near the shoulder. they brought a doctor who dressed my wounds. meanwhile; i thought of my master, who, perhaps, was also wounded, but who was receiving no care! i had not failed to watch him, out of the corner of my eye, without seeming to do so, while i was performing my little comedy! i saw that they had chained him to a stake, and that soldiers with arms in their hands guarded him. grief tore my heart: and the groans that i gave were most sincere--but it was not my wounds that caused them! however, i feigned an indifference to my master. i appeared to give no thought to anything but myself. and i took pains to be so grateful to the surgeon for his services that he was quite touched, and ordered them to take off the running knots which were murdering my legs. "_this elephant is remarkably gentle_," said he, "_give him some food_ and drink, for he seems very tired and feeble--no doubt from the blood he has lost!" he went off to attend others; and presently they brought me a good ration of forage; vegetables, and rice, and fresh water in a great vessel. i thought of prince alemguir, who was perhaps also suffering from thirst--and my throat grew tight!... however, we are slaves to our enormous appetite; hunger soon subdues and enfeebles us. i must eat, in order to be strong, and ready for whatever was to come. i gave myself the airs of an invalid, disinclined for food, and did not raise myself up from the ground. so, giving no more thought to me, they put a light rope on my foot and fastened it to a peg, and left me. chapter ix the escape night came; fires dotted with their red flames the entire extent of the camp; the smoke mounted straight in the tranquil air; i saw around the camp-kettles the men crouching, their forms showing dark against the light; then there were dances, songs, and music. they were celebrating the victory by drinking, shouting and quarrelling; they even acted over again their hand-to-hand struggles, which grew so furious that blood flowed. then, little by little, silence fell; all was dark; a heavy sleep weighed upon the evening of the battle! _then i rose up on my feet_. there was no moon, only the great stars palpitated in the sky. i listened; i peered into the obscurity. the tents formed little dark hillocks, undulating away, as far as the eye could reach. no sound, but the intermittent call of distant sentinels, who could not be seen. before the tent where my master was imprisoned two soldiers in white tunics marched slowly with guns on their shoulders. i could see clearly their long white robes, and their muslin turbans. sometimes the barrel of their gun sparkled, reflecting the ray of a star. kill these two men? deliver my master? and escape with him? would such a thing be possible?... the sentinels marched slowly around the prisoner's tent, walking in opposite directions from each other, so that all sides of the tent were constantly under observation. how to seize them without their being able to give the alarm?... standing motionless in the darkness, i followed them with my eyes, striving to understand their movements, and the different positions they occupied while coming and going. i observed that one soldier in crossing his companion turned his back to me, and then disappeared behind the tent, and at the same instant the other soldier also had his back to me, while making the circuit. a short moment only elapsed before the first one would reappear and be facing me. i could not strike the two guards at one time; and if one saw me attack the other he would have time to give the alarm, and awaken the whole camp. it was, then, during this one brief moment that i must act. about twenty paces separated me from the tent, and this was an added difficulty--shortening still more the available time during which i would be unseen; but the attempt must be made. i tried to undo the rope that tethered my foot. i could not succeed; but with a single jerk i pulled up the stake to which i was attached. i was free. choosing a favourable moment i took some steps towards the tent. then i waited for the soldiers to make another turn--and moved still nearer. i preserved the attitude of a sleeping elephant; and they failed to notice in the darkness that i had drawn closer. now was the time. i must make the attempt--at the next turn, thought i. but my heart beat so violently that i was compelled to wait. my one fear was that i might not succeed; then, too, i felt a repugnance to slaying--by treachery as it seemed--these two unknown human beings. but after all, was it not men who had set me the example of ferocity? to save my master i would have destroyed without remorse the entire army of the enemy! my self-possession returned; and it was with the greatest coolness that i executed my plan. the first soldier was seized by my trunk and strangled, with no sound except the cracking of his bones. i had just thrown aside his corpse when the other came face to face with me. he did not cry out--terror prevented him; but he instinctively jumped backward, and so hastily that he fell.... the unfortunate man never rose; my enormous foot falling upon him crushed him to a bloody mass. i drew a long breath; then i listened; in the distance could still be heard the occasional call of the sentinels who guarded the outskirts of the camp, of which we occupied the centre; no doubt they would soon be relieved--and perhaps also the guards of the prince; there was not a moment to spare. yet i dared not approach my master suddenly, lest he might utter an exclamation of surprise. was he sleeping, the dear prince, worn out with fatigue? or was he grieving silently over the loss of his liberty, and his life? i was at a loss what to do; and the anguish of knowing that the moments were slipping by made my skin creep! all at once an idea came to me. i pulled up on one side the stakes that held the tent, and taking the canvas by the lower edge, i turned it half-way over, just as a strong wind might have done. there remained nothing between us, and i saw the prince seated on the ground, his elbow on his knee, his head resting on his hand. he raised his head quickly, and saw my giant form outlined against the starry sky. "iravata! my friend, my companion in misfortune!" murmured he. tears came to my eyes; but there was no time for anything of that kind! i touched the chains of my master, feeling them to judge of their weight. they were nothing for me. with one blow they were broken--first those on the feet, and finally the heavier one, which, attached to a belt of iron, chained the prince to a gallows. "what are you doing? how is it that you are free?" said alemguir, who, by degrees, was recovering from his prostration. all at once he understood; he sprang to his feet. "why! you are liberating me!--you are going to save me!" i made a sign that it was so, but that we must be quick. calm and resolute now, he cast off the remnants of his shackles. i showed him the tether on my foot, and the stake that dragged after it. he stooped down and unfastened the cord; then i helped him to mount up on my neck.... oh! what joy to feel him there again! but we were far from being out of danger. he spoke no more. he concentrated all his attention upon directing our flight through the darkness. coming out of the obscurity of the tent, he could see all the better, and from on high he could look about him, listen to the voices of the sentinels, and ascertain something of the arrangement of the camp, and of its extent, and its nearest limits. he bent forward, darting his looks in every direction; but it was impossible to pierce the darkness for more than a hundred feet in advance. avenues had been formed between the tents, which had been placed in fairly even lines; but these pathways would naturally be guarded, and the prince judged it would be safer to glide behind the tents in their confused and indistinct shadows. notwithstanding our appearance of heaviness, and our massive corpulence, we have the faculty of walking as noiselessly as a cat or a panther. a whole herd of elephants on the march, if they suspect any danger, can avoid snapping a twig, or rustling a leaf. the most acute hearing will fail to detect the sound of their footsteps; and whoever sees them filing past by hundreds would take them for phantoms. it would be quite proper to say "as _light_ as an _elephant_"--but i imagine the idea never occurred to any one. this peculiarity explains how i was enabled to circulate between these thousands of tents, scarcely seeing my way, and obliged very often to pass through an opening barely larger than my own person, without running against, or overturning anything, and without making a noise that would have betrayed us. we had now reached the limits of the encampment, which were by no means easy to pass, for they had been rapidly fortified, ditches had been dug, and entrenchments thrown up. but the work having been hastily done was not very solid. the prince leaned down close to my ear, and said to me: "try to break down the earth wall, and turn it into the ditch so as to fill it up." i understood, and went to work. the ground was still soft and yielded readily; but i could not prevent a dull thud when it fell into the ditch. it was a very feeble smothered sound ... and yet to me it seemed tremendous! at last the opening was made. i passed through, plodded across the mud in the bottom of the ditch, and succeeded in climbing up the other side. _we were out of the camp_, and i joyfully quickened my pace. but a cry resounded--a cry of alarm. they had seen us in the open space, which i was crossing now at full speed.... "beware, master!" i seized him and placed him cross-wise upon my tusks, supporting him with my trunk, and without slackening my pace. my quick ear had detected the sound of loading guns--they were going to fire upon us; but my prince, protected by the bulk of my great body would be in no danger. a sudden light flashed in the darkness; there was a rattling volley of shots, and a shower of bullets struck my crupper. they bounded off, for these little leaden pellets are incapable of penetrating the tough hide of an elephant. they merely stung me like little pricks of red-hot iron. a second discharge fell short, with the exception of a single ball which grazed my ear, and carried off a small piece. i ran still faster, hoping to gain the shelter of a thicket which at least would protect us from the bullets. just as i reached it i heard the sound of galloping horses. "we are pursued," said alemguir. he had resumed his place on my neck. i plunged into the thickest of the woods, making a pathway by the aid of my tusks, crushing the branches under my feet. but this delayed us; it also betrayed our course, and left an open road for our enemies. there seemed no way of meeting this danger, and i trembled with an anxiety that for the moment paralyzed me. my master, full of courage, spoke soothingly to me. "calm yourself," said he, "there is no cause for despair; you know how horses fear you; if they reach us you have only to turn and fall upon them to terrify them, and put them to flight!" but although i could not say so in words, my thought was, _the shots can reach my master_! however, i took courage, and managed to push on still faster. the day, which comes so early in summer, began to break. a dull continuous noise now became audible, and drowned the sound of the horses' hoofs. "that must be a river," said alemguir. "if we can but reach it and put it between us and our pursuers, we shall be saved." i raised my trunk, snuffing the air to discover the direction of the water, and changed my course. the wood now became less dense; i advanced more easily between the young trees and saplings which i crushed under foot; and we soon found ourselves beside a rapid river which flowed in the depths of a ravine. the water, which boiled in places and ran with a dizzy swiftness, had dug for itself a bed in the clayey soil, and flowed as it were between two walls. "alas!" said the prince; "that which i hoped would be our salvation is going to be our ruin! it will never be possible to descend to the level of this river." to my mind it was difficult--but not impossible. and as there was no time to waste in reflection, i went to work at once digging the clay with my tusks, stamping it down with my feet, and throwing it right and left, in a way to form a sort of incline; but when i thought i might risk myself upon it the earth crumbled away, and, sliding down the sticky mud, i shot into the water more quickly than i had intended, with a tremendous _splash_ that sent the water up into the air to an amazing height. luckily, my master had been able to cling to my ear, and was none the worse. so i was soon relieved, though astounded at my sudden descent. the current now carried us along, and i floated with it. it saved me all exertion, and i reposed deliciously in the cool refreshing water, which restored my strength. the prince also was invigorated. he leaned over several times to drink out of the hollow of his hand. suddenly he turned his head. "here come our enemies!" said he. the horsemen, following the pathway which i had made in the woods, had reached the banks of the river; they saw us, and riding along the borders they started in pursuit of us. the prince watched them closely. "they are taking aim," cried he, "give your _war-cry_!" i tore up from the bottom of my lungs the most terrible yell in my power! it was a success; and the echoes repeated it as if they would never stop. it did not fail to produce the effect my master expected. the horses were terrified and reared in disorder, and the shots scattered, without reaching us. "we know how to defend ourselves for the present," said alemguir; "some of the men are unhorsed, and the others have all they can do to control their animals." having my back turned, i could see nothing, but was greatly rejoiced at what i heard. the current continued to carry us on, and there was no way of landing on the other side, which presented only a straight wall, while on the side of our foes the shore was becoming less and less steep. the soldiers of mysore, having succeeded in quieting their steeds, now gained rapidly upon us; but it was a peril of another kind that suddenly alarmed me. i felt the water beginning to draw me on with increasing swiftness, as though being attracted towards a gulf. i struggled vigorously against the current, endeavouring to draw backwards, but i could affect but little its course, which had become fearful in its rapidity. the prince shared my anxiety. "help me," said he, "to stand upright on your neck, so that i can see what is this new danger." i held up my trunk, and he leaned against it, steadying himself by means of it. "don't hesitate," shouted he in a trembling voice. "throw yourself onto the shore where our enemies are--the river is going to fall in a cataract down into a horrible abyss!" i swam with all my might towards the shore; but a force greater than mine drew me towards the fall, from which we were now distant only about a hundred yards. "courage! courage!" called my master. i made a desperate effort, straining every muscle, and putting forth every ounce of strength that i possessed. but i was out of breath, stunned by the fearful roar of the cataract, now so near, and blinded by the spray of the boiling waters. [illustration: transported with rage i ran at him, seized him with my trunk and dragged him from the saddle] i felt that hope was at an end. and i was about to abandon effort when i felt the ground under my feet. that revived me; in two strokes i was within a few yards of the shore, standing on a bottom of solid rock, my flanks panting with a cruel lack of breath. [illustration: a splendid procession was formed and began its march. i followed next after the king.] the prince, whose limbs i could feel still trembled, stroked me with his hand and spoke gently to me. the water ran foaming between my legs as though they were the piers of a bridge; but it could no longer carry me away. the soldiers now rode up with shouts of joy, and were preparing to aim at their ease, when "_charge them!_" ordered my master. i thundered my war-cry, and rushed at them from the water, with my trunk uplifted. the horses took fright, plunging and seizing the bit; a number of them ran off "ventre-à-terre." the captain of the soldiers was furious; mastering his horse by means of the spurs, he fired. the ball passed so close to the head of alemguir that it singed his hair. at this, transported with rage, i ran at him; i seized him with my trunk, and dragged him out of the saddle. at the shriek which he uttered his companions, instead of coming to his rescue, left him and fled. for a moment i balanced him in the air, like a trophy; then i tossed him into the middle of the river, where he fell with a splash almost as great as the one i myself had made recently. the wretch struggled for a moment, and then was swept on and dashed over the cataract. [illustration] chapter x ganesa the sun was shining now, and dried us with its warmth. we were saved. and this joy compensated for all the sufferings we had endured. the prince dismounted; standing before me, he gazed gratefully upon me. "had it not been for thee," he said, "at this moment my head would be rolling in blood! "during our flight our safety depended on each moment as it passed--not an instant could be spared--and i have only been able to thank thee in my heart. but now, before this shining sun, i desire to express the feelings that thy devotion, thy heroism, have inspired in me. oh! iravata, had it pot been for thee, saphire-of-heaven, in robes of mourning, would have wept my death; without thee i should never have lived to behold my child! my name would have been dishonoured by a disgraceful death, my kingdom conquered and ravaged--whereas, my life being saved, all can be regained. and this i owe to a being whom men deem inferior to themselves! ah! the princess of siam was right. it is indeed a royal soul that is hidden in thy rough body!" i was greatly embarrassed by so much praise: and i could not make it understood that if i had a "soul," it was simply a good, plain, elephant soul--all full of affection for him who had been the first to treat me as a friend. he stroked me softly with his hand, and gazing at me smiled kindly; while i by all the means in my power--flapping my ears--snorting--and shuffling my feet, expressed my delight. "i swear to you," said the prince, "that hereafter you shall always be treated as an equal, and looked upon as my best friend!... "but let us move on; our enemies may return in force, now that my escape must be known to all." we descended a steep hill, parallel with the waterfall, and found ourselves in a beautiful fertile plain, through which the river, grown tranquil and shallow, ran gently over a bed of rocks and pebbles. i was able to wade across with ease a short distance below the cataract, which fell, scattering itself in snowy foam, which the sunlight filled with sparkling rainbows. here was the leap we had so nearly taken! one could but tremble to look at it, in spite of the loveliness with which nature had adorned it. i looked for the horseman who had been dashed to pieces there, but not a trace of him was left. when we reached the other side we found the plain covered with fresh grass, growing in thick tufts. my master told me to eat. "see! there is a fine meal for you," said he, "which you should take advantage of at once. i am sorry that i cannot, like you, breakfast on green bushes!... for it is a long time since i have tasted food!" but how could i eat when he was suffering the pangs of hunger? i continued on my way, as though i had not heard. "i understand you well, iravata," said the prince. "you are refusing to eat because i am compelled to go fasting. but this will not do. i know the requirements of your vast stomach--those of men are more patient!" i was above all tortured with thirst, and i drank my fill from the river. "_eat_", iravata--"your stomach being empty will not fill mine!" i pulled off here and there bunches of leaves and grass, but without stopping. i looked everywhere for signs of some houses or villages. "that is useless," said the prince, who devined my thoughts. "they robbed me of all i had, and did not leave me a diamond, or a rupee; and i am not yet so vanquished by misfortune as to be willing to beg! i have only succeeded in saving my royal signet. the idea came to me to remove from my finger the ring on which it is engraved, and conceal it in my mouth. but i cannot barter this seal, which will serve to identify me, for the sake of food. i must wait till we find people who are capable of understanding the significance of my ring, and who will furnish me with the means of reaching my kingdom." my master was right. he could not sell his ring. i hurried my steps to get out of this detestable prairie, which seemed to have no end. but though i travelled on and on, the same fresh grass and herbage surrounded us, with from time to time a few tall trees which bore no fruit; and not a sign of any human habitation was to be seen. the prince had gathered some large leaves with which to cover his head, and protect it from the burning rays of noon, and had also placed some on mine, knowing how the heat distresses us. some cultivated fields now appeared, and presently a group of giant bamboos, and in their midst an edifice of stone, in the form of a bee-hive. "it is a shrine," said alemguir. "let us not fail to render homage to the god it shelters, who meets us thus on our way, before going any further. our prayers finished it will be well to rest ourselves in the shade of the trees." what a surprise when i stood before the entrance of the chapel! the stone god which appeared in the depths on a dais of velvet was a man with the head of an elephant! "ganesa! the god of wisdom!" cried the prince. "it is no chance that has brought us here before him, to whom more than to all the others i should offer thanks!" he knelt at the foot of the altar and prayed in a low voice. during this time i, who could not enter the small and narrow building, examined this strange god, who on the body of a man bore a head like mine, and held the tip of his trunk in his right hand! i could see the upper part of the altar which was hidden from my master, being above his head. there were fresh offerings in plates and bowls--oh! joy! cakes, melted butter, and various fruits--enough to feed a man for three days! my trunk reached the altar. as the prince finished his prayers i placed, one after another, the plates and dishes before him. "offerings!" cried he. "certainly i would not venture to take them notwithstanding my extreme need; but offered by _thee_ i may not refuse; it seems as if the god himself bestowed them on me.... and perhaps thou art, thyself, _ganesa_!" i was not "ganesa" but a very happy elephant. my master ate; and there grew in this place all sorts of grasses and plants that were quite to my taste. we slept during the hot hours of the day; and later we reached an inhabited place, which was evidently near, judging from the fresh offerings, and also from the odours which my acute sense of smell detected in the air. it all seemed delicious, after what we had endured; and if it was, indeed, ganesa who had helped us out of all our troubles, as the prince seemed to think, i felt disposed to thank him most devoutly--and even to pray to him daily. for if it is possible for us to have a god--certainly it is ganesa who should be the god of all elephants.... [illustration] chapter xi we are taken for robbers various adventures befell prince alemguir and myself at beejapoor, which was the first city to be reached after leaving the chapel of ganesa, and where we were obliged to remain several months. the english (the real masters of india) were in great numbers in beejapoor, which contained the residence of a governor. while here we were secure from any hostile act on the part of the maharajah of mysore, himself an english subject, and permitted to retain his sovereignty only by payment of a tribute; but other dangers threatened us; first of all, _my master was taken for a thief!