As to the inconsiderable interval, have I the
gracious permission of the Heaven-born to call up Moti Guj?'

Permission was granted, and, in answer to Deesa's shrill yell, the
lordly tusker swung out of the shade of a clump of trees where he had
been squirting dust over himself till his master should return.

'Light of my heart, Protector of the Drunken, Mountain of Might, give
ear,' said Deesa, standing in front of him.

Moti Guj gave ear, and saluted with his trunk, 'I am going away,'
said Deesa.

Moti Guj's eyes twinkled. He liked jaunts as well as his master. One
could snatch all manner of nice things from the roadside then.

'But you, you fubsy old pig, must stay behind and work.'

The twinkle died out as Moti Guj tried to look delighted. He hated
stump-hauling on the plantation. It hurt his teeth.

'I shall be gone for ten days, oh Delectable One. Hold up your near
forefoot and I'll impress the fact upon it, warty toad of a dried
mud-puddle.' Deesa took a tent-peg and banged Moti Guj ten times on
the nails. Moti Guj grunted and shuffled from foot to foot.

'Ten days,' said Deesa, 'you must work and haul and root trees as
Chihun here shall order you. Take up Chihun and set him on your
neck!' Moti Guj curled the tip of his trunk, Chihun put his foot
there and was swung on to the neck. Deesa handed Chihun the heavy
_ankus_, the iron elephant-goad.

Chihun thumped Moti Guj's bald head as a paviour thumps a kerbstone.

Moti Guj trumpeted.

'Be still, hog of the backwoods. Chihun's your mahout for ten days.
And now bid me good-bye, beast after mine own heart. Oh, my lord, my
king! Jewel of all created elephants, lily of the herd, preserve your
honoured health; be virtuous. Adieu!'

Moti Guj lapped his trunk round Deesa and swung him into the air
twice. That was his way of bidding the man good-bye.

'He'll work now,' said Deesa to the planter. 'Have I leave to go?'

The planter nodded, and Deesa dived into the woods. Moti Guj went
back to haul stumps.

Chihun was very kind to him, but he felt unhappy and forlorn
notwithstanding. Chihun gave him balls of spices, and tickled him
under the chin, and Chihun's little baby cooed to him after work was
over, and Chihun's wife called him a darling; but Moti Guj was a
bachelor by instinct, as Deesa was. He did not understand the
domestic emotions. He wanted the light of his universe back
again--the drink and the drunken slumber, the savage beatings and the
savag