An Elephant had been endeavouring to rive the bole of a knotted oak
with his trunk, but the tree closed upon that member, detaining it, and
causing the hapless _Elphas Africanus_ intense pain. He shook the
forest with his trumpeting, and all the beasts gathered around him.
"Ah, ha, my friend," said a pert Chimpanzee, "you have got your trunk
checked, I see." "My children," said a temperate Camel to her young,
"let this awful example teach you to shun the bole." "Does it hurt
much?" said a compassionate Gnu. "Ah, it does; it does; it must; I gnu
it; I have been a mother myself." And while they were sympathising with
him the unfortunate Elephant expired in great agony.
_Moral._--The moral of the above is so plain as to need explanation.
Talk is cheap.