The Grateful Elephant

A long time ago in the kingdom of Bodhisattva, there was a village where there lived five
hundred carpenters.

These carpenters would go to the jungle adjoining their village to collect wood, carry it back
to their village to fashion planks out of it for homes, furniture and other things.

One day as they were working in the jungle, they heard a loud yelp. What a heart wrenching
scream! It is coming from the direction.

The carpenters ran in the direction of the sound. From behind the trees out came a massive,
majestic elephant. But the elephant was in tears.

The villagers noticed that the creature was limping. Hesitating, they went towards him. The
elephant turned its one of its feet, such that the carpenters saw that this foot was badly
swollen.
They looked closely. There is a splinter stuck in the foot you must be in such pain! We have
to pull it out. Carefully, the villagers pulled out the splinter, cleaned the wound with warm
water, and bandaged it carefully so that it would heal well.

Within a few days, the carpenters decided to the elephant’s wound healed completely. The
elephant was so grateful! These good men have saved my life. I too must serve them as a
mark of my gratitude.

What can I do for them? Oh! Yes! The elephant saw two carpenters struggling to carry a
rather heavy log towards their cart. He quickly rushed to help them.

Hey! Thanks friend! From the day, the elephant began helping the carpenters. He would
transport the heavy logs, carry their tools, help in moving their loaded carts.

The elephant made the work of the carpenters so much easier. In return, the carpenters fed
the elephant well.
They would each bring a portion of fruit for their tusked friend such that every day, the
elephant had five hundred portions of food for himself.

Soon, a son was born to the elephant. While he helped humans with the lumbering, the son
helped them in planting more trees. Aah! Thank you, buddy! Planting trees is far more
important than felling them.

For, if we did not do this, not only would we exhaust all the wood from the forest, we would
also ruin the weather and climate of this world! I am done here for now say you too take
some rest and go and play!

Go! Friend, your son is adorable. Our children simply love him! Both of you are such a great
blessing in our lives!
Time went by, the elephant became old uuu! OOOOOOOOOOOO! Father! This is the fifth
night this week that you are in such terrible pain!

Why do you pick such heavy logs when it hurts your back so much! Because the humans are
my friends.

Long ago they had saved my life and in all these years, haven’t you seen how lovingly, they
have continued to look after us? I have to help them my son! It is my duty!

Father! Then let me do it from now on! I too love our human friends but I am not going to let
you wreak havoc with your body for them.

It is decided that from now on, I shall take your place in helping the humans. But son ……I
am young. I am strong.
I will take your place from now on. And that is final!

So, from the next day. The Elephant’s son started helping the carpenters in their work.

One day, the King of the land, King Bramhadatta happened to pass by the forest.

From a distance he saw the young, strong elephant work with the carpenters, as though they
were all a team. The King at once fell in love with the beast. He went towards the carpenters.

Hello! My Man! Your highness! What an honour! Your Majesty! Please come! The King
was made to sit on a special rock and the elephant was asked to fetch a pail of fresh water
from the river.

Just as the humans stood respectfully before the King, the elephant too stood, arising his
trunk before the King. The King went up to the elephant and stroked him lovingly.

The elephant too stroked the King as though he were a long, lost friend. What a beautiful,
majestic creature! Is he your friend? He and his father are family to us. They have been
helping us for years together.
Such a strong, loyal being would be an asset to my army. Your Highness! If our friend is
needed to serve our country, then be it! But you are all like family, wouldn’t it hurt you to
part with him?

To be honest, we would hate to part with him your highness! Over the years, the elephants
and us have grown to really respect and love each other. But…. if our country needs him, we
would be happy to be of any service to our motherland.

Go! son! There is no greater loyalty than to one’s motherland. Go with the King and became
his loyal friend and aide. Be there for him and his family in times of need.

And what about you, father? Our human friends are there to take care of me. Go son! I assure
you, your son will be very, very well taken care of. Thank you so much!

