The king sent for his chief servant, saying, "Go to the stable and
find out why the Elephant is acting in this way."
[Illustration]
The chief servant went to the stable and looked the Elephant all over.
Then he said to the Elephant-keeper: "There seems to be nothing the
matter with this Elephant's body, but why does he look so sad? Has he
lost a playmate?"
"Yes," said the keeper, "there was a Dog who ate and slept and played
with the Elephant. The Dog went away three days ago."
[Illustration]
"Do you know where the Dog is now?" asked the chief servant.
"No, I do not," said the keeper.
Then the chief servant went back to the king and said, "The Elephant
is not sick, but he is lonely without his friend, the Dog."
"Where is the Dog?" asked the king.
"A farmer took him away, so the Elephant-keeper says," said the chief
servant. "No one knows where the farmer lives."
"Very well," said the king. "I will send word all over the country,
asking the man who bought this Dog to turn him loose. I will give him
back as much as he paid for the Dog.
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