_ seeing him wan, emaciated, almost naked, stripped of everything, his wrists and ankles scarred with the marks of chains, they would listen to nothing he said. they suspected him of having escaped from prison--and what they accused him of stealing was nothing other than _myself_! they were about to confiscate me, and separate us, but upon their venturing to lay hands on me my scream of rage scattered and sent flying both the police agents and the idlers that had gathered about, like a flock of sparrows! the constables returned later, and finally agreed that the unknown stranger might possibly be the owner of the elephant, but he must go before a magistrate, and make explanations, and the matter would then be decided. i placed my master upon my tusks, as i had done once before to protect him from the enemy's bullets, and carrying him thus, to the great astonishment of the crowd, i followed the police agents. the magistrate, notwithstanding the evidence, put us through various tests, in order to assure himself that the fugitive was really my owner; but concluded that even if such were the case it did not prevent him from being a dangerous person--a possible "_spy_"--or secret emissary of conspirators--and that he had best be lodged in jail. alemguir repeatedly demanded to be brought before the governor of beejapoor, to whom he could explain his situation; but the governor was absent on a hunting expedition, and days passed without his return. the prince would have endured all these trials with fortitude had not his mind been tortured by the thought of saphire-of-heaven, who might be dying of grief and anxiety. the retreat of the army had doubtless made her aware of the defeat and capture of her husband. but since then she had heard nothing. she might suppose him killed, and might refuse to survive him.... the governor finally returned, and the prince at once claimed an audience of him. sir percy murray was a tall, thin man, with a white beard and bright, pleasant, blue eyes--very affable in manner, and with an air of frankness and good humour. after the prince had informed him who he was, and had shown him his royal signet-ring and recounted his misfortunes and adventures, the governor expressed regret at the annoyances which his own over-zealous subordinates had caused during his absence, and invited him to be his guest at "jasmine cottage" in the suburbs of the city. my master urged that he be supplied with the means of returning at once to golconda, where his absence might occasion disasters; but sir percy murray, in spite of his civilities could not (so he said) allow an unknown person to leave without being assured of his identity; he would be blamed in high places--"and might even forfeit his position"--said he! but he advised alemguir to write to his wife and direct her to send some well-known residents of golconda, and if possible an english witness, to come and identify the prince; and this done, if he proved to be the person he claimed to be, he would at once be set at liberty. while awaiting the arrival of the envoys the governor of beejapoor made every effort to entertain the prince agreeably. his hospitality was most cordial; his family, numerous and full of gayety and good spirits joined him in offering open-air festivals, receptions and balls. and my master, if not diverted, was at least much interested by the customs, so new to him, of english society. at last the messengers returned with a letter from saphire-of-heaven, and accompanied by the uncle of the prince, and several friends, who wept over him for joy, as they had recently done for sorrow. alemguir, treating me as a friend, as he always did, came and read to me the letter of the princess, and announced that we were to leave the next day. "if it were possible for you to travel by rail-road," added he, "we could arrive the same evening; but it would be difficult, and it might cause you distress!..." so that i was not asked to go by _sea_, i was willing to travel in any sort of way--and i made my master understand that i was quite ready to go by train, so it was settled in that way. i was installed in a great open car, the floor covered with a thick bedding, and with an awning overhead; and i was assisted to mount by means of a broad gang-plank placed at an easy incline. one would have supposed that they had never before seen an elephant take a train, for there were a lot of boobies on the platform who had come to see me embark. the prince advised me to lie down so as to avoid the jolting as far as possible. and after bidding farewell to the governor and the english officers who had escorted him to the station, he entered his carriage, and the doors were closed. a whistle sounded, and the train started. not being used to travelling in a carriage the motion caused me a slight vertigo--but nothing to compare with the abominable agonies of the voyage from siam to ceylon; and the thought of arriving before night filled me with joy, and enabled me to endure with patience my discomfort, while with increasing rapidity we ran, full speed towards golconda.... [illustration] chapter xii parvati during our absence a little princess had been born in the palace of golconda. alemguir, overflowing with joy, brought her to show me, in her baby robes of lace. what a darling she was! how pretty, and fragile.... she was like a flower! her little hand held a golden rattle, and round her neck was a string of great pearls that looked like drops of frozen milk. they had called her _parvati_, which is the name of a goddess. i was filled with deep emotion at the sight of her. my heart beat violently.... but i could only express my feelings by awkwardly shuffling from one foot to the other. saphire-of-heaven had been at the point of death, and they had concealed from her the reverses of the army, and the defeat and capture of her husband, the prince. she had learned at one and the same time of the dangers he had encountered, and of his present safety. and the anticipation of seeing her husband so soon had aided her convalescence. when she learned the part i had played in his escape, she came solemnly to thank me. to my great embarrassment she knelt before me, and did me homage, as they had done in siam. then she declared that, as my poor mahout had been killed in battle, i should never have another, but should only be waited on by servants, having shown an intelligence so superior as to make it unnecessary to exercise control over me. i was hereafter to be allowed complete liberty, in the park, and throughout the domain, both in the city and in the country, whenever i chose to walk out by myself. then began for me a most delightful existence. i felt as if i had been elevated to the dignity of a human being! and the sense of responsibility attached to this new condition inspired me with the resolve to avoid at all times giving trouble, or creating disturbance--and of proving myself worthy of the trust reposed in me. oh! what pleasure to leave the city, and go out into the fields and on to the forest!--and to roam freely under its branches, treading the underbrush, pulling up the young trees, as of old, without being obliged to consider and restrain my motions, as i was forced to do so often in surroundings that were too small for my stature. i was able now to use some of my extra strength, and this rested and soothed me delightfully.... but after a few hours i began to feel how impossible it would be for me to endure the former solitude--how superior to myself i had become; and how entirely weaned from savage life. a restlessness would seize me, a desire to see my masters--my friends, rather!... a fear of being lost, abandoned--of not being able to find my way back came upon me. i would hasten towards the city, relieved as soon as i saw the walls of golconda--its domes, the colour of snow--its slender minarets, more beautiful than the palms of the forest! once inside the walls, i loitered about the streets, sauntering through the bazaars, where everyone took pains to offer me something good. then i would enter the palace, and my first thought was always to seek the little princess parvati. i would find her surrounded by her nurses and maid-servants, among gardens of jasmine and roses, and i would stand and watch her from a distance, absorbed in delighted admiration. slowly i watched her bloom, from day to day, from month to month; soon she was able to roll about on the flowery lawn, and walk, on hands and feet, like a young animal; then she stood up and began to take her first steps among out-stretched arms.... chapter xiii my princess one day--a day that is a burning point in my memory--the little princess was rather more than a year old, and was able to run and jump finely; it was a short distance from a pretty lake bordered with lotus blossoms of all colours; her governesses were playing checkers, seated on rugs under the trees, while parvati ran from flower to flower, chasing a splendid butterfly. i followed her with my eyes, interested in the pursuit. the brilliant wings escaped her continually, fluttered on, and lighted further off; she grew impatient, and more and more eager in the chase, following the thousand zig-zags of the beautiful pink and blue butterfly, which seemed like a winged flower. to my mind the little princess was straying too far away, and approaching dangerously near the borders of the lake. why did they not call her back? i looked over at the women. two of them were playing checkers; all the others were watching the game, bending over the checker-board, and arguing about it with great volubility; they were completely absorbed, and not one was giving attention to her whom they were employed to watch over. trembling with indignation, i was about to run to them and upset their checker-board, when i beheld parvati on the very brink of the water, and still running forward--the butterfly had lighted on a lotus. i was paralyzed with anguish, but not for long; for in an instant the little princess had fallen, without a splash, or a cry that might have aroused attention. in three bounds i was at the spot where she had disappeared among the lotus and the nenuphars. i groped and rummaged in the water with my trunk among the matted stems. a cloud of mud rose from the bottom, obscuring everything, and the next few seconds seemed to me horribly, horribly long. all the women now rushed up, uttering deafening cries, wringing their hands and tearing their clothing. it was high time truly!--but much good did it do! i would have been glad to throw them all into the lake.... at last i found and grasped the poor little princess, and raised her, unconscious, and as if dead--dripping, and covered with black mud. the governesses attempted to take her away from me in order to conceal their fault; but i was resolved it should be known, and, paying no regard to their clamours, i started to run to the palace. it was a reception day; saphire-of-heaven was in the great hall of the throne, surrounded by courtiers and the ladies of her suite. i entered without ceremony, interrupting the conversation, and the dances of the bayaderes, and going straight to the queen, i laid on her knees the child, all covered with mud, and without breath or motion. saphire-of-heaven at first could not understand what had happened, and was about to throw off the black mass which was saturating her dress, but suddenly _she recognized parvati_: "my daughter!" exclaimed she, "and in what a condition! dead, perhaps!" a physician was present and advanced. "calm yourself, your majesty," said he, "it is only a fainting fit." he took the child, removed its wet clothing, gave orders, and all present hastened to busy themselves in services to the little princess. the governesses had entered all in confusion behind me. they now undertook to explain matters, all talking together, with protestations, adjurations, and tears--it was totally incomprehensible.... "be silent," said the queen; "do not speak except to answer my questions!" she then began to interrogate the women. "the princess parvati fell into the lake," said one sobbing. a negress added: "it was the white elephant who pushed her in." i gave her on the instant such a blow on the back with my trunk that she fell to the floor. "that woman has lied," said saphire-of-heaven. "send all of them to prison. we shall soon learn the truth. for the present i must think only of my daughter!" in spite of the tears and supplications of the women, their arms were bound with silk cords, and they were removed, while the negress was carried out on a stretcher. parvati, now revived, bathed, and wrapped in a veil of gold gauze lent by one of the ladies, was replaced on the lap of the queen. the little darling seemed quite surprised at finding herself there, and did not appear to remember anything that had happened. she gazed at the smiling guests with her beautiful eyes opened wide under their long, black lashes, then shyly, she threw her arms around her mother's neck and hid her face on the queen's breast. she was not dead--not even hurt. what joy! i shuffled my feet, and teetered foolishly from side to side, and flapped my ears, having no other way of expressing my satisfaction. "iravata," said the queen, stroking my forehead with her gentle hand, "we will find out what has happened, and you shall assist us in doing so. never, never could i doubt thee, or believe that thou hadst been guilty of a wicked action. perhaps it will prove that i shall again have to thank thee; it may be that i owe to thee the life of my daughter, as i already owe that of my husband!" it was true; without me our lovely little flower would have been lost! if i had unfortunately been away from the palace at the moment, wandering in the forest, or in the bath, or eating a meal--or even absent-minded, and looking in another direction, it would have been a dead little girl that would have been taken out of the water. i shivered at the thought! and made up my mind never to lose sight of her again, and for this purpose i determined to give up my excursions, and my trips outside of the city. the disturbance in the palace had attracted the notice of the king, and it had been impossible to conceal from him the accident which had happened to the princess. he came in, much agitated; but parvati ran to him, laughing, and quite recovered, delighted with the long golden veil in which she was wrapped, and which trailed behind her, making a noise on the carpet! after having tenderly embraced his daughter, alemguir asked for details of the accident, and as no one could furnish any, he directed that a search be made at once of the locality where it had occurred. "iravata," said he, "conduct us to the spot." i obeyed immediately. the king, who carried parvati in his arms, the queen, and all the guests followed me, deeply interested. having reached the borders of the lake, i showed the king the overturned checker-board, and all the pieces scattered about, as when the game was interrupted. but they failed to understand what this had to do with the princess having fallen into the water. they examined with much emotion the spot where she fell--the broken lotus flowers, and the turf all trampled by my feet. [illustration: parvati ran to him, laughing and quite recovered] but all this explained nothing. _who_ was the guilty one? _who_ should be punished? the women were brought again and questioned. but they continued to lie, making statements that were contradictory, but all accusing me. "he came past us like a hurricane, terrifying us to death! the princess was running on before him, and he pushed her into the lake." "and then," inquired alemguir, "who rescued her?" "we did--we did: but the elephant snatched her away from us and ran to the palace!" the prince looked at me, and i made a sign that this was not so. "let them be beaten till they are ready to speak the truth." at once there was a concert of shrieks, which redoubled in shrillness when the slaves appeared armed with thongs of leather. the king gave the word: the slaves seized, each one, a woman, threw her onto her knees, and administered a blow with the lash. one was sufficient to loosen their tongues and it was a race to see which could tell the story first. "i am listening," said the king, and he designated the one who should be spokeswoman. "have mercy upon us, oh mighty king," said she: "_we are guilty_! this is what happened: annanta was playing a game of checkers with zobeide, and the game turned out very extraordinary. we were all looking on, interested in spite of ourselves, but at the same time keeping watch over the dear princess, who was gathering flowers and bringing them to us. unfortunately, we were tempted to make wagers, and at the decisive moment our attention was entirely absorbed by the progress of the game. his lordship, the white elephant, had been standing for a long time looking through the bushes. all at once with a terrific roar he rushed through, tearing apart the branches, trampling the flowers, and ran towards the lake, from which after a moment he lifted the princess." the king approached me with tears in his eyes. "thou art verily our good genius, oh iravata!" said he; "after saving me from a shameful death, thou hast now restored to me my daughter! certainly there is not anywhere upon earth a _man_ to whom i owe such a debt of gratitude, as to thee. let those miserable women be sent away in exile," added he. "so much for the punishment of the guilty; but how to recompense worthily the rescuer?" i would have been glad to be able to speak, and say that no reward could be more to me than the happiness of seeing them all alive, and of being allowed to live near them. saphire-of-heaven shed floods of tears kneeling at the edge of the watery gulf that had so nearly deprived her of her child. all at once she rose, took parvati in her arms, and held her out towards me. "oh, thou! my unknown ancestor! thou who so evidently protects us, accept the guardianship of my daughter; i confide her to thee; thou only shalt watch over her, and in that way anxiety and dread will no longer afflict my heart!" the little princess parvati to be mine! mine this exquisite human flower whom i loved above all else! it was i who was to protect and watch over her, and be always near her! it filled me with enthusiastic delight, and i gave such a formidable blast of the trumpet that all the guests trembled. i stopped short, ashamed and distressed, lest my beloved little one might have been frightened, and not care to have me for a guardian. but no, quite the reverse; she laughed and clapped her little hands together, crying: "more--_more_!" so to please her i trumpeted again--but this time rather less violently! chapter xiv elephant games what a paradise for me were the years during which i was the slave of that child! she accepted me at once, and a sympathy and understanding that was extraordinary existed between us. she was beginning to talk, and from her, with no trouble at all i learned hindostani; till then an interpreter had been attached to my service, with no other duty than that