[Illustration: The White Elephant]
[Illustration: “No, no,” said the Queen.... “I never coax the King to
do anything against his will.”]
[Illustration: The White Elephant And Other Tales from Old India]
_The
White Elephant
And Other Tales from Old India_
_Retold by
Georgene Faulkner
“The Story Lady”_
_Illustrated by
Frederick Richardson_
_Published by
The P. F. Volland Company
Joliet
New York Chicago Boston_
The White Elephant, Copyright, 1929
By THE P. F. VOLLAND COMPANY
All Rights Reserved :: Printed in U. S. A.
[Illustration: P. F. Volland Logo]
TO MY RADIO FAMILY
Who, unseen but appreciative,
always request more
Animal Tales
[Illustration: Storyteller with scroll]
[Illustration: Illuminated Table of Contents]
_Table of Contents_
The White Elephant 11
The Grain of Corn 17
The Timid Little Rabbit 22
Singh Rajah and the Cunning Little Jackals 29
The Kingdom of Mouseland 35
The Alligator and the Jackal 42
The Bold Blackbird 50
The Kid and the Tiger 59
The Brahmin and the Tiger 67
The Bear’s Bad Bargain 75
The Man Who Rode a Tiger 84
[Illustration: Storks]
My Dear Children:
These old, old tales from India have been favorites for many, many
years; some have come down to us from the early days of Buddha, and were
taken from a book, called the “Jataka Tales,” telling of the Buddha’s
previous existences. Some of these old tales have been translated from
the Pali by Eugene Watson Burlinghame, and they have also been retold
for us in attractive form by Ellen C. Babbitt.
These stories are somewhat similar to stories which we have all known in
another form; for instance, our first story of “The White Elephant” is
somewhat like the story of Androcles and the lion. While the story of
“The Timid Little Rabbit” is like the old English tale of “Chicken
Little.”
“The Story of the Grain of Corn” (which is repeated from “Tales of the
Punjab” by Flora Annie Steel) compares with our well-known version of
“The Old Woman and the Pig.” In this same book, we find the story of
“The Bear’s Bad Bargain,” and we learn how a stupid and clumsy bear is
outwitted by a grasping old woman and her greedy husband. Even if they
have the best of the bargain, our sympathies are all with the poor old
bear.
“The King of the Mice,” “The Bold Blackbird,” and “The Kid and the
Tiger” (retold from “The Talking Thrush and Other Tales from India,”
collected by W. Crooke and retold by W. H. D. Rouse) are all stories of
the triumph of the weak and cunning over the brutish and strong. “The
Bold Blackbird” may remind you of the old French tale of “Drakesbill and
His Friends.”
In many of these old tales, the little Jackal is the hero, and, like
Reynard the Fox of European folk lore, and our own Bre’r Rabbit in the
“Uncle Remus” tales, we find the Jackal through his wit and strategy
overcoming the larger, stronger animals.
For example, in the stories of “Singh Rajah and the Cunning Little
Jackals,” “The Alligator and the Jackal,” and “The Brahmin and the
Tiger,” the Jackal wins his victories by his cunning. These stories of
the little Jackal have been retold from “Old Deccan Days” by M. Frere, a
most interesting book of tales collected from oral tradition. “The
Valiant Chattee-Maker” is also from the same book.
The pictures drawn by our artist, Frederick Richardson, will delight
you. Mr. Richardson always makes each illustration true to life: his
people dress in the costumes of the country, and his animals are real
animals; you can almost hear the big beasts roaring with rage when the
little jackal tricks them.
All these tales I have told to you many times over the radio; now I am
glad to place them in your own hands to read and retell yourselves.
Your Story Lady.
[Illustration: Storks]
[Illustration: Flower]
THE WHITE ELEPHANT
[Illustration: Elephant]
Once upon a time there stood on the banks of a river, near a large
forest, a village of Woodcutters. These Woodcutters would go in their
boats to the forest and there they would chop down trees. Then they
would roll the logs down to the river, and the river would carry the
logs to the village, where they were cut into boards and used by the
carpenters in building houses and temples.
