MOST of my little readers have probably seen elephants at some time in their life, and will, no doubt, think of them as large, ungainly creatures. They are, indeed, homely to look at, but, usually, they are very gentle and they are also very wise.
Children, and older folks, too, often find much pleasure in giving them such things as they like to eat; and they watch with curiosity the long, strange looking trunk as it reaches out and takes adroitly and daintily the apple, or cake, or other tit-bit held out for it, and then turns it under and upwards until the portion given has reached its mouth, when it is seen no more. These huge and awkward looking creatures can be trained to stand for a little while on two legs; or to stand on a tub, turned upside down, their four feet drawn together and all resting on it at once; or to make a bridge by two of them standing on their hind feet, and putting their front feet together, while a third passes under; or to take a little mouth harp into the end of their trunk and play vigorously on it; and this they seem to enjoy so much they do not wish to give up their instruments when the keeper would take them away.
These and many other amusing and intelligent things they will do; but I wish to tell you of an elephant who not only showed great intelligence, but was very humane also.
It was away off in India where the people use elephants when they go to hunt tigers, and other wild animals. They have little cages or houses fastened on the elephant’s back, and in these cages often a number of people sit. At one time the Grand Vizier made preparations for a great hunt. He had many of the nobles gathered together, and the elephants all put in. readiness. He himself headed the, procession and rode upon his favorite elephant, which was a noble creature. When all was ready they moved slowly off. They soon came to a ravine and after passing through it, they entered a meadow in which were lying a number of sick people who had been carried there to get the benefit of the pure, fresh air; for in that hot and thickly settled country there are often famines and scourges which make very many sick. These poor, sick people were lying on the ground, just where the Grand Vizier wanted to pass with his retinue, and they were too sick and feeble to crawl out of the way.
The Vizier was a cruel man and he thought in his wicked heart that it would be a nice sight to see these poor, sick people mangled and crushed under the huge feet of the elephants, so he ordered the driver of his elephant, who sat in front of the little cage that held him, to goad the elephant so he would go fast; this the driver did, and the elephant went on a trot. But when he came to the first invalid he stopped short. The Vizier began to curse, and called to the driver to stick the elephant in the ear, and the driver again goaded him. But the noble elephant stood still, refusing to go on, and trample the poor, sick people to death.
After waiting awhile and seeming to understand that the sick people were helpless and unable to move themselves out of the way, he took up the first with his trunk and laid him gently down again at one side, then he took up a second, and a third, and so on, until he had made a clear passage along which the retinue could pass without doing hurt to any of them.
Was not this a noble and intelligent action on the part of the elephant! The beast was, in this case, gentler than the man.
Man’s heart is deceitful and desperately wicked, God tells us. But when the kindness of Jesus is made known to us, and when the love of God fills our hearts, we will not only show kindness and love to our fellow beings, but we will also treat the animals with gentleness and tenderness.
“A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast; but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.” (Prov. xii. 10.)
Also let us learn lessons from the beasts, many of which are noble, gentle, wise, intelligent and industrious. Many of them might well put man, who knows so much more, to shame.
R.
ML 07/22/1900