of translating into siamese such words as it was necessary for me to understand. i had, of course, remembered a few--but very few--and rarely an entire sentence; but with parvati, who was, herself, slowly but surely acquiring a _language_--i acquired it too. i was the one to whom she talked most, and whenever i failed to understand her she would go obstinately over and over the same words. generally it was about some new play that she had in her mind. with a playmate like me you can imagine that the games were far from usual! "swing me!" she would say. then i would bend my trunk inward a little, so as to form a sort of living arm-chair, which would support her lightly and prevent her from falling, and swing her gently back and forth. her laughter was like a shower of pearls, but she was never satisfied. "harder! harder!" she would cry, and i quickened the motion and sent her higher and higher, until, when i felt it was becoming dangerous, i stopped. then she would get angry and try to beat me. but her tender little hands hurt themselves on my rough skin, and she would stop, ready to cry, and say: "hateful thing! you prick me!" to comfort her i would stroll towards the fountain, and she would follow clapping her hands.... "oh, yes--yes, make the water-spout." this consisted in drawing up an enormous quantity of water (we are capable of holding in our stomachs an incredible amount), and of raising my trunk and spouting it out in sprays, jets, and showers. the sun shining on the little drops made them sparkle with all the colours of the rainbow. with uplifted head and with ecstatic eyes, parvati would look on. she did not laugh nor exclaim, but said gravely: "that is beautiful!" her one fixed idea was to get on my back and go for a promenade. but a fall from such a mountain as i would have been terrible for her, and i opposed a firm resistance. at the same time i studied how i might find a way of gratifying her with safety. after much reflection i thought of something. i pulled a number of pliant flexible reeds, and with great effort and much patience, i managed to twist them together in a manner to form a kind of basket or hammock which could hang from my neck, and in which i carefully placed my little princess. in this way it was as if she were resting on my heart, and i could watch over her, shelter her from the sun, and protect her from any danger. she was enchanted with my invention, and saphire-of-heaven was equally pleased; only the queen ordered my shapeless work replaced by a more complete and perfect construction. the promenade now became one of our favourite pastimes. we went all about the city, under trees that shaded fountains of porphry. the brahmans who passed in their shining white robes, murmured a benediction on the daughter of their king; the cavaliers whom we met riding on horses whose manes were braided and decorated with fringes, or mounted on elephants richly caparisoned, saluted her with affectionate smiles; the noble ladies stopped their litters drawn by white oxen to speak a few words with her. but what most pleased her was the people, who shouted with joy, when they saw her coming, suspended like a pearl from my neck! the merchants, the blacks, who all greeted her with acclamations--and above all the children, the crowds of little friends, for whom she was like a fairy queen. we stopped before the temple of vichnu which rises like a great bee-hive of stone against the blue sky. and in a moment we were surrounded by a world of little children, half dressed, and running bare-footed in the dust, laughing, screaming, and making a joyous and deafening noise. the princess leaned forward, and, holding up her little hand, imposed silence upon her subjects. they became instantly mute, and ranged themselves in a circle about us. "which of you has been good?" inquired she with a majestic air. "me ... me ..." the entire assembly replied invariably with one voice! "if you tell lies brahma will know it, and allah too, and you will be whipped!" "no! no! _very_ good!" was the answer on all sides. "well then, we will go to the bazaar!" at this the shouts began louder than ever, and like a cloudy of sparrows, as soon as i moved on, all the little urchins jumped and capered around us in the dust; some of the boys went so far as to turn summersaults, a performance which it must be admitted enchanted the princess. a purse filled with rupees was attached to one of my tusks, and we bought at the bazaar all sorts of dainties and pretty things. each child, after pondering deeply--usually with its finger in its mouth--announced what it would best like to have; mangoes, bananas, oranges, sherbet, pastry-cakes, preserves, or perhaps a necklace of "vamba" beads as red as coral, bracelets of enamelled clay--a parasol--slippers; some asked for a tunic, or a veil of muslin.... i, myself was never forgotten. i also was expected to choose what i would like, and i always selected a pastry-shop, where my appetite was allowed full sway. i gobbled pies, cookies, cream-cakes, biscuits, buns--the entire stock. i was terribly ashamed of my greediness, but could not restrain myself. i was the one whose tastes were the most expensive! [illustration: "which of you has been good?" she inquired] the change for the last rupee i scattered in a shower, and while the little ones were engaged in picking up the bits of money we left. sometimes they ran after, and rejoined us. then they formed a ring and joined hands in a gay dance, holding us captive in their happy circle. parvati in her basket would stir restlessly: she longed to get down and mingle in the dance, but her dignity of princess forbade such a thing. when i suspected that her feet were getting the better of her, i broke through the circle with a stern motion, and carried her rapidly away. chapter xv science the education of parvati had begun, to her great displeasure--and to mine. for long hours she had to listen to the brahmans, instead of playing with me, or going to harangue the happy little vagabonds of the city. music, dancing, poetry, writing--it was all terrible! and i could hear my beloved weeping--screaming--stamping, in the midst of her respectful but stern teachers. i stood at the door of the schoolroom, helpless, with drooping head, replying with groans to the furious outcries of the rebellious pupil. sometimes she escaped, all in tears, and ran towards me, encircling my trunk with her little arms, and crying: "take me away! let us run to the forest, away from the wicked brahmans!" but the head brahman in his white robe would appear, and hiding a kindly smile under an outward appearance of severity, take the naughty girl away from me.... at last she obtained permission to learn her lessons in the basket hanging from my neck, while i walked slowly along under the trees of the park. i remember especially a fable which gave us a great deal of trouble to learn, the birds and the butterflies so distracted our attention during those hours of study! but we succeeded at last, and if i could only have spoken i could have prompted the little princess many a time when she made mistakes in her recitations. it was a very pretty fable and was intended to teach us that one cannot be too cautious in this life. and, as i still remember it, i will give myself the pleasure of writing it down from beginning to end, without the least fear of making any mistake. it was called: _the crane and the crawfish_ in a beautiful forest there was a great pool, inhabited by all kinds of fish; on its banks a crane had her dwelling. this crane was old, and could no longer catch the fish to feed on them. therefore, with a throat contracted by hunger, she stood on the edge of the pool and wept; she moistened the ground with her tears, which glistened like innumerable pearls. standing on one slender leg which looked like the stalk of a flower, and with her neck curved downwards, the sly crane deceived the silly fish, who took her for a lotus. now, a crawfish, accompanied by many others of the water-people, approached, and pitying the distress of the crane, inquired respectfully: "friend, why is it that you are not, as usual, seeking your dinner, and why do you utter these tearful sighs?" "my child," said the crane, "what you have observed is true. i do, indeed, make my dinner ordinarily of fish, but behold! i have renounced all appetite for food, and intend to let myself die of starvation; so that no matter how near they come to me i shall never eat fish again!" when the crawfish heard this she said: "friend, what is the reason for this renunciation of all appetite?" "my child," said the crane, "i was born and brought up on the borders of this pool. i have learned that a terrible calamity threatens it; an absence of rain for twelve years is about to occur." "how did you learn this?" asked the crawfish. "an eminent astrologer informed me," replied the crane. "alas! this pool is shallow, it holds but little water, and will soon be empty; and when it is dry all those with whom i grew up and played, will perish for lack of water. i have not the courage to witness such a catastrophe. that is why i am fasting thus, until death takes place; and i weep to think that not one of you will escape!" when the crawfish heard this she repeated to the other inhabitants the words of the crane; and all the fishes, the tortoises, and other water-people felt their hearts quake with fear and anguish. they all gathered around the crane and cried: "friend, is there no way of saving our lives?" "there is," said the crane, "not far from here, a fine lake full of deep water, and embellished with quantities of lotus. even if pardjania, the god of rain, should refuse to permit showers to fall for twenty years, that lake would not become exhausted. if, therefore, any of you care to mount up on my back, i will carry you to that lake." now the fishes had confidence in these words, and assembled from all sides, calling out: "take me!... take me!... me first! me first!"... the wicked crane made them climb one after another onto her back, then she flew towards a great rock situated a short distance off, and threw them all down on it--and devoured them at her ease. "friend," said the crawfish, "it was with me that you had your first friendly conversation--why do you leave me behind, and take the others? will you not save my life along with the rest?" when the wicked crane heard this, she thought to herself, "i am tired of eating fish, so to-day i will take this crawfish for a change!" so she allowed the crawfish to mount on her back, and began the journey to the rock of sacrifice. the crawfish saw from a distance a great pile of bones on the rock. she recognized them as the remains of the fishes, and asked the crane: "friend, how much further is this lake? are you not fatigued by my weight?" "crawfish," replied the crane, "what makes you think that there is another lake? i invented it, in order to preserve my life. now then, call upon your tutelar divinity--for i am going to throw you down on the rock, and eat you!" but no sooner had she finished speaking than her neck, which was as white and as tender as a lotus stem, was seized and pinched by the claws of the crawfish--and her life was ended. the crawfish then bit off the neck of the crane, and quietly returned to the pool. "oh, crawfish! why have you come back?" asked all the water-people on seeing her. "has anything happened? and where is the crane? why has not she returned? we are disappointed at not seeing her!" when they had spoken thus the crawfish laughed, and said: "fools that you are! the deceitful crane has betrayed all the fish, and has thrown them all onto a rock not far from here, and eaten them. fate decreed that my life was to be spared, and i discovered her treachery, and cut her throat. you need have no further anxiety; we water-people will now be able to live happily hereafter...." now, i think that was a very nice fable. chapter xvi fine clothes alas! parvati was growing up. she was as beautiful as the sun, and as pretty as the moon; but she was no longer the playful child who cared for nothing so much as to be with me. she was now a real princess, and her mother instructed her in all the rules of etiquette and the ceremonies of the court. her toilet occupied her a great deal--she, who till now had thought nothing of tearing her tunics on any bramble! as i was privileged in every way and allowed to do as i pleased, i rarely left the neighbourhood of the pavilion in which she lived, and almost always contrived to keep my princess in sight, through one or the other of the large windows, or else on the verandahs embowered in flowers. it chanced very often in this way that i was permitted to watch-the labours of the dressing-maids (though i could not see why they took so much trouble to embellish a beauty which was already so perfect). the slaves would bring water from the ganges, in which they bathed parvati; they showered her with "_santal_," and powdered her with safran, which gave her the appearance of a golden statue. then they threw over her a "sari" (which is a thin garment, as light as a mist), and she sat down cross-legged on a purple velvet cushion. then the hairdressers came forward; and her hair, which was as dark and shining as a river of night, was divided into two portions and combed, and perfumed, and ornamented with pearls and jasmine flowers. next they stained the palms of her hands and the soles of her feet a beautiful reddish orange-colour with "_mendhi_"; she nibbled a bit of "_betel_" to darken the colour of her gums; her long eyes and thick eyebrows were blackened with "_surmeh_," and her rosy lips were tinted blue with "_missi";_ on her ankles were fastened little bells attached to golden rings; a golden girdle encircled her waist, and they loaded her neck and arms with necklaces and bracelets. arrayed in this way i could hardly recognize her; she seemed so majestic, so dignified--so different from herself, that it saddened me a little with the feeling that she was growing away from me. and now when we went out she was no longer reclining in the basket against my heart; she was mounted on my back, installed in a sumptuous "howdah" with double bell-towers of gold and curtains of pale green silk. still she would not permit a servant to accompany us, nor any of her suite. freedom, and my companionship were still what she liked best. "do you know, iravata," said she, "when my slight form is carried by your colossal strength, i feel as if i were a goddess! i feel inaccessible, like the blue god vichnu, and invincible, like the hero rama! i seem made so great by thy power, and devotion, and courage, that my pride is exalted, and i feel as if on a throne--like the primitive lotus that supports brahmah. but when i dismount how humiliated i feel at being only a poor little princess, obliged to walk on the ground!" on hearing this i was so pleased that i had to shuffle my feet, flap my ears, and utter little grunts of satisfaction! we no longer strolled about the city, frequenting the public places, and the fountains, as in the old times. i promenaded the streets with a solemn dignified step; but, once outside of the city gates, i quickened my pace and sought the forest. chapter xvii the abduction one day a most culpable idea came into my head. parvati had for some time past shown herself extremely irritated by the constantly increasing demands of her position as princess; by the receptions, the parades, the long dissertations of the brahmans upon the present and the future life, and the interminable poems, recited in a monotonous voice by the court poet in reference to the most insignificant events that occurred at the palace. "oh!" said she, "to be free! to be only a simple mortal! to do only what one likes to do! without being obliged to wear a mask, and force oneself to smile, when one feels like weeping--or to be solemn, when one wants to laugh!"... to be free! i also thought of it during the long days when i was deprived of her companionship.... well! it was easy enough! we had but to steal away to the depths of the forest, and never return! i refused to consider the wickedness of such a scheme. i repelled all the objections that might have suggested themselves, and one day, leaving the palace of golconda as if for an ordinary promenade, i was firmly resolved never to return to it. i gained the forest more quickly than usual, and pushed on to portions far beyond those where we had previously ventured. at this distance i felt safe. i was quite sure they could not pursue us, for it had not rained for a long time, and the dry ground showed no trace of my enormous feet. still, in order to make sure, i marched for half an hour along the bed of a shallow stream, to throw the dogs off the scent, and when i again stepped onto the ground i felt confident that i was now, indeed, to be for a long time alone with my dear little princess parvati. at last i had quitted that court where everything combined to separate me from my little friend--ceremonies, etiquette, the great festivals, and the thousand demands of the toilette, which occupied her at all hours of the day, in order that she might never appear in public twice in the same costume. now, there would be no more of all that. she was going to live quietly and happily in the forest, like a little hermit, served and waited on by a great white slave! and i would take such good care of her--serve her so devotedly--with such thoughtfulness, such affection, such love!... she was so light on my back that i did not feel her any more than if she had been a green fly, or a little blue-bird that had lighted on my rough skin. but i could hear her singing--and her voice delighted me. she was singing a very long and very beautiful song which one of her maids of honour had taught her; it was called the "_gita govinda_" and i think she did not understand it very well, but she liked it all the better on that account. from time to time i raised my trunk and she clasped the tip in her little fingers, and laughingly "shook hands" with me! she was delighted with this excursion, for it was the first of the kind she had taken. of course, she had heard of the deep parts of the forest, filled with bright flowers, and she knew that she had not been allowed to come here for fear some heavy fruit might fall on her from a tree, or a venomous serpent dart out upon her. she was not fond of contradictions--nor of being thwarted by obstacles of any sort, and being forbidden to enter it, she was all the more desirous to do so; it was, therefore, with great glee that she permitted her good friend iravata to conduct her to the _forbidden forest_. at the expiration of a couple of hours we had penetrated to the very heart of the wild wood. the trees overhead were of a prodigious height, and their tops so full of leaves that the sunlight could not pass through. no plants grew at their feet, and there were neither bushes nor vines; nothing but an endless number of tall slender trunks without branches; it was as if we had entered the colonnade of an immense temple. parvati was a little afraid now of this vast solitude--this profound silence. she no longer sang, and when she spoke her voice sounded sad.... i hastened, therefore, to go in another direction. i remembered that a short distance from where we were the ground rose gently till it formed a little hillock, which was celebrated for its beauty; so i turned in that direction, and soon reached the spot. a perfumed breeze wafted from it the sound of birds singing in the branches, and parvati began again her song. this new forest was wonderfully beautiful. there were so many flowers growing here that as i walked on and crushed them, my feet were stained as red as if i had been walking in blood. the trees bore more flowers than leaves, and swarms of bees buzzed among the branches. little blossoms of blue and yellow bloomed even on the trunks of the trees, having pierced the bark with their tiny roots. there were great beds of tall plants which bore rich and fragrant blossoms. these were the _sacred flowers_, the dwelling place of the _good fairies_, who bestow great joys, and fulfill desires and hopes. parvati wished to dismount and gather some of them. i wrapped my trunk around her slender waist, and placed her--like another flower--among the crimson blossoms. she picked seven of the handsomest, made an opening in the centre of each, and threaded them on a thin stem, which held them together without crushing them. then she unfastened her hair and shook it down over her shoulders, and arranged the wreath upon her head as best she could. i had never seen her look so pretty; her royal head-dresses were too heavy and elaborate and weighed down her delicate head. i would have preferred always to see her crowned only with this wreath of flowers which she herself had made without the aid of either slaves or mirrors. i replaced her gently on my back and resumed my march through the forest. the vines had now become so numerous and so tall that i could no longer step over them; sometimes i had to rise on my hind legs and place my forefeet upon a tangle of green creepers that barred the way. the weight of my body was barely sufficient to break through these natural barriers and open a path before us. often too, the trees grew so close together, and the branches hung so low that my dear little parvati might have been struck and scratched by the twigs and briars; at such times i lifted my trunk and held up, out of her way, all that might have touched her---on whom i would not have permitted so much as a flower to rest and annoy her! all that she saw delighted