260 PLnrr'3 ITATTJlUi HISTOET. [Book VIII, 



CHAP. 12. (12.) TTTR SAGACITY OF THESE ANIMALS. 



The sagacity which every animal exhibits in its own behalf 

 is wonderful, but in these it is remarkably so. The dragon 

 has much difficulty in climbing up to so great a height, and 

 therefore, watching the road, which bears marks of their foot- 

 steps when going to feed, it darts down upon them from a 

 lofty tree. The elephant knows that it is quite unablfe to 

 struggle against the folds of the serpent, and so seeks for trees 

 or rocks against which to rub itself. The dragon is on its 

 guard against this, and tries to prevent it, by first of aU con- 

 fining the legs of the elephant with the folds of its tail ; while 

 the elephant, on the other hand, endeavours to disengage itself 

 with its trunk. The dragon, however, thrusts its head into 

 its nostrils, and thus, at the same moment, stops the breath and 

 wounds the most tender parts. When it is met unexpectedly, 

 the dragon raises itseM up, faces its opponent, and flies more 

 especially at the eyes ; this is the reason why elephants are so 

 often found blind, and worn to a skeleton with hunger and 

 misery. What other cause can one assign for such mighty 

 strifes as these, except that ^Nature is desirous, as it were, to 

 make an exhibition for herself, in 'pitting such opponents 

 against each other ? 



There is another story, too, told in relation to these combats 

 — the blood of the elephant, it is said, is remarkably cold ; for 

 which reason, in the parching heats of summer," it is sought 

 by the dragon with remarkable avidity. It lies, therefore, coiled 

 up and concealed in the rivers, in wait for the elephants, when 

 they come to drink ; upon which it darts out, fastens itself 

 around the trunk, and then fixes its teeth behind the ear, that 

 being the only place which the elephant cannot protect with 

 the trunk. The dragons, it is said, are of such vast size, that 

 they can swallow the whole of the blood ; consequently, the 

 elephant, being thus drained of its blood, falls to the earth 

 exhausted ; while the dragon, intoxicated with the draught, 

 is crushed beneath it, and so shares its fate. 



'5 The idea of the elephant's blood heing cold, and sought after by the 

 dragon, is, of course, without foundation ; its blood being of the same tem- 

 perature with that of other quadrupeds. — B. 



