170 IVORY AND THE ELEPHANT 



Arnold wrote some verses of which we may quote the four 

 following lines:* 



Shall I interpret? Life's the banyan tree; 



Which Death, the elephant, in dust would lay; 

 And the poor foolish ape is Man; and see! 



The black rat is the Night, the white the Day. 



Fantastic composite animal figures, frequently composed 

 of a number of quite unrelated forms, are favourite subjects 

 with Hindu artists. As examples of the application of this 

 style of drawing to the elephant may be noted two figures of 

 compound elephants, composed of a curious medley of hu- 

 man and animal forms. As mahouts serve two animal- 

 headed demons, who are urging on their mounts to combat. f 

 Another of these curious designs shows us the god Krishna 

 mounted on an elephant figure made up of an aggregate of 

 male and female musicians.}: 



A quaintly humorous bit of Hindu drawing is intended to 

 illustrate the tremendous lifting power of the fabulous bird 

 known in the East as the "roc," which was used as a symbol 

 of strength in India. The design shows the fabled bird 

 lifting by main force an elephant which it has seized with its 

 mighty beak. This elephant is treated in a distinctly whim- 

 sical way, for it balances on its trunk a tiny elephant, and 

 another on the tip of its tail; a third is held in its mouth, 

 and below each of its feet is a similar baby elephant. As a 

 possible help to the roc in case of need, or to the elephant 

 itself should the bird be tempted to drop the heavy burden, 



*Col. T. H. Hendley, "Indian Animals, True and False, in Art, Religion," etc.; the 

 Journal of Indian Art and Industry, Vol. XVI, No. 126, April, 1914, PI. XII, Fig. b. 

 see p. 75. 



fT. H. Hendley, "Indian Animals, True and False, in Art, Religion," etc., the Journal 

 of Indian Art and Industry, Vol. XVI, No. 126, April, 1914, PI. Ill, Fig. b. 

 JIbid., PI. VII, b. 



