Itwasapeaceful，well-paidlifetillDeesafeltthereturnofthedesiretodrinkdeepHewishedforanorgyThelittledraughtsthatlednowhereweretakingthemanhoodoutofhim。
Hewenttotheplanter，and“Mymother’sdead。”saidhe，weeping。
“Shediedonthelastplantationtwomonthsago，andshediedoncebeforethatwhenyouwereworkingformelastyear。”saidtheplanter，whoknewsomethingofthewaysofnativedom。
“Thenit’smyaunt，andshewasjustthesameasamothertome。”
saidDeesa，weepingmorethanever“Shehaslefteighteensmallchildrenentirelywithoutbread，anditisIwhomustfilltheirlittlestomachs。”saidDeesa，beatmghisheadonthefloor。
“Whobroughtthenews？”saidtheplanter。
“Thepost。”saidDeesa。
“Therehasn’tbeenaposthereforthepastweekGetbacktoyourlines！’，“Adevastatingsicknesshasfallenonmyvillage，andallmywivesaredying。”yelledDeesa，reallyintearsthistime。
“CallChihun，whocomesfromDeesa’svillage。”saidtheplanter。
“Chihun，hasthismangotawife？”
“He？”saidChihun“NoNotawomanofourvillagewouldlookathim，They’dsoonermarrytheelephant。”
ChihunsnortedDeesaweptandbellowed。
“Youwillgetintoadifficultyinaminute。”saidtheplanter“Gobacktoyourwork！”
“NowIwillspeakHeaven’struthgulpedDeesa，withaninspiration“Ihaven’tbeendrunkfortwomonthsIdesiretodepartinordertogetproperlydrunkafaroffanddistantfromthisheavenlyplantationThusIshallcausenotrouble。”
Aflickeringsmilecrossedtheplanter’sface“Deesa。”saidhe，“you’vespokenthetruth，andI’dgiveyouleaveonthespotifanythingcouldbedonewithMotiGujwhileyou’reawayYouknowthathewillonlyobeyyourorders。”
“MaythelightoftheheavenslivefortythousandyearsIshallbeabsentbuttenlittledaysAfterthat，uponmyfaithandhonorandsoul，IreturnAstotheinconsiderableinterval，haveIthegraciouspermissionoftheheaven-borntocallupMotiGuj？”
Permissionwasgranted，andinanswerofDeesa’sshrillyell，themightytuskerswungoutoftheshadeofaclumpoftreeswherehehadbeensquirtingdustoverhimselftillhismastershouldreturn。
“Lightofmyheart，protectorofthedrunken，mountainofmight，giveear！”saidDeesa，standinginfrontofhim。
MotiGujgaveear，andsalutedwithhistrunk“Iamgoingaway。”
saidDeesa。
MotiGuj’seyestwinkledHelikedjauntsaswellashismaster。
Onecouldsnatchallmannerofnicethingsfromtheroadsidethen。
“Butyou，youfussyoldpig，muststaybehindandwork。”
ThetwinklediedoutasMotiGujtriedtolookdelightedHehatedstump-haulingontheplantationIthurthisteeth。
“Ishallbegonefortendays，oh，delectableone！Holdupyournearfore-footandI’llimpressthefactuponit，wartytoadofadriedmud-puddle。”Deesatookatent-pegandbangedMotiGujtentimesonthenailsMotiGujgruntedandshuffledfromfoottofoot。
“Tendays。”saidDeesa，“youwillworkandhaulandrootthetreesasChihunhereshallorderyouTakeupChihunandsethimonyourneck！”MotiGujcurledthetipofhistrunk，Chihunputhisfootthere，andwasswungontotheneckDeesahandedChihuntheheavyankus-theironelephantgoad。
ChihunthumpedMotiGuj’sbaldheadasapaverthumpsacurbstone。
MotiGujtrumpeted。
“Bestill，hogofthebackwoods！Chibun’syourmahoutfortendaysAndnowbidmegood-bye，beastaftermineownheartOh，mylord，myking！Jewelofallcreatedelephants，lilyoftheherd，preserveyourhonoredhealth；bevirtuousAdieu！”
