176 



The Life of an Elephant 



to and fro 



those other times, when, though subject to man, 



he roamed the jungles in sympathy with him. 

 The elephant had leaned forward to draw a 



branch of the green fodder from the pile before 

 him, and was instantly 

 aware of a sharp blow on 

 the end of his extended 

 trunk. A black snake was 

 rearing its head from 

 amongst the wilted foliage, 

 hissing gently as it waved 

 elephant raised his massive 



fore-foot, and without haste crushed the reptile 



as a man might crush any noxious insect. Then 



he stood as if considering the matter. 



The pain from the bite flowed in a stream of 



fire up his trunk, and he 



commenced to rock from side 



to side in agony ; now it 



reached his brain and seemed 



to numb it with its force ; it 



poured like red hot lava 



through his veins, so that his 



legs trembled and refused to 



