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Updated: May 10, 2025
The elephant who had the huge tusks stepped into the ring, and tried to get behind Mukna, but Mukna turned around to prevent him from doing so. Then the elephant master ordered two other elephants to step into the ring. These two came and pointed their tusks at Mukna's ribs on each side. So Mukna could not turn. In defiance he held up his head, and curled his trunk tight before him.
It seemed to say, "I am sorry for being wicked and obstinate! I repent! Forgive me!" Immediately the elephant master gave a sign. All the other elephants fell back. Their task was done. They returned to their usual work. Then several of the keepers came with buckets of water, and bathed Mukna's wounds. Afterward they put on the wounds a poultice of herbs, to cure the wounds in due time.
Then the keeper stepped to the tree and fastened one of Mukna's hind legs to the tree with a chain so that he could not run away. The three police elephants then went back to their work. Now I must tell you that in a herd in the jungle a bad elephant is punished at once by the president.
An elephant has a long memory; he never forgets an injury, or an act of kindness. An elephant has been known to remember both injury and kindness for more than twenty years. Then did not Mukna's keeper ever ill-treat him?"
But Mukna would not yet obey. He merely stood still. Then all the other elephants looked up from their work, just as grown-up men in a workshop look up if they hear the foreman scolding a bad workman. Those other elephants knew what an awful crime disobedience was. Then in a deep and stern voice Mukna's keeper said to him, "I command you for the third and last time to lift that log!"
Step by step the three police elephants went backward till Mukna's hind legs came against the trunk of a tree. There Mukna was held for a moment, so that he could not wriggle away. For the elephant in front prevented him from moving forward, and the tree prevented him from moving backward; and the two elephants on the sides prevented him from moving sideways.
In an elephant that is a sign that he is defiant or determined, just like a man who folds his arms tight across his chest. Mukna was unrepentant. The messenger reached the palace and reported Mukna's disobedience; and the elephant master said that he would come that afternoon to punish Mukna. The reigning prince said that he also would come.
Mukna's blow fell upon the bull elephant's side, and knocked him down. But Mukna tripped over him, and also fell. The two elephants rolled over and over upon the ground. Meanwhile the young American and the reigning prince and all the other men, ran on to safety behind the trees. When Mukna regained his feet, he realized that the men he had attempted to kill had escaped.
When the trial began, Mukna's keeper first gave evidence; that is, he said that Mukna had disobeyed his order, not only once, but three times. Then several other keepers came forward as witnesses, and gave evidence; that is, they said that they saw Mukna disobey the order. Then the man who was appointed to defend Mukna spoke for him; he was called the elephant counsel.
Mukna's keeper had deprived him of these delicacies for his bad temper, just as a naughty boy's father may deprive the boy of ice-cream. That should have been a lesson to Mukna to be good. But it was not. Instead, he got worse. One morning, when all the elephants were working, Mukna's keeper ordered him to lift a log. Mukna did not obey. He merely stood still.
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