MotiGujlappedhistrunkroundDeesaandswunghimintotheairtwiceThatwashiswayofbiddinghimgood-bye。
“He’llworknow。”saidDeesatotheplanter“HaveIleavetogo？”
Theplanternodded，andDeesadivedintothewoodsMotiGujwentbacktohaulstumps。
Chihunwasverykindtohim，buthefeltunhappyandforlornforallthatChihungavehimaballofspices，andtickledhimunderthechin，andChihun’slittlebabycooedtohimafterworkwasoverandChihun’swifecalledhimadarling；butMotiGujwasabachelorbyinstinct，asDeesawasHedidnotunderstandthedomesticemotionsHewantedthelightofhisuniversebackagain-thedrinkandthedrunkenslumber，thesavagebeatingsandthesavagecaresses。
Nonethelessheworkedwell，andtheplanterwonderedDeesahadwanderedalongtheroadstillhemetamarriageprocessionofhisowncaste，and，drinking，dancing，andtippling，haddriftedwithitpastallknowledgeofthelapseoftime。
Themorningoftheeleventhdaydawned，andtherereturnednoDeesa，MotiGujwasloosedfromhisropesforthedailystintHeswungclear，lookedround，shruggedhisshoulders，andbegantowalkaway，asonehavingbusinesselsewhere。
“Hi！ho！Comebackyou！”shoutedChihun“Comebackandputmeonyourneck，misbornmountain！Return，splendorofthehillsides！AdornmentofallIndia，heaveto，orI’llbangeverytoeoffyourforefoot！”
MotiGujgurgledgently，butdidnotobeyChihunranafterhimwitharopeandcaughthimupMotiGujputhisearsforward，andChihunknewwhatthatmeant，thoughhetriedtocarryitoffwithhighwords。
“Noneofyournonsensewithme。”saidhe“Toyourpickets，devil-son！”
“Hrrump！”saidMotiGuj，andthatwasall-thatandtheforebentears。
MotiGujputhishandsinhispockets，chewedabranchforatoothpick，andstrolledabouttheclearing，makingfunoftheotherelephantswhohadjustsettowork。
Chihunreportedthestateofaffairstotheplanter，whocameoutwithadog-whipandcrackeditfuriouslyMotiGujpaidthewhitemanthecomplimentofcharginghimnearlyaquarterofamileacrosstheclearingand“Hrrumphing“himintohisverandaThenhestoodoutsidethehouse，chucklingtohimselfandshakingalloverwiththefunofit，asanelephantwill。
“We’llthrashhim。”saidtheplanter“Heshallhavethefinestthrashingeverelephantreceived。
GiveKalaNagandNazimtwelvefootofchainapiece，andtellthemtolayontwenty。”
KalaNag-whichmeansBlackSnake-andNazimweretwoofthebiggestelephantsinthelines，andoneoftheirdutieswastoadministerthegraverpunishment，sincenomancanbeatanelephantproperly。
Theytookthewhipping-chainsandrattledthemintheirtrunksastheysidleduptoMotiGuj，meaningtohustlehimbetweenthem。
MotiGujhadnever，inallhislifeofthirty-nineyears，beenwhipped，andhedidnotintendtobeginanewexperienceSohewaited，wavinghisheadfromrighttoleft，andmeasuringtheprecisespotinKalaNag’sfatsidewhereablunttuskcouldsinkdeepestKalaNaghadnotusks；thechainwasthebadgeofhisauthority；butforallthat，heswungwideofMotiGujatthelastminute，andtriedtoappearasifhehadbroughtthechainoutforamusementNazimturnedroundandwenthomeearlyHedidnotfeelfightingfitthatmorning，andsoMotiGujwasleftstandingalonewithhisearscocked。