her. great birds flew by with wonderful feathers, and she regretted not being able to catch them and make fans of their beautiful red and green tails. she longed to possess the little monkeys that chattered when they saw her, and threw down little nuts and fruits that lodged in her hair. she wanted the big insects that glittered in the sunshine, and hummed about the clustering flowers.... alas! i could not give her any of them! what is more, i would not have cared to continue the excursion with a whole menagerie on my back! to tell the truth i was rather jealous of the attention parvati gave to all these things, so much more beautiful than i.... the sun was about to set and the forest was transfigured in the red evening rays, when we reached the borders of a lake, all surrounded by trees, and so overgrown with lotus flowers that the water could hardly be seen. parvati wished to dismount; i assisted her--but soon repented of my imprudence, when i saw her unfasten her long robe of silk and gold, throw it on the bank, and plunge into the shining water.... like a careful nurse, i was alarmed lest my little mistress should catch cold, and i made desperate signals to her with my trunk to come out.... but she only looked at me coaxingly, took a lotus in each of her hands, and crossed her arms on her breast, as they do before the statues of lachmi, when asking favours or returning thanks. so i let her remain.... i was weak enough to permit her to do so.... she was so joyous and full of spirits! i could see just her little round head among the lotus flowers, as she pushed them aside, walking on the bottom of the lake; only her laughing mouth and brilliant eyes showed under her wet drooping hair. she left behind her a trail of perfume on which floated the blue powder and the santal that had been scattered over her to give her the colour of the skies. and soon she might have been taken for any ordinary little girl had it not been for a look of royalty that shone in her eyes. chapter xviii retribution the sun had set; parvati was returning slowly to the shore and preparing to resume her silken robe, when she uttered a piercing shriek, and covered her face with her hands--trembling in every limb. i followed the direction of her glance, and a shudder seized me also, when i perceived, coiled in the tall grass, a serpent of the most venomous species, which had fixed its gaze on parvati, prepared to spring as soon as she should place foot upon the bank. oh! how was i now punished for my wrong-doing! the pain which pierced my heart at seeing parvati in danger led me to realize how saphire-of-heaven and alemguir must have suffered at not seeing their beloved daughter return at the accustomed hour. had i then sunk to the level of a selfish brute--a being without reflection--a mere elephant? having had the shameful idea of stealing the princess away from her family and her court.... now she was perhaps lost forever--and i with her; for i was resolved not to survive her if she perished from the venom of this frightful reptile. these distracting thoughts rushed with terrible rapidity through my head, and almost deprived me of my presence of mind. fortunately, it returned to me. i uttered a sudden roar, and at the same time leaped towards the serpent, who, surprised and alarmed, quickly unwound its coils, and hid itself in the leaves. it now turned towards me--spitting and hissing--and this was what i desired, to distract its attention from the princess. she now left the water, and climbed once more onto the bank; she was safe. but, clasping her hands, she called to me, imploring me to be careful of the bite of the fearful creature, and urging me to escape with her rather than to risk a battle. i could not answer and tell her that my thick leathery skin had nothing to fear from the bite of the serpent, except around the eyes or lips, and i was far too angry at the fright it had caused me to refrain from taking summary vengeance. the enemy did not move; it fixed the shining gaze of its lidless eyes upon me, and darted its forked tongue in and out, like a black flame; then it coiled again, in readiness to spring. the upper portion of its body was now half hidden under the leaves, the middle was wound around a tree, but the creature was so long that a part still trailed on the ground. i put my foot on that portion, and bore down upon it with all my weight. then the snake quickly stretched itself to its full length, whipping the leaves and the branches of the tree with furious hissings. it was struggling to escape, and not succeeding, it came at me again with such a lightning-like spring that i was unable to avoid it. it twined itself around my legs, and around my neck, biting furiously with wide-opened jaws, but only breaking its fangs on my tough hide. the danger for me was of an altogether different kind. with gigantic strength it tightened more and more its clasp about my limbs, and what was more serious, twisted itself around my throat in a way that threatened to stop my breath. [illustration: i uttered a sudden roar and at the same time leaped toward the serpent] it was impossible to reach it with my tusks--it was too close--and i was in a truly pitiable situation. what, alas! would become of parvati, left alone in the wood, if i should be strangled by this monster? and closer, and still closer, the living rope tightened about me.... i could no longer move in spite of my efforts, and the blood roared in my ears under the increasing and suffocating pressure.... i threw myself desperately on the ground, rolling madly over and over, seeking to crush my enemy beneath my weight. i rubbed and ground it on the rough earth and the thorny bushes. the battle was long. but at last i felt the cold slimy coils soften, relax, and finally let go their grasp. i rose, panting. the serpent lay full length on the ground, still squirming a little, and looking like a river of blood and ink. i fell to work, and stamped on it, and tore it to ribbons with my tusks--till it was completely destroyed. when my rage was thoroughly appeased i turned, proud and pleased, to seek parvati. ah! how bitterly did i now repent of the crime i had committed in carrying her off!... my princess lay on the ground, pale and motionless--and to all appearance dead. chapter xix the hermit the night had fallen rapidly; it was very dark under the thick branches of the trees, which even at midday cast a dense shadow. what was to be done? how was i to obtain succour for the princess, whom i could now barely see, as she lay motionless on the ground? i raised the upper part of her body very gently with my trunk, and swayed her softly back and forth, and fanned her with my ears--but she did not stir. the thought that she might be dead so horrified me that, without waiting to take breath, i poured forth groans and screams so piercing that they were mistaken for those of a human being--and it was this that finally extricated us from our misfortunes. all at once i saw, far off under the leaves, a little red light that seemed to be advancing. it surely was a lantern, and that meant that here, in the wilderness, there was a human being. i redoubled my cries of distress, and the light approached more rapidly. it was turned in our direction, and i could not see the person who was carrying it. at some distance it stopped, and a feeble, and somewhat tremulous voice called: "who is it that is moaning? who is it that disturbs the quiet of the forest by these cries? can it be this elephant? how happens it that his cries are like those of a man?" i lifted the princess on my tusks and laid her in the rays of the lantern. "oh, the poor child!" exclaimed the voice, and an old man came forward and placed his brown and withered hand over the heart of parvati. "she has swooned," said he. "come, follow me. we must lose no time; do you not see that a storm is impending? we must not remain an instant longer under the trees." he began to walk rapidly on, holding the lantern in a way to light the path, on which i followed, carefully carrying the unconscious princess. we soon reached a great clearing, in the centre of which, leaning against a rock, was a little hut built of wooden planks. "here we are, this is my dwelling," said the man; "i am only a poor hermit, who has retired in disgust from the world, in order to live and meditate in solitude. i am denuded of all; i possess nothing. but the forest provides me with plants which nourish me. some of them have wonderful virtues, which i trust will enable me to restore to life this lovely young girl." the hut was so small that i could only thrust my head inside. i placed parvati on the hermit's bed of leaves, and he hung up the lantern. he then crushed between his hands an herb that had a pungent odour, which he caused the princess to inhale, while he rubbed her temples and her wrists. to my great joy parvati revived; she passed her hands across her eyes, and then, seeing me, she smiled. "oh! my dear iravata," exclaimed she: "the terrible serpent did not strangle you! i was so terrified i thought i was dying!" she then related to the hermit all that had befallen us, and what a friend i had always been to her. he in his turn told how he had heard my cries and hastened to our assistance. he was able to offer the princess some delicate fruits, which she accepted gladly, as she had eaten nothing all day. "oh, holy man," said she, "is it possible that you live all alone in the depths of this forest? how sad and lonely you must find it!" "no, child," replied he: "those who live in company with their own thoughts are never lonely. instead of looking only at the life that is now passing, or has passed away--as you do--i look forward to the mystery of the hereafter, to what is to be after death. and i find this enough to occupy every minute of the day and the night!" "oh, holy man," said she: "why do you despise life? to me it seems sweet and full of joy, and my heart sinks at the thought that it cannot last forever!"... a vivid flash of lightning startled the princess, who shrieked, and hid her face in her hands. i pushed my head further into the door of the hut so as to close the opening and shut out the glare. "poor little thing!" said the hermit. "here i am talking about death and oblivion to this lovely flower that blooms and delights all around her!" he gently removed the hands which she still held clenched before her eyes: "fear nothing," said he. "we are safe and sheltered here from the violence of the storm." then, in order to reassure her, and to distract her attention, he added: "if you like, i will tell you a story, and it will show you why i no longer care for a world where good fortune often attends a thief or a liar, and brings them to honour." "oh, yes!" said parvati. "by all means tell me this story!" "listen, then," said the hermit. * * * * * "once upon a time there was a humble brahman named harisarman. he was very poor and ignorant, and possessed a numerous family. after being compelled for a long time to make his living by begging, he and his family were received into the household of a rich man named sthuladatta. the children of harisarman were employed to drive the cows, herd the sheep, and tend the poultry; his wife worked in the house, and he, himself, was attached to the service of the master. "one day sthuladatta gave an entertainment to celebrate the marriage of his daughter, but he omitted to invite harisarman to the festival. "'behold!' said harisarman to his wife: 'i am despised because of my poverty and ignorance. but i shall pretend to be a learned man, in order that sthuladatta will have respect for me hereafter; and when an opportunity occurs you must say that i am an accomplished soothsayer.' "then he took the bridegroom's horse out of the stable, and went to a distant part of the forest, and hid it. "when the feast was over, and the bridegroom prepared to return home with his young bride, his horse was nowhere to be found. the forest was searched, the thickets ransacked; the guests all dispersed in different directions to assist in finding the animal--but no trace of him could be discovered. "then the wife of harisarman came forward, and said: "'my husband could have found the horse very easily; he is a learned soothsayer, and understands the language of the stars. why do you not inquire of him?' sthuladatta sent for harisarman, and said: "'canst thou tell me where to look for the lost horse?' "harisarman replied: "'master, thou hast bidden a host of guests to be present at the marriage of thy daughter; but thou didst not deign to invite me because i am poor. behold i among all those whom thou hast honoured not one can tell thee where to look for thy son-in-law's horse, and thou art obliged to have recourse to me, whom thou hast treated with contempt! nevertheless, i am not revengeful; and thanks to my learning, i will be able to inform thee where thou wilt find the horse whom thou seekest.' "he then drew cabalistic signs, and magic circles, and ended by telling the place where he had hidden the horse. "from this moment he was held in great esteem in the household of sthuladatta. "not long afterwards a robbery was committed in the palace of the king; jewels and gems were stolen, and gold carried away. "the king, having heard of harisarman, ordered him brought to the palace, and said to him: "'i have heard of thy powers of divination; canst thou reveal to me the names of the wretches who have dared to enter my palace, and steal my treasures?' "harisarman was very much confused. he bowed low before the king and replied thus: "'great king, all-powerful master, thou hast taken me somewhat unawares. but thanks to my great learning, no secret is hidden from my discerning eyes; i discover that which is invisible, and bring to light what others would desire concealed forever. give me only till to-morrow, in order that i may place myself under the influence of the stars." "the king had him conducted to a chamber in the palace, with orders that he was to be permitted to pass the night alone. "now, the theft had been committed by a maidservant of the palace named _dschiva_ (the _tongue_) and by her brother. "full of uneasiness, and fearing that the supposed soothsayer would denounce her to the king, dschiva crept on tiptoe to the chamber occupied by harisarman, in the hope of overhearing something he might say. the false soothsayer was as much frightened as she, and uttered loud imprecations on his _tongue_ (_dschiva_) which had brought such trouble upon him. "he cried out: "oh, _dschiva_! (_tongue_) what have you done through your stupid covetousness!" "dschiva imagined that these words were addressed to her; she entered the chamber and threw herself at the feet of harisarman, confessed to him that she had stolen the jewels, implored him not to betray her, promising if he would be silent to bestow on him all the gold which had been taken, and to inform him where she had hidden the jewels. "the next day harisarman led the king to where the jewels were concealed, but the gold he kept for himself, and said to the king: "'sire, the thieves in escaping carried with them the gold.' "the king, well-pleased to have recovered his jewels, would have recompensed harisarman, but was withheld by one of his councillors, who said: "'all this does not look natural to me, oh, king. how can such learning be possessed by one who has never studied the holy texts? this affair has doubtless been arranged by harisarman and the robbers. in order to convince _me_ this pretended soothsayer would have to be put to the test!' "the king consulted for a few minutes with his councillor, who then went out, and soon returned with a new earthen pot, which was covered by a lid, under which he had placed a live frog. "the king, addressing harisarman, said: "'if thou canst tell me what this vessel contains all honours shall be paid to thee, if not, thou shalt be put to death for having dared to deceive me!' "harisarman now gave himself up for lost. memories, as vivid as lightning-flashes, passed through his mind. he remembered his happy childhood, and his kind father, and how the latter had a pet-name for him, and often would call him "little frog!" and, not thinking of what he was saying, but speaking to himself (with sufficient distinctness, however, to be heard), he exclaimed: "'alas! alas!... this pot has caught thee, little frog! once thou wert free and happy, but now, how wilt thou escape?' "all those who stood by and heard him supposed that his words were addressed to the frog in the basin. "the test seemed conclusive. "from that day the king honoured harisarman, loaded him with benefits, and made him a prince.... "this," said the hermit, "is a story that shows how there is no justice in the world, and that we should be glad to leave it and seek a better one--even at the price of one's existence!" "oh, holy man," said parvati, "the history of harisarman is not finished; and who knows what may have happened to him afterwards? perhaps he may have experienced a punishment all the more severe from having been delayed. and then he must have suffered from knowing himself to be other than he seemed! from knowing himself to be a liar and a thief, while he was saluted as a scholar and an honest man.... it seems to me that in this world we are always punished for our faults. behold, what has happened to us to-day! iravata, the wisest of elephants, for the first time acted without his usual prudence; he went too far into the forest, and i, instead of restraining him, was delighted with the adventure, and encouraged him to go still further. we have both come near to losing our lives; then the storm overwhelmed us, and here we are, at the dead hour of the night, in the midst of this forest, fearfully far from the palace of golconda--where, no doubt, my dear parents, distracted with anxiety, are lamenting the absence of their disobedient daughter!" in saying this parvati's beautiful eyes were full of tears, and as i listened i bent my head in shame, and wept, too. "do not despair," said the hermit, who was looking closely at me; "the dangers you have encountered may perhaps have saved you from still greater perils. this elephant, who has acquired the moral intelligence of humanity, knows very well to what i allude, and _he alone is to blame"._ i trembled in all my members under the searching look he cast upon me, and understanding full well the meaning of his accusing words, my head sank lower and lower. "let this elephant take warning," said he: "in approaching mankind through his sentiments and intelligence, he may also become liable to the errors of mankind. i foresee his future. i foresee that he will be unhappy, and that he will be the maker of his own misfortunes, through a sentiment far too human!"... a long silence followed these prophetic words. parvati was deeply moved, and as for me, i dared not raise my head. i withdrew from the doorway which i had obstructed. and now a lovely moonlight, soft and bright, the colour of emeralds and turquoises, shone into the hut. the storm was over. the full moon had risen and beamed in the sky, where a few clouds still floated. the trees and the flowers, refreshed by the rain, filled the air with fragrance. "go now, my friends," said the hermit; "the storm has been of service to you. those who are waiting for you are not as anxious as they would otherwise have been; believing in the wisdom of the elephant, in whom they have entire confidence, they will suppose that he sought shelter from the storm, and that it alone has caused your delay. go, then, the moon shines as bright as day. may the king and queen of golconda never learn the truth!"... [illustration] chapter xx despair thanks to the english who had interposed and had stopped the war, a treaty of peace had been signed between the maharajah of mysore and my master, the king of golconda. but, under an appearance of friendship, there still brooded a bitter enmity; and as a renewal of hostilities would have been the ruin of my master, who was less powerful than his enemy, a method was sought to confirm and strengthen the treaty. the plan decided upon was terrible--terrible for _me_--and brought about the catastrophe which the hermit had foretold; and as he had predicted, i was the maker of my own misfortunes.... parvati all at once began to act strangely. a preoccupation which she did not impart to me absorbed her constantly, and i was unable to decide whether she was happy, or sad. for hours at a time she would sit motionless, leaning back, gazing straight before her, her little hands clenched on the arms of her rattan chair. i thought i could perceive that she was restless and impatient--as if expecting something; but she, who usually confided to me every thought, now was silent and reserved. one day i saw her in the great avenue of tamarind trees looking attentively at something which she held in the palm of her hand; she would lift it and bring it near--then hold it off at a distance, looking at it with half-closed eyes. she ended by letting her arms fall at her side, and bowing her head. i drew near and saw that her eyes were full of tears. at this i uttered a little plaintive cry, and knelt before her, trying to make her understand how it pained me to be ignorant of that which was grieving her. she understood me, and patting me gently with her hand, she made me rise. "i am going to tell thee everything to-day, iravata," said she. "if i have been silent till now it was because i dreaded to announce things that might never come to pass; to speak of them seemed only to make them more real, and to bring them nearer. i had hoped that all would fade away, like the clouds which sometimes gather in the sky, and seem to threaten a tempest, but which yet disappear without bringing a storm. but now all is settled." i trembled with anxiety on hearing her speak so sadly; she had seated herself on a bench of carved wood lacquered in red and gold, and she now continued, looking at the thing she held hidden in her hand: "i am a princess," said she. "till lately i had supposed that this meant only that i was more powerful, more free, as well as richer than other mortals. i have learned that this is not all. there are duties which we owe to the people of whom we are the rulers, and our duty sometimes is to sacrifice our happiness to their welfare." (the "happiness of the people!"