Birth of the Calf 23 



man made his report of elephants in the 

 neighbourhood, and here we may leave him 

 to food and rest in his home. 



Meanwhile the herd of elephants, finding 

 food, shade and water in the vicinity, spread 

 themselves at ease over the country with no 

 intention of travelling during the ensuing night. 

 One amongst them there was who had roamed 

 uneasily during the day, avoiding her fellows, 

 seeking vaguely for retirement in some spot 

 sheltered and secure. Annoyed by the busy 

 idleness of the herd, she wandered to a distance, 

 and as evening fell found herself alone ; at her 

 back a perpendicular rock, still festooned with 

 moss and ferns, before her a tangle of bamboos 

 from which issued stems of straight trees whose 

 leafy crowns gave promise of shelter from the 

 midday sun. 



As morning dawned with tropical haste a 

 bear came sauntering past the spot, self- 

 absorbed, as is the custom of his tribe, thinking 

 solely of the good fortune of the past night 

 when he had found abundance of fruit, longing 

 for his lair where he mi'^ht doze and drowse 



