CHAPTER XIV
ELEPHANT GAMES
What a paradise for me were the years during which I was the Slave ofthat Child!
She accepted me at once, and a sympathy and understanding that wasextraordinary existed between us. She was beginning to talk, andfrom her, with no trouble at all I learned Hindostani; till then aninterpreter had been attached to my service, with no other duty thanthat of translating into Siamese such words as it was necessary for meto understand. I had, of course, remembered a few--but very few--andrarely an entire sentence; but with Parvati, who was, herself, slowlybut surely acquiring a _language_--I acquired it too.
I was the one to whom she talked most, and whenever I failed tounderstand her she would go obstinately over and over the same words.Generally it was about some new play that she had in her mind. With aplaymate like me you can imagine that the games were far from usual!"Swing me!" she would say.
Then I would bend my trunk inward a little, so as to form a sort ofliving arm-chair, which would support her lightly and prevent her fromfalling, and swing her gently back and forth. Her laughter was like ashower of pearls, but she was never satisfied.
"Harder! Harder!" she would cry, and I quickened the motion and senther higher and higher, until, when I felt it was becoming dangerous, Istopped.
Then she would get angry and try to beat me. But her tender littlehands hurt themselves on my rough skin, and she would stop, ready tocry, and say:
"Hateful thing! You prick me!"
To comfort her I would stroll towards the fountain, and she wouldfollow clapping her hands....
"Oh, yes--yes, make the water-spout."
This consisted in drawing up an enormous quantity of water (we arecapable of holding in our stomachs an incredible amount), and ofraising my trunk and spouting it out in sprays, jets, and showers. Thesun shining on the little drops made them sparkle with all the coloursof the rainbow.
With uplifted head and with ecstatic eyes, Parvati would look on. Shedid not laugh nor exclaim, but said gravely:
"That is beautiful!"
Her one fixed idea was to get on my back and go for a promenade. But afall from such a mountain as I would have been terrible for her, and Iopposed a firm resistance.
At the same time I studied how I might find a way of gratifying herwith safety.
After much reflection I thought of something. I pulled a number ofpliant flexible reeds, and with great effort and much patience, Imanaged to twist them together in a manner to form a kind of basketor hammock which could hang from my neck, and in which I carefullyplaced my little Princess. In this way it was as if she were restingon my heart, and I could watch over her, shelter her from the sun, andprotect her from any danger.
She was enchanted with my invention, and Saphire-of-Heaven was equallypleased; only the Queen ordered my shapeless work replaced by a morecomplete and perfect construction. The promenade now became one of ourfavourite pastimes.
We went all about the city, under trees that shaded fountains ofporphry.
The Brahmans who passed in their shining white robes, murmured abenediction on the daughter of their king; the cavaliers whom wemet riding on horses whose manes were braided and decorated withfringes, or mounted on elephants richly caparisoned, saluted her withaffectionate smiles; the noble ladies stopped their litters drawn bywhite oxen to speak a few words with her. But what most pleased her wasthe People, who shouted with joy, when they saw her coming, suspendedlike a Pearl from my neck! The merchants, the blacks, who all greetedher with acclamations--and above all the children, the crowds oflittle friends, for whom she was like a Fairy Queen.
We stopped before the temple of Vichnu which rises like a greatbee-hive of stone against the blue sky. And in a moment we weresurrounded by a world of little children, half dressed, and runningbare-footed in the dust, laughing, screaming, and making a joyous anddeafening noise.
The Princess leaned forward, and, holding up her little hand, imposedsilence upon her subjects. They became instantly mute, and rangedthemselves in a circle about us.
"Which of you has been good?" inquired she with a majestic air.
"Me ... Me ..." the entire assembly replied invariably with one voice!
"If you tell lies Brahma will know it, and Allah too, and you will bewhipped!"
"No! No! _Very_ good!" was the answer on all sides.
"Well then, we will go to the Bazaar!"
At this the shouts began louder than ever, and like a cloudy ofsparrows, as soon as I moved on, all the little urchins jumped andcapered around us in the dust; some of the boys went so far as to turnsummersaults, a performance which it must be admitted enchanted thePrincess.
A purse filled with rupees was attached to one of my tusks, and webought at the Bazaar all sorts of dainties and pretty things.
Each child, after pondering deeply--usually with its finger in itsmouth--announced what it would best like to have; mangoes, bananas,oranges, sherbet, pastry-cakes, preserves, or perhaps a necklaceof "vamba" beads as red as coral, bracelets of enamelled clay--aparasol--slippers; some asked for a tunic, or a veil of muslin....
I, myself was never forgotten. I also was expected to choose what Iwould like, and I always selected a pastry-shop, where my appetite wasallowed full sway. I gobbled pies, cookies, cream-cakes, biscuits,buns--the entire stock. I was terribly ashamed of my greediness, butcould not restrain myself. I was the one whose tastes were the mostexpensive!
"WHICH OF YOU HAS BEEN GOOD?" SHE INQUIRED]
The change for the last rupee I scattered in a shower, and while thelittle ones were engaged in picking up the bits of money we left.
Sometimes they ran after, and rejoined us. Then they formed a ring andjoined hands in a gay dance, holding us captive in their happy circle.
Parvati in her basket would stir restlessly: she longed to get down andmingle in the dance, but her dignity of Princess forbade such a thing.When I suspected that her feet were getting the better of her, I brokethrough the circle with a stern motion, and carried her rapidly away.