--"sacrifice herself!" what was i about to hear?) all at once she opened her hand and showed me a little picture set round with gold and diamonds: "see this," said she, "it is a prince--look well at it.... see this large, heavy face, this dark complexion, almost black under the white turban; see that thick mouth, and that bristling moustache, those long half-shut eyes, with such a sneering expression! it is not what one would imagine the face of a young prince to be--and yet," added she, "it is no doubt flattered!" she raised the picture to the level of my right eye, and i shut the other in order to see better. so far as an elephant can judge of a likeness, and above all after the description she had given, it seemed to me the face of a terrible being--an enemy; and i hardly glanced at the picture when i was seized with a hatred of the person it represented, although i did not yet know how much reason i had to detest him. "this prince is named baladji-rao," said parvati. "he is the son of the maharajah of mysore, who at the time of my birth was making an unjust war upon my father, and who would have put him to a shameful death, had you not rescued him, my iravata. well! behold how strange is the fate of princes! this baladji, whose father strove to make me an orphan--is to be my husband--they are about to marry me to him, in order to cement more strongly the treaty which has been signed, and preserve the peace of the two kingdoms." _marry her_! "the prince has never seen me, and i am not acquainted with him; how can there be anything like friendship between us? but it is not, alas! a question of friendship--but of politics. i must sacrifice myself to the good of the state. to lament would be unworthy of my noble birth, and to appear sad would only distress my parents, who are delighted with the alliance." i was thunderstruck. for a few moments i remained mute; but i could not control myself and very soon began to stamp and utter screams of distress. "no.... no! iravata," cried she: "do not do so; thy cries seem only to echo my own despair--and i am not willing to give it expression! i smother my grief in my heart, and force back my tears. i am resolved to be a truly royal maiden, worthy of the long line of ancestors which form in history a brilliant chain, of which i am the last link. but they shall not separate thee from me.... that i will never allow!" not separate her from me when she was already so little with me! ah! why could she not have remained a child, over whom i was permitted to watch?... to be together then was a pleasure for her, as much as for me! while now she was full of thoughts in which i had no part--taken up with amusements in which i counted for nothing. when she was married she would have a court of her own, and a whole palace to organize and direct--and what would become of me? i was ashamed at thinking only of myself, and forgetting her sorrows; but a new feeling which i could not control had been aroused and was raging in me--a fury, and a savage hatred for the stranger who was going to take my princess away from me. she forbade me to express my anguish, and it choked me. i had not, myself, any "royal" soul; i owed nothing to my "ancestors." i was only a beast of the forest, taught by my association with men to think, and to suffer; when i suffered i had to cry out; and since my princess would not permit me to do so in her presence--i rushed away, and went, like a wounded animal, to lie and grieve on my bed in the stable! chapter xxi jealousy he appeared one day at the palace of golconda--the enemy--the fiancé--whom i had already learned to detest. when i saw him advancing from a distance, talking and laughing with parvati, a red flame danced before me, and i closed my eyes to escape from the frenzy of rage which overwhelmed me at the sight of him. i could hear them coming; the voice of the stranger reached my ears, resounded in them, and pierced them like a sharp arrow! on hearing it i seemed to see once more the bloody battlefield--the corpses crushed under my feet, and my master in chains, and our perilous flight through the wilderness.... a tremor shook me from head to foot. i lowered my head and kept my eyes obstinately shut, and i tore up the ground with my tusks to try and work off my fury. i heard them coming nearer and nearer, she with her light step, and he dragging his feet along carelessly. he had seen me, and it was of me that he was speaking. "ah!" said he, "you have a white elephant! i know that a great veneration is felt for animals of this species in some countries--among others in siam, the country of the queen your mother. we, however, are less simple-minded, and we like them for processions, but value them less than the others because they are less robust." parvati had stopped near me, disturbed by my silent rage, which was plainly visible to her; she sought to soothe me with her gentle hand, and her voice shook as she replied to the prince: "iravata is the good genius of our family. the soul of one of my ancestors dwells in him, and he is my dearest friend!" "not dearer than your fiancé, i hope!" said he with a conceited laugh. "he who has been devoted to me since my birth is more of a friend than the fiancé of yesterday...." "why, this is serious!" cried baladji, laughing still louder: "must i really be jealous of a great beast like that?"... i could no longer restrain myself from opening my eyes, and at the look that met his, the prince recoiled several steps. "by kali," said he, "your ancestor has not a very pleasant expression! his eyes are as ferocious as a tiger's!" "let us go on, i beg of you," said parvati. "i do not know what has irritated him, but iravata is not himself to-day." "i will go on very willingly," said the prince, endeavouring to conceal his fright, "for i detest the vicinity of elephants because of their odour!" he turned and went away hurriedly, while parvati, before rejoining him, looked back at me, and clasped her hands supplicatingly. it was well that he left, for i could no longer control myself; the idea of crushing him under my feet, and stamping him to a jelly had come over me, and in spite of the shame i felt at such a murderous impulse, i could not banish it. chapter xxii flight for several days after this parvati did not come to visit me. i saw her at a distance, walking in the gardens, always accompanied by the black baladji-rao, whose white turban striped with gold showed brilliantly against the dark green shrubbery. perhaps the princess intended to punish me for having shown myself so bitter and full of hatred, or perhaps she dreaded some outbreak of temper on my part; but her absence only embittered me still more, and my hatred increased for him who had deprived me of her presence, and the desire to murder him haunted me day and night.-- the palace was all in confusion with preparations for the wedding. they came to try on me a mantle of silver brocade embroidered with pearls and turquoise, a crown of feathers, and a howdah of gold fillagree, in which the bridal couple were to be seated on the day of the marriage; for to me had been assigned the honour of carrying them in the great triumphal procession which was to traverse all golconda. but in proportion as the day approached my longing to kill the prince increased to such intensity, that to avoid committing so fearful a crime, i took a painful resolution.... i resolved to leave the palace--and to fly! leave parvati! leave the king and saphire-of-heaven! they who had made my life so sweet--so free--so happy! go wandering about the world, exposed to whatever might befall me, and perhaps become once more a mere savage.... how could i endure such misfortune--such misery? but i realized that i must sacrifice myself to prevent bringing a terrible catastrophe on those who had been so kind to me. should baladji-rao be assassinated in golconda, war would again be declared, fearful reprisals would be made, and my benefactors ruined. i had done my best to curb my feelings, and resign myself to what i could not help; but a sight of the prince of mysore, no matter at what distance, caused a cloud of rage to mount to my brain which deprived me of reason, and impelled me irresistibly to destroy him. i must go. i must give to my beloved parvati this last proof of my devotion. the night before the wedding i waited for the moon to set, and then i noiselessly opened the great door of my stable, and stole softly out. for a moment i thought of going for a last time under the window of the princess's chamber, and of gathering some lotus flowers and fastening them to her balcony, as i had often done before; that would have been a sort of "good-bye" and she would have understood. but my heart was heavy, and my eyes dim; i feared if i did so i might give way, and be unable to carry out my resolution, and leave. so, i crossed the courtyard quickly, lifted the bar and the chain on the gateway, and then, after fastening them once more to the best of my ability, i went forth. a great silence rested everywhere on golconda; all was dark and empty. my head hung down with shame and sorrow, and as i walked my big tears fell on the road, so that i could have been traced by them, if the dust had not at once dried them up! the day was dawning when i drew near the forest which had so often been the goal of my excursions with the little princess. in those days, when the dusky outline of the trees and thickets shone out against the brilliant rose-colour of the sky, how delighted was i to entertain the laughing princess with my gay frolics! and now, how sadly and mournfully was i seeking its somber shade! my breast swelled with huge sighs--elephantine sighs--which escaped me with such terrible sounds that the beasts of the forest fled away, frightened. i was so overcome that i was obliged to stop, and had i been a man i might, like the court poet, have put into verse the emotions of my heart, and the hoarse groans which burst from me could have been translated thus: "_alas! i shall see thee no more, dearest parvati:_ _smile of my life, sun of my days, moon of my night_! _i shall see thee no more... alas!_ "_no more will thy soft hand stroke me!_ _nor thy gentle voice speak the friendly words_ _that sounded sweeter to me than the sweetest music!_ _"but i leave thee to avoid committing a fearful crime._ _"thou, no doubt wilt soon have forgotten me._ _thou wilt always be the divine princess parvati_, _loved and blessed by all_! _but_ i, _deprived of thee_, _shall be only a poor wandering brute_, _with naught to comfort me_ _but the remembrance of former happiness!..."_ yes, that is how the poet would have lamented--and i also if i had not been an elephant! i went on deeper and deeper into the forest, and the thought came to me of asking help of the good hermit who had so kindly received us on the day when i attempted to carry off the princess, and when the serpent and the storm had brought me to repent of my wrong doing. certainly this pious old man, who had so long studied the lives of the saints, and knew that one must be no less pitiful to animals than to human beings, would not repel me, and perhaps his comforting words would heal somewhat the sufferings which were too much for me. as i advanced the woods seemed changed; the birds no longer sang, the flowers were pale and withered, and even the trees were brown and dying. "it is because i myself am so sad," thought i at first; "that is the reason the forest seems so dreary; but by and by, when i shall have found the hermit, and his words will have imparted to me a little courage, i shall hear the birds sing again, and see the flowers i used to gather for her!" alas! i was mistaken. like myself the forest had really lost all its gayety; the birds would not sing, nor the flowers bloom any more. i searched in every direction, but could not find the hermit; at last i discovered, buried in the grass, a few half-decayed planks which alone remained to mark the spot where the hut had once stood. i saw that it had been abandoned, and left to be destroyed by the winds and the rain. the good hermit, with whom i had hoped to find a refuge, had left the forest; he had gone to seek another hermitage, or had taken up the life of a wandering mendicant, such as the sacred books sometimes ordain for brahmans; or perhaps he might even be dead, killed by some ferocious tiger. and so it was, that with him, all the joy and gladness had departed from the beautiful forest, which his presence no longer sanctified. chapter xxiii the herd if anything could have added to my wretchedness it would have been this failure to find the kind hermit. what was to become of me? accustomed as i had been for so long to living among men--petted and cherished by all? oh! why did no wise suggestion now come to me? why did i not think of returning to the palace of golconda, where very likely my absence had not yet been discovered? alas! jealousy and murderous hatred still governed me; it was necessary that i should suffer and be punished; and the wise counsel which might have spared me so many trials never entered my head. i wandered aimlessly through glades and thickets, penetrating desperately to the wildest parts of the forest. and now a new distress was added to my misery. if i had, like men, the faculty of blushing, i would blush to say that hunger was now torturing me. i ought not, perhaps, at such a time to have given a thought to so commonplace a necessity as food; but, i repeat, our race supports less than any other the lack of nourishment; and, during my long life, i have seen so many men yield to the mere fear of hunger, that i trust i shall not be criticised too severely for my weakness. i was, then, very sorrowful--and very hungry! i gathered here and there a few half-dead leaves, or a bunch of thin grass--but what could they do to sustain me? i was beginning to despair, when i heard in the distance a sound which i recognized as the trumpeting of elephants. this encouraged me. i said to myself: "these elephants whom i hear are, no doubt, wild elephants; still, i will try to touch their hearts, and, perhaps, seeing my distress, they will admit me to their herd." this thought inspired me with a little confidence, and i made my way towards that part of the forest whence the sounds proceeded. they continued to reach me at intervals, and, guided in this way, i reached after a while an opening in the woods, in which twenty large elephants were resting, reclining on the ground. in the centre of the clearing was a great heap of fruits and fresh vegetables. (the elephants are accustomed to separate at night, and go through the fields and near-by plantations, to forage for food, and they return bringing with them what they have been unable to eat, and make of it a common stock of provisions.) i saw them quietly enjoying their repast; from time to time, one would extend his trunk and select a fruit or vegetable from the heap, and tranquilly munch it, as if quite sure that nothing would come near to disturb them, or to interfere with their meal. several were sleeping; and yet, in spite of the calm and peaceful appearance of these elephants, one felt they were savage and ready to defend themselves fiercely against any intrusion. i trembled as i approached them! i was thinking how i could best attract their attention, when one of them saw me, and with a hoarse cry, gave the alarm to his companions. instantly those who had been eating stopped, and those who were asleep awoke. they all looked at me, and in those looks i could see no sign of sympathy for him who had disturbed them. i was on the point of taking flight--but hunger held me fast, and i said humbly, in elephant language, something like this: "my brothers, i am a very unfortunate and friendless creature, who has no wish to offend you. i have been for a long time wandering about, without food or shelter, and if you do not assist me i shall soon die of hunger. have pity upon me! give me a little of your provisions, and i will in return be glad to render you any service in my power!" these words had no effect. they said to themselves: "this is a _white_ elephant--and no doubt sick; at any rate he is not like us. why should we allow him to come among us?" [illustration: "he is white, and that is all the more reason for sending him off"] one elephant, who was taller and more powerful than the others, and who seemed to be a leader among them, said roughly: "we should never take in strangers. we should beware of all new-comers, and far from treating them with kindness, we should chase them away. even if this elephant were dark like us, he has no business here; he was not born in this clearing. he is _white_, and that is a still stronger reason for sending him off!" at this all the elephants cried out with one voice: "yes! yes!--let him go!" then they all turned to me and cried: "_begone! begone_!..." i tried to speak again, but their cries became more fierce. many rose up and threatened me with their tusks. alone as i was against twenty elephants--what could i do?... then, too, my life among kindly and affectionate masters, and my occupation of watching over and serving the sweetest and gentlest of princesses, had rendered me averse to fighting.... i did not like quarrels. their furious screams shocked and horrified me, and i left the clearing where for a moment i had hoped to find refuge. i saw now that i had nothing to hope from my fellow-elephants. everywhere it would be the same. i should be treated as an intruder. i remembered how, even in my infancy, when i lived in the forest of siam, i had been looked on with dislike by my companions of the herd, because of my white colour--the very thing that had caused me to be welcomed by men. how then would it be with strangers? even if less savage than those i had just left? it would always be the same.... no herd would ever consent to receive me. chapter xxiv the brahman i really knew not what to do, and my reflections grew more and more gloomy, when i noticed that i had by degrees wandered out from the forest, which now lay behind me. a rich plain on which were fields and meadows and villages was before me, stretching out as far as the eye could see. a white road traversed this plain at some distance. it was now twilight; the fields were deserted, and not a peasant was to be seen anywhere on the far-off road. i determined to reach this highway, however, for it certainly would lead me somewhere--probably to some city where i might be received. cast out and rejected by my fellow-elephants, my only hope now rested on the kindness of men.... as i was passing through a field of vegetables i could not resist the temptation of stealing a few, and in this way appeasing to some extent my hunger. night had fallen when i gained the road. i set out to follow it, snatching a fruit now and then from the trees that bordered it. i had gone but a short distance when my eye fell upon a dark object lying at the foot of the embankment. i went near, and looking closely, i saw that it was a man.... was he dead?--or only asleep?... i sniffed at him, and felt the warmth of his breath--he was alive! i examined him still more closely; his clothing was ragged and stained with dust and mud. his appearance was that of a labourer, and yet, around his waist i noticed the "_cord_" which marked him as a brahman. a brahman in such rags might be one of those who sometimes adopt the life of a beggar, in obedience to the precepts of their religion. his breath, however, recalled the odour of certain strong liquors, imported by the europeans, some of which i had seen in bottles, and had smelt with disgust; this showed that he was not leading the life of abstinence suitable for a mendicant brahman. he was, no doubt, one of those unfortunate brahmans fallen into poverty and disgrace--"_apad_," as it is called in the indian language. the holy law permits these to labour at any kind of work, such as in ordinary circumstances would be entirely forbidden to their "caste." after looking at him for a long time i was able to make out his features. he had not a cruel face. no doubt he would receive me gladly, and perhaps welcome me as a gift from the gods!... i had been so long unused to being alone that i could not endure it.... a companionship here offered itself.... what would it be like?... i had no means of guessing; but even were the brahman to prove the cruellest of masters, i felt that i would rather submit to be maltreated by him than to live alone. i gave him a little blow with my trunk, to waken him. he opened his eyes, and stammered: "eh!... what's that?" the night air, which had grown cold, now fully aroused him, and he saw me. "what is this? whose elephant is this? can it be he who has waked me up, poking me with his trunk?--does he mean to hurt me, i wonder?" he got up, painfully and with difficulty. i gave a few little supplicating whimpers, to show that, on the contrary, i was asking for his sympathy. pretty soon he ceased to fear me. "well!" said he, "i do not know where you come from, but--bah!