ELEPHANT SHOOTING 251 



of parting with his elephant, which he had brought up 

 and taught for so many years, till it was almost like 

 his own child, and in the middle of the night he 

 mounted its back, and they both fled away into a 

 desert place. 



When the king heard what the man had done he was 

 very wroth, and sent messengers to take the elephant, 

 and to bring its master into his own presence, so that 

 he might receive the punishment due to his disobedi- 

 ence. 



The Indian saw them coming, and climbed with his 

 elephant up a steep rock, only answering their summons 

 to give himself up by throwing stones at their heads, and 

 the elephant followed his example. At length, some of 

 the men stole round from behind, and seizing the Indian 

 threw him on the ground. At this the elephant waxed 

 so furious that it charged them madly, catching up 

 some in its trunk and dashing them to the earth again, 

 and trampling others under its great feet. The men at 

 the back, seeing the fate of their foremost comrades, fled 

 away in terror from the enraged elephant, who then, 

 stooping over its unconscious master, raised him gently 

 in its trunk, and carried him away to a safe place. 



