THE GREAT HERBIVORES I51 
uncommon characteristic in all feminine creatures. I soon 
made friends with the cow, who was given the name of Lissy, 
and I never passed her stall without giving her a handful of food. 
I was therefore justified in supposing that I had quite won her 
heart, and, as she never showed any signs of violence, it did not 
occur tome that I might be dealing here with a grossly deceit- 
ful creature. The elephant was being taught a trick, in which 
she had to lift her keeper high into the air with her trunk, 
and then slowly set him upon the ground again. The word 
of command which was given her when she had to perform 
this simple exhibition of her tameness was, “ Lissy, apport!” 
One day about noon I found Lissy alone in her stable, the 
keeper being absent. There must have been a devil in me, 
for I felt a desire to be embraced and raised on high by the 
cow, after the manner of her affectionate treatment of her 
keeper. I therefore went up to the elephant, stroked and fed 
her, and taking hold of her trunk I called out the word of 
command, ‘‘ Lissy, apport!” Then followed one of the most 
vilely treacherous acts of which I have ever heard. Lissy 
began to obey the order, but I soon felt that she was bent on 
mischief, for the embrace of her trunk was unpleasantly vigor- 
ous, and I soared high into the air. But I was not quietly 
deposited once more upon my feet. Instead of this, Lissy 
dashed me violently against the wooden barrier in front of 
her stall, and I went flying over into the menagerie. I lay 
almost senseless upon the ground until the old keeper, Philipp, 
appeared and helped me home. Fortunately neither my 
head nor my side had hit the barrier, and no bones were 
broken, but I was terribly bruised and for weeks I could only 
hobble about with great pain. Whether the elephant was 
secretly amused at my plight I cannot say, but I know that 
after this incident I entirely lost my love for her. 
On another occasion I had an adventure which was, if 
possible, even more dangerous. At the time of which I speak 
I was busy sending off a large collection of animals to 
America, among which there was a male elephant that stood 