One day, when the Woodcutters were all busily at work chopping down
trees, they heard a great bellowing. A huge Elephant came limping along
on three legs, and every little while he gave a great snort.
One of the Woodcutters went up to the Elephant and examined his sore
foot. “Come here and help me pull out this big splinter in the
Elephant’s foot!” he called to the other men. “No wonder the poor fellow
is crying with pain.”
The Woodcutters all helped. They pulled the splinter out of the
Elephant’s foot and they brought water from the river and washed the
wound carefully. They brought mud from the river banks and spread a mud
plaster upon it, and one man tore up his scarf and bound it about the
sore foot. Then the men gave the Elephant some food, and he stretched
out under the trees to rest.
While he was resting, he watched the Woodcutters at their work. “These
men have done so much for me I should like to help them,” said the
Elephant. So, a few days after that, when his foot was well, the
Elephant came again to the place where the Woodcutters were working.
The Woodcutters were cutting down a tree, chop, chop, went their axes
and a great tree fell to the ground. Then the Elephant took the log and
rolled it over and over until he had pushed it into the river.
“Why, our friend, the Elephant, is helping us with our work!” exclaimed
the Woodcutters.
Every day the great Elephant came back. Sometimes he would pull down the
trees, and roll them to the water. Other times he would carry the tools
for the Woodcutters; and every day the Woodcutters fed him, morning,
noon and night, and give him fresh water to drink.
He saved them much hard work and the Woodcutters grew very fond of the
big Elephant. He worked for them many years.
Now, this Elephant had a young baby Elephant, who was white all over;
and he was very beautiful, indeed.
When the old Elephant saw that his Baby Elephant was strong enough to
work, he said to himself: “I must take my son to the Woodcutters, for I
am getting old and I am no longer strong. He can learn to do my work and
be of service to them.”
So the old Elephant said to his son: “White Elephant, now that you have
grown large and strong, I want you to help my friends, the Woodcutters.
One day, many years ago, when I had a cruel splinter in my foot, they
pulled it out for me and bound me up, and gave me food. I have tried to
repay their kindness by serving them each day. And each day they give me
food and water and are most kind to me. They are my friends and I wish
now that you would be friendly with them, also.”
So the old Elephant took the White Elephant to the Woodcutters and soon
the White Elephant learned to help them, just as his father had done,
and they fed him and treated him kindly.
The White Elephant became very friendly with the Woodcutters and every
night, when he had finished his work, he would go down on the banks of
the river and take a bath and play in the water; and the children of the
Woodcutters played with him. Sometimes he would pick the children up in
his long trunk and swing them back and forth. Sometimes he would pick
them up and put them on his back, and give them a fine ride. And
sometimes he would lift them up into the branches of the tall trees.
When it was very warm, he would wade out into the water and take a bath,
and often he would take a deep drink of water and then let it out upon
the children like a shower bath.
The children loved to romp and play with the White Elephant, and he
loved to play with them.
One day the Rajah of the country came down the river and when he saw the
White Elephant working for the Woodcutters, he ordered his men to stop
while he watched the Elephant. Then the Rajah said:
“I wish to own that Elephant, for I want to ride upon him, myself. He
looks so very kind and gentle, and he is very beautiful.”
So the Woodcutters had to sell their friend the White Elephant to the
Rajah. He paid them a very large price, and then the servants of the
Rajah led the Elephant away.
[Illustration: So the old Elephant took the White Elephant to the
Woodcutters.]
[Illustration: So the old Elephant took the White Elephant to the
Woodcutters.]
But, as he left the forest, he gave one last look at his playmates, the
children, as though he was sorry to say goodbye to them.
The Rajah was so very proud of his beautiful White Elephant he had made
for him a robe of crimson velvet embroidered in gold. On his back, the
White Elephant carried a throne of gold covered by a gorgeous canopy of
cloth of gold.
When the Rajah rode out in great processions he always went upon the
back of the beautiful White Elephant. All the days of his life the Rajah
cared for the White Elephant, and always the White Elephant served his
master, the Rajah, gladly and proudly.
[Illustration: Elephant heads and flowers.]