--that is none of my business! we should treat animals as kindly as human beings. it looks as if you wanted to make friends with me!" i bent my head in sign of assent, as i had seen men do. "you seem very intelligent! i am only a poor unfortunate brahman, in 'apad,' obliged to accept the hardest, sort of work in order to live, and to labour at tasks that are far beneath my rank. no doubt i am expiating sins committed in some former existence. but, follow me, if you choose! you shall share my poor living: and, perhaps, you may even prove useful to me; for one who owns an elephant can obtain more lucrative employment than he who has only his strong arms and good-will to offer." to show him that i accepted his proposal to live with him for the future, i bent my forefoot, inviting him to mount on my back. he understood, and climbed up, and when he had settled himself to the best of his ability, he said: "go ahead! follow the road before you! perhaps the gods have sent you to me for my advantage! choose your own way. i have neither house nor friends; anybody may receive us who will." i was no longer alone; and in my forlorn condition this was a bit of good luck. i walked along the road, feeling less despondent, and carrying my new master. this new master was called moukounj. many a time when we tramped long distances without finding any one who would give work to either or both of us, i would hear him talking to himself, and recounting his misfortunes, and i ended by knowing them by heart. his tale was simple enough. he belonged to a rich family of brahmans, and had spent his youth at lahore, where he had received instruction in all that it behoved a brahman to know, at the hands of excellent masters. later on the rajah of the mahrattas took him into his service as "_pourohita_"; the "pourohita" is a priest whom the princes employ to offer sacrifices to the gods in their name. i have heard the english say that rich europeans employ priests of their own religion to perform similar duties, and that they are called "_chaplains_." moukounj was highly thought of by the rajah of the mahrattas, who treated him in the most friendly manner; and he might have risen to eminence and great honour, had it not been for a terrible fault. he could not resist the temptation of drinking strong liquors and was continually getting drunk. when intoxicated, he had several times been guilty of grave infractions of the court etiquette, and in spite of the regard felt for him by the rajah, he was dismissed. this disgrace did not cure moukounj of his weakness; on the contrary, he fell into the way of drinking more and more. at last, avoided by everyone, turned out of every household, despised by the other brahmans, he finally sank to beggary, and tramped about the country, thankful to take any sort of work that offered. he had been a cook; he had been a stone-mason--but everywhere his fault prevented him from remaining any length of time. at present he was engaged most of the time in helping the navvies and the stevedores, and he lived on very meagre wages, the greater portion of which he spent for that yellow liquor which the europeans call "_eau-de-vie_" ("_water-of-life_")--why i do not know, for it seems to me that, far from giving them _life_, it slowly kills them!... thanks to me, moukounj was now a little better off; he hired me out to carry heavy burthens, and himself to carry light ones; and the coarse vegetables he bought to feed me cost but very little. our life was very monotonous. if we found ourselves in a city where moukounj could not find work--we left, and wandered on till we found something to do. moukounj was, on the whole, not a bad fellow--always ready to be useful where he could--the way he had received me was proof of this! he was jolly and good-natured, and loved to remember and recite the fine speeches he had learned at lahore. but when drunk his disposition changed; he grew irritable; he became ugly and violently angry; he quarrelled with his fellow-workmen, and went so far as to beat me. i certainly was not happy. when the work i was employed in seemed too humiliating, and when moukounj lashed me with blows--i suffered bitterly. but why rebel? things might be worse--so i submitted. i thought constantly of my old life, wondering what had become of the lovely parvati; did the prince love her?... was she happy?... did she ever remember me?... i tried to frame replies to these questions that would be as comforting as possible, and these thoughts softened somewhat my sorrows. i never could tell you the names of all the cities we saw, all the rivers i crossed, the mountains i climbed with moukounj. i remember one french city where i helped to build a palace for the governor; i also carried the rails for a tramway they were building just outside of madras. i did much other work of about the same kind, and i passed several years in this wandering and monotonous existence. [illustration] chapter xxv the iron ring we wandered on, going from village to village, from town to town, from city to city, till we finally reached calcutta. and here my life was once more changed. it happened in this way. we had been stopping a long time in this great city, where moukounj was always able to find work for us both. the english language which he had learned in his youth was often of great advantage to him here. we had been working for several days on the wharves, where we were employed in unloading vessels. the heaviest burthens were as nothing to me, and moukounj was alert and insinuating, and so was able to render a thousand little services to the travellers and also to the sailors. he was now earning a generous living for us; but alas! it only resulted in more frequent and more furious fits of drunkenness for him--and for me in blows and humiliations. it often happened that he went off to drink at the neighbouring taverns, and left me alone to stand and await his return--he knew very well that i would be faithful! now, one day we had been helping to unload the cargo of a large merchantman, and moukounj had left me a few vegetables to eat, and had gone off to drink, when there came in, at the same wharf, a large liner, bringing a great many passengers. i was distressed that my master should miss a chance to gain so many rupees--but i felt it would be useless to go in search of him. the wisest way would be to wait patiently for his return, and that was what i did. moukounj _might_ return in time--i could only hope he would not be drunk! i watched the passengers as they disembarked. they were europeans, mostly english, who ran about, here and there, asking questions of the porters, not making themselves understood, nor understanding what was said to them. the spectacle amused me greatly, and i watched them closely, trying to imagine from their looks what each one would do.... it was not long before i remarked among them a group of persons whose calmness contrasted with the agitation of the others. they numbered something like twenty; there were about as many women as men; all were young, and well dressed. it did not seem that the voyage had fatigued them; they stood together on the wharf, taking but little notice of their surroundings. one of them now quietly reviewed the company, and, seeing that none of them were missing: "we may as well-go to the hotel," said he to his companions. then, addressing one of the young men, he said: "mr. oldham, you will please remain here and see to the unloading of our baggage." "yes, mr. hardwick, i will do so," replied he. then all except mr. oldham went quietly off. i looked curiously at this mr. oldham; he was a most singular young man--tall and thin, with very long arms and legs, and enormous hands. his head was small, his mouth stretched from ear to ear, and his cheek-bones projected strangely. while waiting for the luggage to be landed, mr. oldham strode up and down, seemingly impatient, and murmuring something to himself which i did not understand. i was in despair at moukounj's absence. these strangers, thought i, must have a lot of baggage, perhaps very heavy, and if my master were here we would get plenty to do. while thinking about it i was playing mechanically with a great ring of iron which lay at my feet. it had once been fastened into the ground, but it was no longer secure, and in playing i had unintentionally loosened it. i was now amusing myself by tossing it up in the air, and catching it on my trunk as it fell. all at once the eyes of mr. oldham turned in my direction, and he began to watch me closely. my play seemed to interest him, and he called one of the workmen on the wharf, and inquired: "do you know who is the owner of that elephant?" "oh, yes," said the man, "it is a poor fellow who works here at unloading ships." "he has got a very intelligent animal!" that was all. but mr. oldham continued to look at me; and as for myself, my vanity being awakened, i made a point of not missing a single ring, and mr. oldham gave vent to "ohs!" and "ahs!" of admiration, and murmured: "'_the elephant juggler_'--that would look well on our play bills!" they now began to bring ashore the luggage of mr. oldham and his friends. there were enormous boxes and crates of strange shapes, bales of rope, stacks of poles, and many things scarcely covered at all, of which i could not imagine the use. then they brought up out of the ship great chariots, cages of wild animals, and at last numbers of horses, who seemed bewildered by the voyage. well, these are strange travellers, thought i--and they have strange luggage! they loaded the boxes and bales onto the chariots, and harnessed to them the least fine-looking of the horses; a number of men, who seemed to be the servants of mr. oldham, took the horses by the bridle, or mounted on the chariots, and all were moving off, when moukounj arrived! he was not very drunk, and he went at once to mr. oldham to offer his services. it was too late.--but as he pointed towards me, mr. oldham said to him: "ah! you are the owner of that intelligent beast? you had better come to the hotel victoria, and ask for mr. john hardwick, director of the _'grand circus of the two worlds'_--he may have something to say to you that will be to your advantage." and mr. oldham went off with the chariots and baggage. at first moukounj never thought of going to see mr. john hardwick. he could not understand what the director of the "_circus of the two worlds_" could have to say to him. but fate ordained that for the next two days we had almost no work, and were reduced to the verge of starvation. it was then that he remembered mr. oldham's invitation. he thought that even if mr. hardwick had nothing of importance to propose, he might at least take pity on him, and give him a little something in charity. so, having warned me--a useless precaution--to remain patiently where i was, he set off for the victoria hotel. [illustration] chapter xxvi the grand circus of the two worlds in about an hour moukounj returned, joyous, and as he came near me he embraced my trunk. "ah! my brave companion! my faithful friend! how great is the wisdom of the sage who says: '_he who is clever will be a stranger in no country; for him who is contented with little, there is no anxiety; for him who is wise, there are no surprises; for him who is determined, nothing is impossible!_'--how true are these sayings! and equally so is this one: '_the life of mankind is as uncertain as the reflection of the moon on water; for this reason we must practise virtue!_' ... yes--yes--we must practise virtue; and it is because i have done so, and because i have so cheerfully endured my misfortunes, that to-day the gods have sent me better luck!" he ceased speaking, and danced around me, clapping his hands. then he resumed: "yes, yes, old fellow! life is, indeed, as uncertain as the reflection of the moon on water. when i was young and was studying books of wisdom at lahore, i would have laughed at anyone who told me that i would one day be employed in unloading ships on the wharf at calcutta; and yesterday i would have laughed at him who said that to-day i should belong to the troupe of mr. john hardwick, director of the '_grand circus of the two worlds_'--and nevertheless--that is what has happened!" he hugged me again, and continued: "oh, my friend! my saviour! thou, who, for all i know, may be ganesa himself!... henceforth, we shall have a sure refuge! we will no longer have to sleep in a ditch by the roadside on rainy nights.... we will not have to go hungry! no! we shall live in comfort, well-paid, and fed by the kind mr. john hardwick.... good fortune has found us at last!" and thereupon he told me of his interview. "i went to the hotel victoria," said he; "i asked for mr. john hardwick, and was shown into the presence of a man, still young, but of so serious and grave an appearance that i felt timid and embarrassed--i who had never before felt fear! (for, what says the sage? _'in the forest, in the jungle, on perilous roads, in fierce encounters, and in troubles, under the threatenings of swords--virtuous men feel no fear!_) mr. hardwick had with him the young man who spoke to me the other day, whom he called mr. oldham. on seeing me this young man said: "'ah! this is the man i spoke to you about, who has the clever elephant,' and he began at once to sound your praises, talking about something which i could not quite understand; he spoke continually of an 'iron ring' with which he had seen you playing.... "mr. hardwick then asked if i would sell you. "'i?--sell an elephant sent to me by the gods ... who perhaps is a god himself?... never!--never!' said i. "'that is a pity,' said mr. oldham: 'for this elephant would undoubtedly be a great addition to the attractions of our company.' "'well, it cannot be helped,' said mr. hardwick. "i was about to retire when mr. oldham signed to me to remain, and addressing mr. hardwick, said: "'perhaps matters might be arranged in a way that would be satisfactory to all. how would it do to engage both the elephant and his master?" "'give me five minutes to think,' said mr. hardwick. oh! there is a man who knows how to make up his mind in a hurry! the five minutes being ended, mr. hardwick turned to me and asked: "'will you agree to form, with your elephant, a part of our troupe?' "as for me i had no need to ask time for reflection; it took me but a minute to make up my mind, and accept!... to tell the truth, i did not exactly understand in what way mr. john hardwick was expecting to employ us; but he seemed to be a man of wealth, who would at any rate provide us with a living. so i said, 'yes,' and i do not think that i shall regret it." and once more, singing and laughing, he capered around me. then, all at once becoming serious, he added: "mr. oldham later on told me something of mr. hardwick's business. it seems he exhibits trained animals; and the members of his company perform feats of strength and skill. so now, my friend, in place of toiling and exhausting yourself in hard work, you have only to amuse the public with your accomplishments--and we shall never know want again!" i must confess i was not so delighted as my master. although i had been glad to divert dear ones like saphire-of-heaven and parvati, i felt very disinclined to entertain those to whom i was indifferent. my present life was certainly hard enough, but at least it afforded me an opportunity to indulge my regrets; while i understood that i would be called upon to be gay at stated times, even if the most melancholy thoughts were at the moment distressing me. however, i could not spoil the happiness of moukounj, and i responded in a friendly manner. we soon left the wharf, and went to join mr. john hardwick. and thus it was that i entered the company of "_the grand circus of the two worlds_." that evening mr. hardwick introduced us to his troupe. he had hired a large vacant space on which his circus was encamped; it was a great framework of wood and iron, which could be set up and taken down very quickly. when put together it presented a very elegant and comfortable appearance, and no one would suppose that only a few hours would be required to take it apart and pile it on the chariots. it was arranged in two sections--the circus proper with the ring and the benches, and the stables, with rooms where the grooms and inferior employees of the company were accommodated; the important members lodged at the hotel, with the director. when we reached the circus, mr. hardwick designated the place i was to occupy in the stable, and the room which moukounj (who refused to allow anyone else to look after me) was to share with one of the grooms. we were then conducted to the ring, where all the company were assembled. they were the very persons whom i had seen arriving three days before. the director then made a speech, as follows: "ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce to you monsieur moukounj and his elephant. my valued friend and assistant, mr. oldham, informs me that this elephant is a remarkable animal, whom he has seen execute a difficult and interesting exercise without any previous instruction. as a member of our troupe, he will do honour to our company, already so celebrated. i bespeak, therefore, a kind reception for the _elephant_ and his _master_." the company came forward very politely, one after another, to greet moukounj, and to caress me; and mr. hardwick, addressing moukounj, introduced each one by name. "this, monsieur, is mr. oldham, with whom you are already acquainted. he is our premier clown, and stage manager. "this is mr. edward greathorse, our ringmaster, and his wife, one of the most distinguished equilibrists in the world, and their two children, master william greathorse, who has not his equal for vaulting through a paper circle, and coming down plumb in the right spot on his horse--and miss annie greathorse, who has made a study of the trapeze, and has acquired all the secrets of that difficult art." mr. and mrs. greathorse did not please me at all. mr. greathorse was a very tall, thin man of about forty; one felt at once that he was in the habit of speaking only to horses--and of speaking to them brutally! mrs. greathorse was about the same age as her husband, and quite as tall. she was as fat as he was thin; her vulgar face had a look of hardness, and her nose was extraordinarily flat. the reason of this i learned later on; it was occasioned by her specialty of balancing upon that feature a pole with a heavy iron ball on the end! master greathorse, who might have been about seventeen or eighteen years old, displeased me excessively; he had a sly look, and seemed to enjoy nothing so much as playing malicious jokes at the expense of the other members of the company. the only one of the family who attracted me was miss annie. she was a very young girl, almost a child, not over fifteen at the outside, and very fragile, with arms developed out of all proportion by her exercise on the trapeze. it was easy to see that she worked too hard and was a sufferer; she had a pale, gentle face and fair, pretty hair. after the greathorses there advanced six persons, all wonderfully alike, although their ages varied from nine or ten to thirty-five years. "the smith brothers, monsieur," said mr. hardwick: "most interesting gentlemen!--until you have seen them form the 'uman pyramid,' you do not know to what heights the acrobatic art has attained!" the "smith brothers" all smiled at once, with the same smile, which seemed to have coagulated and become a fixture upon their lips. the next to come forward was a very pretty and elegant young woman: "miss clara morley, our accomplished 'amazon'--you will have an opportunity to admire her in her clever equestrian exercises." after miss morley came three men and three women, none of them either fat or thin, tall or short, handsome or ugly--but all very well dressed and civil. "our riders, mr. and mrs. crampton, mr. and mrs. bampton, and mr. and mrs. mapton." mr. hardwick next presented: "mr. nilo bong, the famous gymnast from tonquin--the ulverstone sisters, miss jane and miss lucy ulverstone, who every evening, monsieur, astonish and delight the audience by their dexterity on the horizontal bar. "mr. pound--to whom the lifting of a two-hundred pound weight is a mere joke, and mrs. "mr. pound, his wife, the '_fairy of the revolver_'--at feet she would not miss a nut!... "mr. tom liverpool, the champion pugilist, whom no one has ever been able to vanquish! "miss alice jewel, who crosses the ganges at its widest part on a wire!"... all these people i found uninteresting and insignificant. mr. nilo bong might call himself a chinese, and his eyes were a little oblique, but his complexion proved him to be a european; mr. pound and mr. liverpool were huge men, but very unintelligent in appearance; mrs. pound was a small woman--very thin, with a sharp expression; miss jane and miss lucy ulverstone were modest, well-mannered young women, who bowed politely. there remained to be introduced only four more persons, two men, and two women. the two men were strikingly alike, and both bore a singular resemblance to mr. oldham; but the features which in him were merely quaint and amusing, were in them so exaggerated as to be grotesque; and the oddity of their appearance was increased by an affected air of extreme gravity. when their turn came to be introduced; "mr. trick and mr. trock, monsieur" said mr. hardwick: "i should not hesitate to call them the most brilliantly amusing clowns in the world, if they themselves did not recognize their superior in mr. oldham ... they are gaiety's favorite children!"