ELEPH 



ANT.] 



NATURAL HISTORY 



fight with the dragon, and defend the man, and putteth 

 them forth to defend the man strongly and mightily ; and 

 do so namely [especially] when they have young foals, 

 for they dread that the man seeketh their foals. They 

 dread and flee the voice of the least sound of a swine. 

 Also between Elephants and dragons is perpetual wrath and 

 strife [v. Dragon]. And when the Elephant sitteth, he 

 bendeth his feet ; and may not bend four at once for 

 heaviness and weight of the body, but he leaneth to the 

 right side, or to the left side, and sleepeth standing, and 



he bendeth the hinder legs right as a man. If he hath 

 iron in his body, oil is given him to drink, and the iron 

 is drawn out by drink of oil. And Elephants be without 

 gall, but they be accidentally cruel and fierce, when they 

 be too soon angered, or if they be wine-drunken to make 

 them sharp to fight in battle. Also no beast liveth so 

 long as the Elephant, and his complexion is like to the air 

 that he dwelleth in. Elephants keep lore and discipline of 

 the stars, and in waxing of the moon go to rivers, and 

 when they be besprung with liquor, they salute and welcome 