Thatdecidedtheplantertoarguenomore，andMotiGujrolledbacktohisamateurinspectionoftheclearingAnelephantwhowillnotworkandisnottiedupisaboutasmanageableasaneightyone-tongunlooseinaheavyseawayHeslappedoldfriendsonthebackandaskedthemifthestumpswerecomingawayeasily；hetalkednonsenseconcerninglaborandtheinalienablerightsofelephantstoalong“nooning“；and，wanderingtoandfro，hethoroughlydemoralizedthegardentillsundown，whenhereturnedtohispicketforfood。
“Ifyouwon’twork，yousha’n’teat。”saidChihun，angrily“You’reawildelephant，andnoeducatedanimalatallGobacktoyourjungle。”
Chihun’slittlebrownbabywasrollingonthefloorofthehut，andstretchingoutitsfatarmstothehugeshadowinthedoorway。
MotiGujknewwellthatitwasthedearestthingonearthtoChihunHeswungouthistrunkwithafascinatingcrookattheend，andthebrownbabythrewitself，shouting，uponitMotiGujmadefastandpulleduptillthebrownbabywascrowingintheairtwelvefeetabovehisfather’shead。
“GreatLord！”saidChihun“Flourcakesofthebest，twelveinnumber，twofeetacrossandsoakedinrum，shallbeyoursontheinstant，andtwohundredpoundsweightoffresh-cutyoungsugar-canetherewithDeignonlytoputdownsafelythatinsignificantbratwhoismyheartandmylifetome！”
MotiGujtuckedthebrownbabycomfortablybetweenhisforefeet，thatcouldhaveknockedintotoothpicksallChihun’shut，andwaitedforhisfoodHeateit，andthebrownbabycrawledaway。
MotiGujdozedandthoughtofDeesaOneofmanymysteriesconnectedwiththeelephantisthathishugebodyneedslesssleepthananythingelsethatlives。
Fourorfivehoursinthenightsuffice-twojustbeforemidnight，lyingdownononeside；twojustafteroneo’clock，lyingdownontheotherTherestofthesilenthoursarefilledwitheatingandfidgeting，andlonggrumblingsoliloquies。
Atmidnight，therefore，MotiGujstrodeoutofhispickets，forathoughthadcometohimthatDeesamightbelyingdrunksomewhereinthedarkforestwithnonetolookafterhimSoallthatnighthechasedthroughtheundergrowth，blowingandtrumpetingandshakinghisearsHewentdowntotheriverandblaredacrosstheshallowswhereDeesausedtowashhim，huttherewasnoanswerHecouldnotfindDeesa，buthedisturbedalltheotherelephantsinthelines，andnearlyfrightenedtodeathsomegypsiesinthewoods。
AtdawnDeesareturnedtotheplantationHehadbeenverydrunkindeed，andheexpectedtogetintotroubleforoutstayinghisleaveHedrewalongbreathwhenhesawthatthebungalowandtheplantationwerestilluninjured，forheknewsomethingofMotiGuj’stemper，andreportedhimselfwithmanyliesandsalaams。
MotiGujhadgonetohispicketsforbreakfastThenightexercisehadmadehimhungry。
“Callupyourbeast。”saidtheplanter；andDeesashoutedinthemysteriouselephantlanguagethatsomemahoutsbelievecamefromChinaatthebirthoftheworld，whenelephantsandnotmenweremastersMotiGujheardandcameElephantsdonotgallopTheymovefromplacesofvaryingratesofspeedIfanelephantwishedtocatchanexpresstrainhecouldnotgallop，buthecouldcatchthetrainSoMotiGujwasattheplanter’sdooralmostbeforeChihunnoticedthathehadlefthispicketsHefellintoDeesa’sarmstrumpetingwithjoy，andthemanandbeastweptandslobberedovereachother，andhandledeachotherfromheadtoheeltoseethatnoharmhadbefallen“Nowwewillgettowork。”saodDessa“Liftmeup，mysonandmyjoy！”
MotiGujswanghimup，andthetwowenttothecoffe-clearingtolookfordifficultstumps。
Theplanterwastooastonishedtobeveryangry。
End