The Memoirs of a White Elephant

Night came; fires dotted with their red flames the entire extent of the camp; the smoke mounted straight in the tranquil air; I saw around the camp-kettles the men crouching, th...

"Ah! my brave companion! My faithful friend! How great is the wisdom of the Sage who says: '_He who is clever will be a stranger in no country; for him who is contented with lit...

I raised the upper part of her body very gently with my trunk, and swayed her softly back and forth, and fanned her with my ears--but she did not stir. The thought that she migh...

They were fastened by the foot, by means of a rope which they could have broken without the slightest effort. They were eating with great relish the fine roots and grasses piled...

One day--a day that is a burning point in my memory--the little Princess was rather more than a year old, and was able to run and jump finely; it was a short distance from a pre...

First of all I must tell you how I learned to write. This knowledge came to me somewhat late in my long life, but it has to be mentioned at the outset, for although you men have...

One day a most culpable idea came into my head. Parvati had for some time past shown herself extremely irritated by the constantly increasing demands of her position as Princess...

I really knew not what to do, and my reflections grew more and more gloomy, when I noticed that I had by degrees wandered out from the forest, which now lay behind me.

"During our flight our safety depended on each moment as it passed--not an instant could be spared--and I have only been able to thank thee in my heart. But now, before this shi...

Mr. Oldham had certainly acquitted himself remarkably well and rapidly, with my education, and I now no longer delighted the public by merely juggling with rings. I performed at...

I, the "King-Magnanimous," before whom a whole nation had prostrated itself--I, the fierce warrior, who had shed the blood of the enemy, restored a King to his throne, and had b...

Thanks to the English who had interposed and had stopped the War, a Treaty of Peace had been signed between the Maharajah of Mysore and my master, the King of Golconda.

I was born in the forest of Laos, and regarding my youth I have retained only very confused memories; occasional punishments inflicted by my Mother, when I refused to take my ba...

For several days after this Parvati did not come to visit me. I saw her at a distance, walking in the gardens, always accompanied by the black Baladji-Rao, whose white turban st...

He certainly did not show me the respect to which I was accustomed; he did not prostrate himself, nor even salute me; but he did better than either--he loved me.

The education of Parvati had begun, to her great displeasure--and to mine. For long hours she had to listen to the Brahmans, instead of playing with me, or going to harangue the...

She accepted me at once, and a sympathy and understanding that was extraordinary existed between us. She was beginning to talk, and from her, with no trouble at all I learned Hi...

We had been stopping a long time in this great city, where Moukounj was always able to find work for us both. The English language which he had learned in his youth was often of...

What a fearful thing is a battle! How terrible--how grand! It intoxicates, and stuns you. The music, the roar of the cannon, the firing, the shouts of the combatants; the tumult...

The day of our departure arrived, and very early in the morning the Slaves came to make my toilet. They rubbed me all over several times with a pomade perfumed with magnolia and...

When the evening arrived, and the performance was about to begin, I was not much excited--but terribly ashamed. I thought, "What would Parvati say if she could see me? I am abou...

Various adventures befell Prince Alemguir and myself at Beejapoor, which was the first city to be reached after leaving the chapel of Ganesa, and where we were obliged to remain...

Oh! why did no wise suggestion now come to me? Why did I not think of returning to the Palace of Golconda, where very likely my absence had not yet been discovered?

Prince-Formidable, for such was the name of my ancient companion, reclining not far from me upon a bed of fragrant branches, now told me something of his history, and also instr...

The sun had set; Parvati was returning slowly to the shore and preparing to resume her silken robe, when she uttered a piercing shriek, and covered her face with her hands--trem...

They had called her _Parvati_, which is the name of a Goddess. I was filled with deep emotion at the sight of her. My heart beat violently.... But I could only express my feelin...

Alas! Parvati was growing up. She was as beautiful as the Sun, and as pretty as the Moon; but she was no longer the playful child who cared for nothing so much as to be with me.

One day my Mahout, who like all others of his class, had the habit of making long discourses (which I finally grew to understand), came and stood before me, as he always did whe...

When I saw him advancing from a distance, talking and laughing with Parvati, a red flame danced before me, and I closed my eyes to escape from the frenzy of rage which overwhelm...