So, even though with great sadness, the carpenters and the elephant let their friend and son
go. The elephant too had tears in his eyes as he left his father and human friends to go with
the King.
To King Bramhadatta, the elephant was not just another creature in his army but rather a
brother, a friend. The King himself taught him the art of fighting. He had grand jewels made
for the elephant, had a chamber built with him right outside his own royal chambers and
ensured that the elephant’s chamber was always stocked with the choicest of fruit.

The king himself would visit the elephant at least 2-3 times a day and feed him. The elephant
too adored his royal master as a King and a friend.

Two years went by. One day, the King had to travel far. The King came to the elephant’s
chamber with his courtiers.

Hey! My friend! How are you? Why are you dressed to travel? And why am I not readied to
accompany you? I have to travel far away.

No, friend! I cannot take you with me. I will take a long time and I need you to stay here and
look after my kingdom and my family in my absence. Will you do that?
I will do all that it takes to protect our motherland. But please come back soon Master! All
the courtiers standing nearby heard the King. Love and loyalty are extremely powerful
things, my friend. And no human being can match the love and loyalty of an animal.
You will see…when the time comes, the bond that the King and the elephant share will
prove invaluable for this kingdom.

Many months passed by. Nothing was heard of King Bramhadatta and the courtiers began to
worry if the King was alright.

One day, they got news that King Bramhadatta had been last seen near a terrible jungle from
where no man had ever been known to get out alive. The commander went to the Queen to
give her the sad news.

The Queen was with the elephant at the time. Why do all of you look so sombre? Your
Highness! We fear the worst for the King! He was last seen entering the terrible jungles of
Mangalapur from where no man has ever come out….
The elephant was devastated to hear the news. He stopped eating, stopped visiting the Queen
or the prince and stood in his chamber crying in memory of his beloved King.

Meanwhile, the news of King Bramhadatta’s disappearance, reached the neighboring

kingdom of King Mandana Mishra saw an opportunity to wage war on Bodhisatta to annex it
to his own kingdom. This is a beautiful opportunity. In the absence of the King, with a prince
that is hardly a year old, our forces can easily defeat their army. Prepare for war.

King Mandana Mishra’s forces surrounded Bodhisatta. Your Highness! We have been
attacked! Prepare the army. I shall lead the battle! No! Your Highness! Our prince is barely a
year old. He needs you here. We will do all we can to defend our motherland.

In the absence of the King they loved, Bodhisatta’s soldiers could not fight. The army started
losing the battle.
Sire! If we don’t do something now, we shall lose the battle! We must inform the Queen.

The Commander told the Queen of how Manadana Mishra’s armies were defeating them.
We have only one hope. Come with me. The Queen want to see the Elephant who had still
not eaten and was lying in a corner remembering his beloved friend, brother King
Bramhadatta.

You cannot keep lying like this, friend! You can’t! Your beloved King had asked you to be
the protector of our Kingdom! He is the son of your King… you decide… are you going to
lie here lamenting as the prince is killed? Or will you step up and be the warrior, the
protector; your friend trained you to be!

I shall go into the battle myself. The elephant stepped into the war and fought like a true
warrior. His tenacious, resolute trumpets infused new hope, new passion in Bodhisatta’s
army and within no time Mandana Mishra’s armies were defeated.
Don’t you dare think that the prine of this land is young and that Bodhisatta has no protector!
I told you, love and loyalty are extremely powerful things.

Today a lone elephant has achieved what an entire army could not do. Suddenly someone
stepped into the court. The elephant noticed and ran in the direction of this person.

Aah! My friend my brother! Thank you, Thank you for protecting my kingdom, my family!
You are a true warrior!

Love and loyalty are truly powerful things. They stand true in the worst of times as friends
and family who will battle the direst of odds. Whether with men or pets when we treat our
friends and family with love, respect and loyalty, they too reciprocate the same for us.