ELEPHANT. | NATURAL HISTORY IOI 
fight with the dragon, and defend the man, and putteth 
them forth to defend the man strongly and mightily ; and 
do so namely [especially] when they have young foals, 
for they dread that the man seeketh their foals. They 
dread and flee the voice of the least sound of a swine. 
Also between Elephants and dragons is perpetual wrath and 
strife [v. Dragon]. And when the Elephant sitteth, he 
bendeth his feet; and may not bend four at once for 
heaviness and weight of the body, but he leaneth to the 
' right side, or to the left side, and sleepeth standing, and 
he bendeth the hinder legs right as a man. If he hath 
iron in his body, oil is given him to drink, and the iron 
is drawn out by drink of oil. And Elephants be without - 
gall, but they be accidentally cruel and fierce, when they 
be too soon angered, or if they be wine-drunken to make. 
them sharp to fight in battle. Also no beast liveth so 
long as the Elephant, and his complexion is like to the air 
that he dwelleth in: Elephants keep lore and discipline of 
the stars, and in waxing of the moon go to rivers, and 
when they be besprung with liquor, they salute and welcome 