... messrs. trick and trock bowed to moukounj, and a very handsome young woman with black eyes and golden hair approached: "miss sarah skipton, monsieur--the divine artiste to whom we owe the _'dance of light'_." miss sarah skipton bowed pleasantly, and last of all mr. hardwick presented a young girl who seemed to me the very embodiment of grace--with hair of delicate blond, and blue eyes that were a smile in themselves. "miss sarah skipton is, one may say, the star of our troupe; miss circé nightingale is the pearl! she is the gentle '_charmer of birds_' and when you see her surrounded by her escort of warblers and nightingales, you would take her as one of your divine goddesses!..." circé nightingale smiled graciously on moukounj, and caressed me with her pretty hand a long time--for which i thanked her, feeling that already we were friends. to sum up, all these people, with the exception of mr. and mrs. greathorse, young greathorse, and mrs. pound, seemed fairly agreeable, and i felt that it ought not to be particularly unpleasant to live with them. for four of them i already felt a certain sympathy; the elegance of miss clara morley pleased me; she seemed so gentle with animals, and it was evidently not by severity that she managed her horses. for miss annie greathorse i felt a sincere pity; i was sure that she was unhappy and badly treated, and thought that perhaps the time might come when i would be able to protect her. i admired the radiant beauty of miss sarah skipton, and the exquisite grace of miss circé nightingale delighted me; and i said to myself: "i shall have here four friends--and four enemies!" when the troupe had all been introduced, mr. hardwick said to moukounj: "this is our first evening in calcutta, and i would like to present your elephant to the public as soon as possible; what is his name?" "as it was at a time of distress that he came to me, from i know not where, and as he brought me consolation--i call him 'devadatta,' which in our language signifies 'sent-by-the-gods.'" "very good! we will then call him on our bills, '_the famous elephant devadatta_'.... but, tell me, is there not one of your gods whom you represent with the head of an elephant?" "the divine ganesa, god of wisdom, has an elephant's head," replied moukounj. "excellent!" cried mr. hardwick: "'_the famous elephant devadatta, brother of ganesa_, _in his various acts_'--that is the thing! what do you think of that, mr. oldham?" "it will be admirable," replied mr. oldham. "now," continued mr. hardwick, "we must decide what exercises to teach him. you are the one who discovered him, and it is to you that i shall confide his education." "i feel honoured, mr. hardwick," said mr. oldham; "his lessons will not take long, and will be commenced at once. but first, i would like to have him repeat before you the game with which he was amusing himself on the wharf." mr. oldham ordered the iron ring to be brought, and i understood that i was to play with it as i had done before. mr. hardwick was satisfied. "that is very well," said he, "and if he could play with several at a time it would be perfection." some more rings were brought; i threw them all into the air and caught them all on my trunk, i did not miss one. and mr. hardwick was enthusiastic. chapter xxvii my debut the next day the play-bills of the "_grand circus of the two worlds_" bore the following announcement: elephant juggler the famous "devadatta" brother of ganesa when the evening arrived, and the performance was about to begin, i was not much excited--but terribly ashamed. i thought, "what would parvati say if she could see me? i am about to amuse an audience by ridiculous tricks; and if i should be so unlucky as to let slip a ring, no doubt i shall be punished! mr. oldham, it is true, has a fairly good-natured face, but mr. greathorse might make himself very disagreeable--and no doubt threaten me, as he does the horses, who at the moment were making the tour of the ring." the performance began by an equestrian act, by messrs. crampton, hampton, and bampton. the horses were expected to leap over various obstacles, and as i stood near the door, i could see mr. greathorse in the centre of the ring, with an enormous whip in his hand, cutting the air with slashing strokes, to excite the poor creatures, and when one of them, in spite of the efforts of the rider and the cracking of the lash, hesitated to jump, he looked as if he would have been glad to proceed from threats to blows! after the cramp tons, the hamptons, and the bamptons, the ulverstone sisters appeared; but while the bar was being placed in position three singular persons bounded into the ring--one turning handsprings, one walking on his hands, and the other disjointing himself in a series of summersaults. they were dressed in a large, loose garment, made all in one piece, and decorated with strange patterns; one had a rising sun painted in the middle of his back and on his stomach, and one had an enormous frog. all had their faces whitened with flour, and wore wigs of white or red with a long lock standing up at the crown.... they amused the public by all sorts of extravagances; they exchanged buffets with each other; threw themselves down on the ground, and jumped up suddenly.... they pretended to assist the servants who were adjusting the bar, and perpetually tumbled down in the most grotesque attitudes. the public laughed loudly at their antics. i looked very earnestly at these persons, and i finally discovered underneath the flour the features of mr. trick, mr. trock--and mr. oldham! i was greatly astonished, and somewhat shocked to have for my preceptor a gentleman who could so forget his dignity! between each number of the program mr. oldham, and messrs. trick and trock repeated their buffooneries. the performance went along very well. the praises with which mr. hardwick had showered his companions in introducing us seemed to me well merited. the smith brothers were wonderfully agile; if mrs. greathorse was unpleasant to live with, she was a most adroit equilibrist; miss alice jewel was extremely successful on the tight-rope. the riders did well, and i was charmed with the graceful movements of miss clara morley's horse, which she managed altogether by kind words. only poor annie greathorse awakened my pity--she seemed so ill at ease on her trapeze! it was after her that the "famous devadatta" was to appear. and i appeared. i was applauded, and on my return from the ring was kindly received and caressed by the members of the company. but i was far from happy; the least notice from parvati would have been sweeter! the end of the representation pleased me more than all the rest; it was finished by the trained birds of miss circé nightingale, and the "_dance of light_" by miss sarah skipton. they brought a great cage into the middle of the ring, full of all kinds of birds singing most delightfully. then miss circé appeared, looking charming in a dress of pale blue, with a silver girdle around her waist; a silver comb sparkled in her beautiful blond hair; she held in her hand a silver flute. she went at once to the cage, opened the door, and all the birds flew out and circled round her, and some perched on her shoulder. she smiled upon them in a sweet, friendly way, and at a little gesture from her, they all flew up to the ceiling of the circus. she then played on the flute, and the birds accompanied her, and one could not distinguish the song of the birds from the notes of the flute. then she hastened the time of the music and the birds descended towards her, and circled around her head, like a kind of living coronet.... she constantly altered the measure of the music, and the birds who were familiar with it formed new figures--all of them most beautiful; and one might have imagined the lovely _bird charmer_ to be a _queen of air_! and when the flute ceased miss circé's gay little friends went joyously back into their cage, and the delighted audience applauded with enthusiasm. where the cage had stood they now brought in and set up a large platform, on which miss sarah skipton mounted, dressed in a very full gown of thin, light material, made with an extraordinary number of flounces or plaits; her beautiful golden hair floated over her shoulders. then the lights were put out: only four great lamps, or rather lanterns, were left, which shed their rays directly onto the platform, surrounding miss sarah with a luminous aureole. then they passed before the lanterns coloured glasses, and among these reflections, which changed each instant, sarah danced.... she danced quick and light, or slow and languid; her dress whirled around her, and grew red--green--yellow--and violet in turn--and sometimes all the colours of the rainbow at once. she seemed a flower--a butterfly--a bird; she was the dawn; she was the twilight; she was the storm, with flashes of lightning; she was the waves of the sea, smiling in the morning light; she was precious stones--and last of all--the glorious triumphant sun!... and suddenly all the lights were turned on, and sarah received the acclamations of the audience in triumph! the performance was over. i modestly retired to my stable, quite dazzled by the "_dance of light._" [illustration] chapter xxviii comedian soon a new announcement could be read on the bills of the "circus of the two worlds." the celebrated devadatta unique elephant brother of the divine ganesa in his various acts mr. oldham had certainly acquitted himself remarkably well and rapidly, with my education, and i now no longer delighted the public by merely juggling with rings. i performed at each representation, always in the same order of succession, and when my repertoire was completed, this is what i did. first, i tossed the rings; then a target was placed, and i stood before it, with a basket of balls beside me. i picked up the balls with my trunk, and threw them at the target--and i believe i never missed. the target being removed, a huge ball of iron was brought to me, and i stood upon it with my four feet, balancing myself, and moving slowly forward. this exercise fatigued me excessively; so, to afford me a rest, i was made to play a _dramatic scene_. a young king and a beautiful young queen were supposed to be travelling happily in the country. all at once sounds of the hunt are heard; i appear--chased by horsemen; the young king and queen try in terror to hide themselves; i pretend to be enraged, and run furiously two or three times round the circus. then i see the queen, and rush towards her. then, in the scene as originally composed by moukounj--(for my master had become an author, in order to increase the brilliancy of my theatrical career), the king should strive to protect the queen with his person, draw his sword, and bury it in my breast, and i should fall, apparently dead. the sword, of course, had a blade of tin, which slipped up inside the handle. but this finale was changed by me after the first evening. it was miss nightingale who played the young queen. she was most lovely in this part, with a robe of delicate white gauze under which glistened a tunic of mauve silk. and when i saw her, looking so beautiful, the memory of parvati, which never left me, came over me more vividly and tenderly than ever before; so that, instead of rushing violently upon her, i stopped; and then came forward slowly, and humbly and submissively--knelt at her feet! the audience applauded tremendously, and it was decided to retain this denouement for the scene hereafter. after this, i made the circle of the ring five times on a bicycle, an enormous bicycle built for my stature. (you can imagine with what difficulty an elephant could balance himself on such a machine!) i worked the pedals with my forefeet and steered with my trunk. next, i had to stand up and dance a polka; and, finally, i had to play another dramatic scene--a _comedy_, composed by mr. oldham. they brought into the middle of the circus a table and a chair of the proper size for me. then a couple of uprights, between which hung a bell, with a cord attached. i entered, sat down in the chair, and with my trunk pulled the bell-cord. instantly, mr. oldham, dressed like a waiter, ran in. i made him understand that i wished my dinner. "yes, mr. elephant--it will be ready immediately!" he went out. then i drew from a bag fastened around my waist a pair of enormous spectacles, and put them on. then i took a news-paper and pretended to read--(though at that time i did not really know how to read!) after a while, as mr. oldham did not return, i pretended to grow impatient, and rang again, and mr. oldham ran in: "yes, mr. elephant.... your dinner will be ready in a few minutes!" twice more i rang, and twice mr. oldham ran in and repeated the same thing, "yes, mr. elephant, your dinner will be ready in a few minutes"--without bringing me anything. the third time he brought me merely one dish, which contained nothing but a few rolls, and i swallowed them in one mouthful. i rang again and mr. oldham appeared; i signified that i wished something more. after a long while he brought me a second dish, with a few vegetables, which i ate up as quickly as the first. i ordered another dish, and this time he brought me fruits, cakes, and a bottle of champagne, which i popped loudly! i now rang for the last time, and signed that i desired my bill. without waiting a moment this time, mr. oldham brought me an enormously long piece of paper. i put on my spectacles, having taken them off to eat. i looked at the bill, and gave a deep roar of indignation. mr. oldham fell to the ground as if terror-stricken, and bounded up again: "what is the matter, mr. elephant?" i expressed my displeasure by tearing the bill, and getting up and stamping on it. "you think it is too much?" i made a sign that i did. "but you must pay it!" i signified that i would not. "what! you will not pay me?" i continued to signify "no." "very well! mr. elephant, we will see about that!" and he called out: "hi! there! police! police!" then entered mr. trick and mr. trock, dressed as policemen. "policemen!" said mr. oldham, "here is mr. elephant who refuses to pay my bill!" "oh, very well! we will arrest you, mr. elephant, and take you to the station house," said mr. trick. "yes! off with him to the station house!" said mr. trock. at this threat i appeared to be very much agitated, and, using my trunk, i drew out of my bag a number of imitation bank notes, which i threw down on the table--and went hastily out, while mr. oldham performed an extravagant and burlesque dance of triumph with mr. trick and mr. trock.... this scene always delighted the public, who invariably encored me two or three times. but i felt humiliated at playing the part of a buffoon, and making a clown of myself. i lived in this way for several years; when the receipts fell off in any city, mr. hardwick took us to another. we went from calcutta to chandernagor, from chandernagor to patna; then i saw benares, alahabad, delhi, and other places. i need not have been very unhappy. i had made myself respected by those who at first attempted to tease me. mr. oldham was proud of his pupil and loved me; moukounj was always the same good, kind fellow who had received me; and my four friends, miss annie, who, i had occasionally protected from her mother's violence, circé nightingale, miss sarah skipton, and miss clara morley were always kind and spoiled me incessantly. but, alas! i thought constantly of my beautiful life of other days--so calm--so happy; and i thought of parvati, who perhaps was sad and ill-treated, and whom i might have defended. had she forgotten me? or, if she thought of me, must she not accuse me of ingratitude? and, had i not been indeed ungrateful, to leave her as i did, because of a wicked jealousy?... so, in spite of all the kindness by which i was surrounded, i was very, very sad. [illustration] chapter xxix the return to paradise one day the "_grand circus of the two worlds_" arrived at bombay. i was by this time at the end of my endurance--overwhelmed by mortification.... i, the "king-magnanimous," before whom a whole nation had prostrated itself--i, the fierce warrior, who had shed the blood of the enemy, restored a king to his throne, and had been the loved companion of the most beautiful of princesses--to be reduced to exhibiting myself in-grotesque parades to astonish and amuse the public!... ah! how hard life seemed to me! how lonely i felt among these new companions, in spite of their kind treatment of me! as i was never to see parvati again--never return to my lost paradise--why should i prolong my sufferings? i determined to once more go away, and to seek in the depths of the wild forests the elephants' burial place, and there let myself die of hunger, among the whitening bones of my mates. yes, this evening's performance should be the last. when all would be asleep, i would quit my wooden shed; i would swim across the narrow channel that separates the island of bombay from the main land, and go to find the resting-place where all my griefs would die with me. i was so preoccupied with the resolve i had taken, and the thoughts it awakened, that i paid little attention to the extraordinary activity which reigned that evening among the artists of the "_grand circus of the two worlds_." costumes were being repaired, the accessories furbished up; familiar acts were being rehearsed with an altogether unusual care; and they were even sewing in great haste a gold fringe onto a drapery of red velvet--for what purpose i could not imagine. the performance began much later than usual. it was delayed as much as possible, in spite of the impatient stampings of the public. when i entered the ring i saw, facing the entrance, a great space separated from the rest by railings painted red; the front of this improvised box was covered by a drapery of red velvet fringed with gold, and ornamented with the arms of england, and garlands of flowers. arm chairs were placed inside. i knew at once that they expected some distinguished person; but he had not yet arrived, for the box was empty, and made a great dark gap in the midst of the other seats, which were all filled to overflowing by a brilliant audience, gaily dressed. mr. oldham had been obliged, unwillingly, to begin my performance, and i was engaged in balancing on the rolling ball, when a general movement of the audience led me to know that the illustrious personage had arrived. being careful not to lose my balance, it was impossible to look up to see who it might be: "it is most likely the president of bombay," thought i, and i cared nothing to see him. but all at once the ball rolled out from under my feet, i lost my balance, and fell on my knees.... a woman's voice had cried: "_iravata!_" who could call my name of other days?... my name of happiness? and the voice--that voice so sweet and musical, which penetrated me like a sword, cast me onto my knees, and sent all the blood to my heart!... it could be no voice but hers--her own voice! i was sure of it, and yet i dared not look--it seemed as if mistaken i should die! the audience, surprised and respectful, kept perfectly still; and the voice, grown sad this time, spoke again: "have you forgotten me altogether, iravata?" in one bound i was on my feet, and before the box, which was just my height, and through tears of joy i beheld parvati, as if through flames of fire.... she caressed me--kissed me--caring nothing for the crowds who looked on in amazement.... and i! no human being, even, could have expressed what i felt, and i was more than ever ashamed of the hoarse cries, and the stampings that were the only means i possessed of expressing a joy that took my breath away. [illustration: "oh, iravata! iravata!" she said in a low voice] "ah! iravata--iravata!" said she in a low voice, close to my ear: "thou couldst leave me at such a trying time in my life?... i saw well enough that thou didst not give thy consent to my marriage; no doubt thou hadst read the soul of the prince--and it did not please thee! thy wisdom certainly saw his nature clearly; but thou shouldst have done as i did--resign thyself, and submit to fate, instead of abandoning me--ungrateful as thou wert--because of _jealousy_? i knew thou wert jealous--and i read the death of the prince in thy looks of rage! if it was to avoid committing a crime that thou didst leave golconda, i must forgive thee, in spite of the pain thou hast caused me. thou mayest return now--for the prince is no more!" what i did on hearing these happy tidings was certainly not proper, for i have been instructed that it is not right to rejoice at the death of any one ... but i could not help it! _i ran three times round the ring at the top of my speed, and trumpeted so loudly that the audience fled in terror!