104 
MAMMALIA. 
[Chap. III. 
but made a drawing of the elephant presented to King 
Henry III. by the King of France in 1255, in which he 
nevertheless represents the legs as without joints. 1 
In the numerous mediaeval treatises on natural his- 
tory, known under the title of Bestiaries, this delusion 
regarding the elephant is often repeated ; and it is given 
at length in a metrical version of the Physiologies of 
Theokaldtjs, amongst the Arundel Manuscripts in the 
British Museum. 2 
With the Provenpal song writers, the helplessness of 
the fallen elephant was a favourite simile, and amongst 
others Kichakd de Bakbezietjx, in the latter half of the 
twelfth century, sung 3 , 
1 Cotton MSS. Nero. D. 1. fol. 
168, b. 
2 Arundel MSS. No 292, fol, 
4, &c. It has been printed in the 
Reliquice Antiques, vol. i. p. 208, by 
Mr. Weight, to whom I am in- 
debted for the following rendering 
of the passage referred to : — 
in water ge sal stonden 
in water to mid side 
Sat wanne hire harde tide 
Sat ge ne falle ni$er nogt 
Sat it most in hire Sogt 
for he ne haven no liS 
Sat he mugen risen wiS, etc. 
" They will stand in the water, 
in water up to the middle of the side, 
that when it comes to them hard, 
they may not fall down : 
that is most in their thought, 
for they have no joint 
to enable them to rise again. 
How he resteth him this animal, 
when he walketh abroad, 
hearken how it is here told. 
For he is all unwieldy, 
forsooth he seeks out a tree, 
that is strong and stedfast, 
and leans confidently against it, 
when he is weary of walking. 
The hunter has observed this, 
who seeks to ensnare him, 
where his usual dwelling is, 
to do his w ill ; 
saws this tree and props it 
in the manner that he best may, 
covers it well that he (the elephant) may 
not be on his guard. 
Then he makes thereby a seat, 
himself sits alone and watches 
whether his trap takes effect. 
Then cometh this unwieldy elephant, 
and leans him on his side, 
rests against the tree in the shadow, 
and so both fall together, 
if nobody be by when he falls, 
he roars ruefully and calls for help, 
roars ruefully in his manner, 
hopes he shall through help rise. 
Then cometh there one (elephant) in haste, 
hopes he shall cause him to stand upj 
labours and tries all his might, 
but he cannot succeed a bit. 
He knows then no other remedy, 
but roars with his brother, 
maaiy and large (elephants) come there in 
search, 
thinking to make him get up, 
but for the help of them all 
he may not get up. 
Then they all roar one roar, 
like the blast of a horn or the sound of bell j 
for their great roaring 
a young one cometh running, 
stoops immediately to him, 
puts his snout under him, 
and asks the help of them all ; 
this elephant they raise on his legs : 
and thus fails this hunter's trick, 
in the manner that 1 have told you." 
3 One of the most venerable au- 
thorities by whom the fallacy was 
transmitted to modern times was 
Phixip de Thatjn, who wrote, about 
