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