ANECDOTES OF ELEPHANTS. 173 



what you have done ! You have killed my 

 husband, whom you loved so well ; now kill 

 me and his son ! " The animal appeared to 

 understand her ; he took his foot off* the 

 body of the man, drooped his ears and hung 

 down his head. The wife threw herself upon 

 the body, lamenting loudly, turning now and 

 then to the elephant to reproach him, while he 

 stood, as if conscious of his fault, looking sadly 

 at her. Once or twice the child caught at the 

 trunk and played with it, as he had probably 

 often done before, for it is no uncommon thing 

 in India to see the mahout's child play between 

 the legs of an elephant, or to see the elephant 

 waving his trunk over it, allowing it to go to 

 a little distance and then tenderly bringing it 

 hack again, as tenderly as a mother would. 



Some mounted spearmen were now sent to 

 bring the elephant away; but he charged them 

 all with the greatest fury, and drove them away, 

 following them up. 



" Let the woman call him off," shouted the 

 king, who was present, " he will attend to her ! " 



She did so, and Malleer came back, just as a 

 spaniel would do at the call of his master. 



" Let the woman mount with her child and 



