CHAPTER II
THE NATIVE FOREST
I was born in the forest of Laos, and regarding my youth I haveretained only very confused memories; occasional punishmentsinflicted by my Mother, when I refused to take my bath, or to followher in search of food; some gay frolics with elephants of my ownage; excessive fear during the great storms; pillage of the enemy'sfields--and long beatitudes on the borders of streams, and in thesilent glades of the forest. That is all. For in those days the mistsrested on my mind, which later on were cleared away.
When I grew large I perceived with surprise that the Elders of the Herdof which I was a member regarded me with disfavour. This pained me, andI would have been glad to think that I was mistaken; but it was evidentthat no matter what advances were made by me, I was avoided by all. Isought for some cause for this aversion, and soon discovered it byobserving my reflection in a pool. _I was not like the others!_
My skin instead of being like theirs, gray and dingy, was white, andin spots of a pinkish colour.... How did that happen? Mortificationoverwhelmed me. And I formed the habit of retiring from the Herd whichdespised me, and of remaining by myself.
One day when I was thus alone, sad and humiliated, at a distance fromthe Herd, I noticed a slight noise in the thicket, near me. I partedthe branches with my trunk, and saw a singular being, who walked on twolegs--and yet was not a bird. He wore neither feathers nor fur; but onhis skin there shone brilliant stones, and bits of bright colours thatmade him look like a flower! _I beheld for the first time a Man_.
An extreme terror seized me; but a curiosity equally intense kept memotionless in the presence of this creature--so small that without theslightest effort I could have crushed him, and who yet in some wayappeared to me more formidable and powerful than I.
While I was gazing at him he saw me, and instantly threw himself on theground, making extraordinary motions, of which I did not comprehend themeaning, but which did not seem to me to be hostile.
After a few moments he rose and retired, bowing at every step, till Ilost sight of him.
I returned next day to the same spot, in the hope of seeing him again;the man was there, but this time he was not alone. On seeing me hiscompanions, like himself, performed the same singular movements,throwing themselves on their faces upon the ground, and doubling theirbodies backwards and forwards.
My astonishment was great, and my fears diminished. I thought the menso pretty, so light and graceful in their motions, that I could nottire of watching them.
After a while they went away, and I saw them no more.
One day soon after, when alone as usual I descended to the Lake todrink, I saw upon the opposite shore an elephant who looked over at meand made friendly signals. It flattered me that he did not seem to feelrepelled by my appearance, but on the contrary seemed to admire me, andwas disposed to make my acquaintance. But he was a stranger to me, andcertainly did not belong to our Herd.
He gathered some delicate roots, of a kind that we elephants greatlyenjoy, and held them out to me, as though to offer them for myacceptance. I hesitated no longer, but began to swim across the Lake.
On reaching the other side I gave the polite stranger to understandthat I was attracted, not so much by the sight of the delicacies as bythe wish to enjoy his company. He insisted upon my accepting a portionof his hospitality, and began, very sociably, to eat up the rest.
Then, after some gambols, which seemed to me very graceful, he movedoff, inviting me by his looks to follow. I did not need urging, andwe plunged into the Forest, running, frolicking, pulling fruits andflowers. I was so delighted with the companionship of my new friendthat I took no notice of the direction in which he was leading me.But suddenly I stopped. I saw with uneasiness that I was quite lost.We had come out onto a plain that was strange to me, and where, in thedistance, singular objects showed against the sky--tall points thecolour of snow, and brilliant red mounds, and smoke ... things thatseemed to me not natural!
Seeing my hesitation, my companion gave me a friendly blow with histrunk, of sufficient force, however, to show more than ordinarystrength.
My suspicions were not allayed by this blow, under which my flanksmarted; I refused to go further.
The stranger then uttered a long call, which was answered by similarcalls. Seriously frightened now, I turned abruptly towards the Forest.A dozen elephants barred the way.
He who had so duped me (for what reason I could not imagine), fearingthe effects of my indignation, now promptly retired. He set offrunning; but I was so much larger than he that it seemed easy toovertake him. I rushed in pursuit, but just as I caught up with him Iwas obliged to stop short. He had entered the open door of a formidablestockade, made of the trunks of giant trees. It was _inside_ that hewished to lead me, _to make me a prisoner_!.
I tried to draw back and escape, but I was surrounded by theaccomplices of my false friend, who beat me cruelly with their trunks,and at last forced me into the enclosure--the door being at once shutbehind me.
Seeing myself caught, I uttered my war-cry, and charged the palisades,throwing all my weight against them, in the hope of breaking through. Iran madly round the enclosure, thrusting my tusks into the walls, andseizing the timbers with my trunk, endeavouring to wrench them apart.It was against the door that I strove most furiously.... But all wasuseless. My enemies had prudently disappeared; they did not return tillI was exhausted, paralyzed by my impotent rage, and until, motionless,and with drooping head, I owned myself _vanquished_!
Then he who had lured me into this _trap_ reappeared and approachedme, dragging enormous chains, which he wound around my feet. Groaningdeeply, I reproached him with his perfidy; but he gave me to understandthat I was in no danger, and that if I would be submissive I would haveno cause to regret my lost liberty.
The night came. I was left alone, chained in this manner. I strove withdesperation to break my manacles, but without success.
At last, worn out with grief and fatigue, I threw myself on the ground,and after a time fell asleep.