The Elephant & The Dog - Ancient Indian Story

Long ago, before the time of this story, people in Asia used to believe that there would never be a time when an elephant and a dog would become friends. For elephants simply did not like dogs, and dogs were afraid of elephants. When dogs are frightened by those who are bigger than they are, they often bark very loudly to cover up their fear. 

And it is by doing so every time they encountered an elephant, that the elephant would become antagonized & would chase them; for elephants had no patience at all when it came to dogs. Even if a dog were quiet and still, any nearby elephant would instinctively attack him on sight.

This is the reason why everybody agreed that elephants and dogs were "natural enemies", like lions and hyenas or bears & wolves. 

So once upon a time, there was a Royal Bull Elephant who was very well fed and cared for. In the neighbourhood of the elephant shed; there lived a scrawny, poorly fed, stray dog. He was attracted by the smell of the rich sweet rice being fed to the royal elephant. So he began sneaking into the shed to eat the wonderful rice that was falling from the elephant's mouth. He liked it so much, that he soon began eating no where else. 

And while enjoying his food, the big mighty elephant did not notice the tiny, shy-stray dog below him, and it was by eating the elephant's nutritious meals, that the once malnourished dog gradually became healthier & stronger and majestic looking as well. 

Over time, the good-natured elephant began to notice him, and since the dog had gotten used to being around the elephant, he had lost his fear; so he did not bark at him. And because he was not annoyed by the friendly dog, the elephant gradually got used to him as well. Slowly, they became friendlier & friendlier toward each other. 

And before long, neither would eat without the other as they also enjoyed spending their time together. When they played, the dog would grab the elephant's heavy trunk, and the elephant would swing him forward and backward, from side to side, up and down and even in circles!

And it was from that moment on that they became "the best of friends" and never wanted to be separated. 

But one day, a man from a remote village who was visiting the city happened to pass by the elephant shed. He saw the frisky dog, who had become strong & beautiful. The man fancied the dog, so he bought him from the mahout, even though he didn't really own him. He took him back to his home village without anyone knowing where that was. 

Of course, the Royal Bull Elephant became very sad since he missed his best friend, the dog. He became so sad that he didn't want to do anything at all, not even eat or drink or even bathe. So the mahout had to report this to the King although he said nothing about selling the friendly dog. 

But it just so happened that the King had an intelligent minister who was known for his understanding of animals. So the King told him to go and find out the reason for the elephant's condition. The wise minister then went forth towards the elephant shed. 

He saw at once that the Royal Bull Elephant was in a state of despair. He thought: "This once happy elephant does not appear to be sick in any way, but I have seen this condition before; in men and animals alike. This elephant is grief-stricken, probably due to the loss of a very dear friend." 

So he said to the guards & attendants nearby: "I find no sickness in him. Rather, he seems to be grief-stricken due to the loss of a friend. Do you know if this elephant had a very close friendship with anyone?" And so the attendants & guards told the minister of how the royal elephant and the stray dog were the best of friends. 

"What happened to the stray dog?" asked the minister. "He was taken by an unknown man," they replied, "and we do not know where he is now." The minister then returned to the King and said: " Your Majesty, I am happy to say that your elephant is not sick. And as strange as it may sound, he became best friends with a stray dog! But since the dog has been taken away, the elephant is grief-stricken and does not feel like eating or drinking or bathing. This is my opinion."

The King replied: "Friendship is one of Life's most wonderful things. My minister, how can we bring back my elephant's friend and make him happy again?"

"My Lord", said the minister, "I suggest you make an official announcement that whoever has the dog who once reside in the Royal Elephant's shed shall be fined."

This was done; and when the villager heard of it, he released the dog from his house immediately. The dog was filled with great happiness & ran as fast as he could, straight back to his Best Friend, The Royal Bull Elephant. The elephant was so overjoyed that he picked up his best friend with his trunk & sat him on top of his head. The happy dog wagged his tail, while the elephant's eyes sparkled with delight.

They both lived happily ever after.

Meanwhile, the King was very pleased by his elephant's full recovery. He was amazed & bewildered by how his minister seemed to be able to read the mind of the elephant, so he rewarded him appropriately.

And this is my own moral to the story: No matter who others are, no matter where others come from, & no matter what life others may have lived; if we choose to take the time to understand where other people are coming from, little by little, they will also be able to understand us too. So let us not label & quickly dismiss others for whatever reason, for they are also looking for happiness & fulfillment; JUST LIKE YOU TOO!

Thanks for reading!

Yours Sincerely,

Satori Café