_ the prince alemguir and saphire-of-heaven were in the box, but i had not seen them at first, so blinded was i by tears. they had sent for the director of the circus, and i now understood they were speaking to him of my ransom. he showed himself very modest and dignified in the presence of the king and queen of golconda, and declared with great frankness that he did not own me, but had only engaged me with my actual master, and that i had so increased the profits of the company that he owed much to me, while nothing whatever was owing to him. it was, therefore, as a gracious present that he accepted, after many protestations, the magnificent diamond which the king offered him, and a very handsome sum for distribution among the actors of the troupe. moukounj now approached, and i made the princess understand that i did not wish him to be left behind. he conducted himself as well as he knew how, and they did not perceive that he was, as usual--drunk. it was agreed that he should go with us to golconda. all the artists, in stage costume, were now assembled in the ring. i bade them good-bye as cordially as i could.... but already they seemed far, far away--as if forgotten, and veiled in mists and darkness.... i had once more found my light--my life! i could not see nor think of anything else! and while the champagne corks popped, and the glasses clinked in my honour, it was as if in a dream that i left forever the "grand circus of the two worlds"--absorbed in the great happiness of feeling once more on my neck the light weight of my beloved princess, regained at last. the end an elephant for the prinkip by l. j. stecher, jr. illustrated by dick francis [transcriber's note: this etext was produced from galaxy magazine august . extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the u.s. copyright on this publication was renewed.] a delta class freighter can carry anything--maybe more than its skipper can bear! a delta class freighter isn't pretty to look at, but it can be adapted to carry most anything, and occasionally even to carry it profitably. so when i saw one i didn't recognize sitting under the gantry at helmholtz spaceport, i hurried right over to operations. it looked as if i might be able to get my gasha root off-planet before it started to spoil, after all. it was the _delta crucis_, they told me. she was a tramp, and she hadn't yet been signed for a cargo. the skipper was listed as his own agent. they told me where they thought i could find him, so i drifted over to the spaceport bar, and looked around. i found my man quickly enough. he had the young-old look of a deep spacer. he wore a neat but threadbare blue uniform, with the four broad gold rings of command--rather tarnished--on each sleeve. he had a glass of rhial--a liquor that was too potent for my taste--in front of him at ten o'clock in the morning, and that wasn't a good sign. but he looked sober enough. so i picked up a large schooner of beer at the bar and strolled over to his table in the far corner away from the window. "mind if i join you?" i asked casually. "i hate to drink alone." he stared at me for a minute out of those pale-blue spacer's eyes of his, until i figured he thought he had me catalogued. then he motioned me to the chair across from his at the small table. we sat for a few minutes in silence, sizing each other up. "that's a mighty nice looking freighter out there on pad seven," i said at last. "yours?" * * * * * he uncapped his glass, took a sip of rhial, snicked the cover back, and let the heady stuff evaporate in his mouth. he breathed in sharply in the approved manner, but he didn't even shudder. he just nodded slowly, once. that appeared to pass the conversational ball back to me. "i might have a cargo for you, if you can handle it," i said. "i hear these delta class ships can manage almost anything, but this is a rough one. the _annabelle_ is the only ship in the area built to take my stuff, and she's grounded with transposer troubles." he cocked one sandy eyebrow at me. i interpreted this to be a request for the nature of my cargo, so i told him, and let him ponder about it for a while. "gasha root," he said at last, and nodded once. "i can handle it. that'll be easy, for _delta crucis_. like you said, she can handle anything. her last cargo was a live elephant." we completed our deal without much trouble. he drove a hard bargain, but a fair one, and he had plenty of self-confidence. he signed a contingent-on-satisfactory-delivery contract, and that's unusual for a ship that's handling gasha. hadn't thought i'd be so lucky. gasha is tricky stuff. we went over to the government office to complete the deal--customs arrangements, notarizations, posting bonds and so forth--but we finally signed the contract, all legal and binding. his name turned out to be bart hannah. then, by unspoken consent, we went back to the bar. it was after noon, by that time, so i had a scotch, and then i had another. i was so relieved to have found a ship for my cargo that i didn't even think about lunch. * * * * * i got more and more mellow and talkative as time went by, but the skipper just sat there, breathing rhial. he didn't seem to change a bit. something had been bothering me, though, and i finally figured out what it was. so i stopped talking about my farming troubles, and asked captain hannah a direct question. "you say you carried an _elephant_?" i asked. "a _live_ elephant? in a _space ship_?" he nodded. "it's an animal," he said. "a very large animal. from earth." "i know all about that," i said. "we're civilized here. we're not just a bunch of back-planet hicks, you know. we study all about the home planet at school. but why--and how--would anyone take an elephant into space?" he stared at me for a while, then took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. "i'll tell you," he said. "after all, it's nothing to be really ashamed of." he pondered for a full minute. "it all started just a few standard months ago, on condor--over in sector sixty-four w." "sixty-four w?" i broke in. "that's clear over on the other side of the galaxy." he looked at me for awhile, and then went on just as if i hadn't spoken. "i'd been doing all right with _delta crucis_," he said, "and salting away plenty of cash, but i wasn't satisfied. it was mostly short-haul stuff--ten or twenty light years--and it was mostly run-of-the-mill loads. fleeder jewels, kharran, morab fur--that sort of thing, you know. i was getting bored. they said a delta class freighter could carry just about anything, and i wanted to prove it. so when i heard that a rich eccentric, one planet out, on penguin, might have an interesting job for me, i flitted right over. "the prinkip of penguin wasn't just rich. he was _rich_ rich. penguin has almost twice the diameter of this planet, but it's light enough to have about the same surface gravity. to give you an idea, its two biggest bodies of water are about the size of the atlantic ocean, back on the earth you've studied so much about. on penguin they call them lakes. and the prinkip owns the whole planet--free and clear. i should be so lucky with _delta crucis_. * * * * * "the prinkip is a little skinny man, but that doesn't keep him from having a large-size hobby to go with his large-size planet. the prinkip collects animals--one from each planet in his sector. he had a zoo with nearly three hundred monsters in it--always a sample of the largest kind from whatever planet it came from. "he showed me around. it was the damndest sight you ever saw. he had one animal called a pfleeg. it was almost two hundred feet long; it walked around on two legs and sang like a bird. he had another one that had two hundred and thirty-four legs on a side. i counted them. it had four sides. didn't care which one was up. he had animals under glass that didn't breathe at all. he had one animal under a microscope that was about a thousandth of an inch long, but he told me that it was the biggest one on fartolp. he had a big satellite stuck up overhead in a one-revolution-a-day orbit for animals that needed light gravity. he had thirty-seven more beasts in that. all in all, he had one animal from every planet in sector sixty-four w that had life. he figured that he needed just one more animal to complete his collection. he wanted a sample of a creature from the home planet; one live and healthy sample of earth's biggest animal. and he wanted to know if i could ship it to him. "well, i didn't give the matter too much thought. after all, i said to myself, if somebody had managed a three hundred ton monster almost two hundred feet long, i ought to be able to manage a little bitty elephant. so i said yes, and i gave him a contingent-on-satisfactory-delivery contract, for one adult specimen of earth's largest animal, male or female, in good condition. "it wasn't until about that time that the prinkip told me how that biggest monster had been shipped. it had arrived in a cardboard box, wrapped in cotton. it seems that pfleeg eggs weigh just a little under three ounces. well, i'd been done but i still figured i could make delivery." * * * * * he lapsed into silence for a moment, thinking deeply. "did you know that there are two kinds of elephants on earth, the african and the indian, and that they aren't exactly the same size?" he asked. i shook my head. "our schools don't go that far," i said. he nodded. "neither do ours. so i immediately bought an indian elephant. they're the kind, back on the home planet, that you can find tame and easy to handle. they're also the wrong kind. the only reason i didn't head right back with it is that i was having trouble figuring out how to carry it in the _crucis_. even an indian elephant weighs about six tons. at least, mine did. in itself, that's not a very big load, but the trip back would take a good many months of subjective time, and of course elephants eat on subjective time. and how they eat! the food i carried would weigh the same as the elephant. "i wondered how elephants would like weightlessness, so i took my indian elephant up on a little jaunt around earth's satellite. the moon, they call it. elephants don't like weightlessness at all." he paused, and signaled the bartender for another drink. "i hope you never have to clean up after a space-sick elephant," he said darkly. "that meant that i'd have to put spin on the _crucis_ for the entire trip back to penguin. it's hard enough to try to navigate in hyperspace with spin on your ship, but that wasn't the worst of it. an elephant is a tremendous amount of off-center load for a ship with a large fraction of a one-gee spin on it. too much load even to think about handling. even though i couldn't come up with an answer, right off hand, i went ahead and turned in my indian elephant on an african model. beulah was her name, and she was a husky girl. she weighed in at just a little more than eight tons." i waved my whisky glass at captain hannah. "but i don't see your problem," i said. "if you put the elephant on one side and his food on the other, there wouldn't be any off-balanced load, would there?" "not until the food was eaten, anyway," said the skipper witheringly, and i subsided with a fresh drink. * * * * * "beulah was kind of cute, for all of her tonnage," said the skipper. "she had two enormous tusks, and a pair of ears like wings, and a nose that was longer than her tail. but she was mighty friendly, after she got to know me. she'd pick me up and carry me around, if i asked her to. and she'd eat right out of my hand. she turned out to be even tamer than the indian elephant. all i had to do was figure out how to carry her. "for a starter, i figured like you said, to have beulah on one side of the cargo compartment, and her chow on the other. then i calculated to have my own supplies on the other two sides of the space, so that i could move them away from her as her food stocks got smaller, and hold the balance that way. that wasn't enough, of course, so i built a couple of water tanks on the opposite side of the ring from beulah. "as you know, not much can be done about moving water around in a space ship--it's got its own cooling chores to perform--but every little bit helped. finally, i jockeyed the master computer and the auxiliary computer down and ran them on tracks, so i could slide them around to compensate for beulah's appetite. some lead slugs brought the auxiliary's weight up equal to the master's, and they also brought my total load up to the absolute maximum that i could carry. "it was almost enough. but a miss is as good as a mile, for a space ship. i was stuck, and there didn't seem to be a thing i could do about it. even if i could have carried more weight it wouldn't have helped. any more mass in the cargo compartment would have thrown the c.g. too far aft." he beckoned for more rhial. "so what did you do?" i prompted. "you did say that you carried the elephant, didn't you?" "sure. like i said, a delta class freighter can do almost anything. beulah gave me the answer herself. if you've ever lived with an elephant, one thing becomes clear mighty fast. they're a mighty efficient machine for converting fodder into elephant droppings. so i made a bin on the opposite side of the compartment from beulah, and let her gradually fill it while she ate me out of balance. the weight of the--what's a nice word for it?--was just enough to let me keep the whole setup in dynamic balance." "compost heap?" i suggested dreamily, picturing the arrangement in my mind. there was poetry in it. or was it poetic justice that i had in mind? * * * * * "that's it," said captain hannah. "compost heap. well, i started the journey with the ship full and beulah and the compost heap empty. i finished pretty much the other way around. i suppose it sounds easy, but it wasn't. "i started off with beulah chained down in the middle of the compartment, and everything stacked around her. she didn't want me to leave when i went up to the bridge to take off, and hollered as piteously as you can imagine. but i couldn't have a nurse for her--mahout, they call them. i couldn't spare the weight. or the salary, for that matter. she was chained down, so she couldn't move around and upset the balance. "after chemical take off, we slid into parking orbit as sweet as you please. i hurried down to shift the load around. i didn't want to stay weightless any longer than i had to, because i remembered that sick indian elephant--and beulah outweighed him by almost two tons, and had a larger stomach to match. of course, the indian elephant had gone into orbit on a full belly, and i hadn't let beulah have a bite to eat for hours. it made a difference, let me tell you. "beulah made trouble in her own way, though. as soon as i got within reach, she grabbed me with that long nose of hers, and wouldn't let go. she didn't hurt me or anything like that; she just wanted company in her misery. i couldn't coax her with food. the very thought of food made her shudder. "i couldn't reach her chains to cut her loose, and i couldn't reach the radio to call for help. if it hadn't been for the ionosphere guard, i might have starved to death. i'd hired the parking orbit for twelve hours, and when i was still in it after that time, port control started to holler. i could hear them on my loud speaker, but i couldn't answer them. so the ionosphere guard finally sent up a small craft with a lieutenant and a three-man crew in it to see what was wrong. * * * * * "those sailors were good. they didn't even look surprised; they just went to work as if they handled elephants in space every day. they drove four lines through the ring bolts i'd welded in the spin-deck, cast beulah loose and hauled her over to her new spot as neat as you please. "then, no nonsense, the lieutenant ordered beulah to let loose of me. she did, too. "after that they left, stopping for just one drink of my good bourbon. i didn't drink rhial then. "i wirelessed port control my penalty fees and another twelve hour's hire in the orbit, and started shifting the load. i was working on an empty stomach, and beulah still didn't feel hungry, so she didn't remind me that i hadn't eaten. i almost collapsed before i got the job done. "then i put spin on, which made beulah comfortable at last, and tried to juggle the ship into a hyper-trajectory, still without stopping for food or sleep. it didn't take long before beulah started squalling for supper. after i fed her i had to adjust balance all over again. by that time i was pushing my new twelve-hour limit, and i didn't give much of a damn any more. i just counted to ten and pushed the button. then i turned in and slept until beulah started squalling for breakfast. i ignored her until i ate about three squares in a row, then i fed her and adjusted balance. after that i checked my trajectory. "it was the best i've ever made in twenty-four years of jumping. it was beautiful. "so i turned back in again and slept until beulah woke me for lunch. i didn't know it at the time, but beulah was eating for two. that possibility probably should have occurred to me earlier, what with the name 'beulah', but you can't think of everything, and there i was, the first man to go into hyperspace with an elephant. anyway, it didn't even worry me, even when i found out about it. i checked the contract. everything seemed to be well covered. and according to my book on elephants, beulah should still be only a potential mother when we reached penguin. as a matter of fact, the whole idea made me feel just a little bit proud. like a father, you know? "what with having to shift weights after every meal, and beulah setting the schedule for meals, i was kept mighty busy. my self-winding wristwatch overwound itself and stopped, in spite of the advertisements about it, and i didn't find out for almost two weeks, subjective, that beulah's stomach ran fast. what's more, i think she knew it. because when i finally woke up to what was going on, and started to run her schedule by the clock, she didn't fuss a bit. beulah's a clever girl. "i was so worn out when we finally reached penguin that i just slid into orbit, kept spin on, laid out a couple of extra meals for beulah and slept the clock around. the prinkip was mighty mad about it when i finally turned on my radio, but i told him i had my cargo ready for delivery and where did he want me to put it? so he calmed down and gave me the coordinates. * * * * * "of course, i had to take off the spin and shift beulah back to the landing deck, and there wasn't any ionosphere guard around to help me if i got into any kind of trouble. so i was mighty careful. i put the chains on beulah again, and then set up trip ropes so i could cut her loose without getting inside of reach of that nose of hers. then i ran lines back to the first set of ring bolts, so i could drag her back, weightless, without any trouble. beulah looked a little unhappy, but didn't make any fuss about it all. i started to take spin off, giving the orders to the angle jets through the computer right down in the cargo compartment, so the old girl wouldn't worry about where i was. "beulah didn't squall as her weight came off this time. she just reached down and tripped loose the chains around her ankles. did i tell you that she was mighty clever?" i nodded. "well, she started around that spin deck after me. i punched into the computer the maximum order for spin reduction, and started around the spin deck to keep away from her. beulah grabbed hold of the computer with her nose--for support, i guess--when she got over there. she yanked the whole thing clear off the deck, breaking its cable. _crucis_ lurched once. "and i ended up in the compost heap. "with beulah way off center, and with that last wild burst from the jets before they cut off, the ship was gyrating in a way that made _my_ stomach uneasy. it didn't seem to bother beulah, though. she just wanted to be near me. i got out of there fast, and went up onto the bridge. "the main computer was out, of course. i couldn't interrogate the auxiliary computer remotely, so i had to fly that wobbling ship to a stop by the seat of my pants. i did it, too. "then i went back to the cargo compartment and hauled beulah into the center. she didn't make any more trouble--she was sorry for what she had done. "the coordinates the prinkip had given me looked almighty close to a big pond that i didn't recall having seen before, but i was too busy making a landing with minimum fuel to ask him about it. i finally fought her down safely with one leg of my tripod actually in the pond, and clouds of steam rising up around _delta crucis_. i call it a pond. but on a normal-size planet it would be a good big lake. "anyway, i had made it safely to penguin, and my elephant was alive and healthy. i congratulated beulah when i untied her, and then i took her outside to meet the prinkip. i think i was a little proud of myself, and of beulah, and of _delta crucis_, too." * * * * * i was so stirred by hearing about this successful conclusion of captain hannah's mission that i shook his hand warmly and ordered a round of drinks for everyone in the room. fortunately, it was not very crowded at the time. "that's not quite the end of the story," said the skipper. "you see, the prinkip had built the pond to keep beulah in. he had somehow gotten the idea that i was bringing him a whale." i looked blank. "an earth mammal. it lives in the oceans, and runs to maybe seventy or eighty tons." i sat down slowly, and then made a sudden dive for my contract for the use of the _delta crucis_. the skipper nodded. "i had a contingent contract with the prinkip, too," he said, "and i hadn't delivered. i still haven't figured out how to make delivery of a whale, but i will some day. "and if you're looking for that part of our contract where you agree to store any residual cargo i may be carrying, it's all legal and binding. until i get back from hauling your gasha root, you'll have to care for one adult female african elephant. but i'm sure you'll get to like beulah as much as i have. she's a mighty clever elephant." i called the waiter over and ordered a beaker of rhial. "but you're lucky at that," said hannah. "check subparagraph f of paragraph of our contract: incidental accrual. when beulah has her baby, the little tyke will be all yours." now i know why captain hannah drinks rhial in the morning. so do i.