; SHAKESPEARE'S [ELEPHANT. 



the rising of the sun with certain movings, as they may, 

 and then they turn again into woods and Jaunds. Their 

 youth is known by whiteness of teeth, of the which teeth 

 that one is always working, and that other is spared, lest 

 he should wax dull with continual smiting and rubbing, 

 but when they be pursued with hunters, then they smite 

 both together, and break them, that they be no longer 

 pursued, when the teeth be appaired and defoiled [dam- 

 aged], for they know that the teeth be cause of their peril. 

 And a cave or a ditch is made under the earth, as it were 

 a pit-fall in the Elephant's way, and unawares he falleth 

 therein. And then one of the hunters cometh to him, and 

 beateth and smiteth him, and pricketh him full sore. And 

 then another hunter cometh and smiteth the first hunter, 

 and doth him away, and defendeth the Elephant, and giveth 

 him barley to eat ; and when he hath eaten thrice or four 

 times, then he loveth him that defended him, and is after- 

 wards mild and obedient to him. And if it happeth that 

 he swalloweth a worm that is hight Chameleon, he taketh 

 and eateth of wild olive-tree, and is so holp against the 

 venom. Also the Elephant's bones brent [i.e. burnt] chase 

 and drive away serpents and all venomous beasts. Also 

 there is another thing that is full wonderful ; for among the 

 Ethiopians in some countries, Elephants be hunted in this 

 wise : There go in desert two maidens all naked and bare 

 with open hair of the head ; and one of them beareth a 

 vessel, and the other a sword ; and these maidens begin to 

 sing alone, and the beast hath liking when he heareth their 

 song, and cometh to them, and licketh their teats, and 

 falleth asleep anon for liking of the song, and then the 

 one maid sticketh him in the throat, or in the side with a 

 sword, and the other taketh his blood in a vessel, and with 

 that blood the people of the same country dye cloth [which 

 is called purple Bartholomew]. 



Bartholomew (and Berthelefs translation), bk. xviii. 42-5. 



ELEPHANTS of all other beasts do chiefly hate the mouse ; 

 so that if they shall see or perceive that a mouse hath 

 once touched their meat that is before them, they loathe 

 the same, and will not eat a bit thereof. 



Lupton, "A Thousand Notable Things," bk. vi. 43, 



