In Training for Work 89 



and scattered villages nestled in its folds ; here 

 the land was populated and cultivated. One 

 left a village only to enter another, each with 

 its groves of palms, bamboos and mangroves; 

 each with its water-tank which served as 

 bathing place to man and beast ; each with its 

 shallow well and its small and tawdry temple. 

 There were no monasteries built of dark-toned 

 timbers heavily carved, and no sound of 

 sonorous gongs and tinkling bells. Of waste 

 lands and jungles there were few, and men 

 were everywhere, not armed and alert, but 

 residing in open villages, seemingly with no 

 fear of man or beast, incessantly talking and 

 incessantly eating food of strange savour. 

 And yet, in spite of this easy existence, there 

 was little joyousness in the land, no bright- 

 ness of colour or daintiness in the dresses, and 

 more scolding and quarrelling in a day than 

 would be heard in a month in the Further 

 East. 



Yet, in spite of these differences, which, 

 indeed, affected the elephant but little ; he 

 passed his days in contentment, regained some 



