128 ANIMALS AND INSECTS 



they know the difference between shirking and be- 

 ing trustworthy. 



Mary Howitt tells an interesting story of an ele- 

 phant whose trade was wall building. He had been 

 trained to lay a course of stone and then call the 

 overseer to see that it was properly done before going 

 on with the next course. This elephant did not have 

 the patience of the orb-web spider. He seemed to 

 get tired of building each course of stone so carefully, 

 so he shirked on the last one. But he knew that his 

 work was not good, and after he had made the sign 

 that he was ready for the overseer, the sly, old fellow 

 leaned against the part of the wall that was carelessly 

 done so the man would not see it. When the over- 

 seer, however, commanded him to move, the ele- 

 phant, knowing well that his poor work would be 

 seen, without one word from the overseer pulled 

 down the bad work and commenced to build it over 

 again more carefully. 



Strong as they are, elephants are also very gentle. 

 The proboscis, or trunk, that can lift such huge 

 burdens and strike such terrific blows, can be used 

 as softly and carefully as a mother's arm. They love 

 children, and are as tender with them and with the 

 vsick as human beings are. They have been known to 

 lift children up and place them safely upon their 

 backs or by the side of the road when they were in 

 danger. And once when there was such a pestilence 

 that the sick people even lay in the streets, the ele- 

 phants in passing, without any word from their mas- 

 ters, would hft the sick ones and put them gently 

 to one side. 



