Uncle Dick and Lisa's Old Time Animal Tales

Probably all readers are familiar with the fact that in their native countries elephants are not only used to aid in the capture of their own species, but also in pursuit of various wild beasts of the jungle. In tiger hunting especially is this the case, the elephant is rather an unwilling participant. In his wild state there is no occasion for any conflict between himself and other dwellers of the forest. Living entirely on vegetable food, and so under no necessity of preying upon other animals, too peaceful to molest others, and too powerful to be molested by them. In a state of nature each seems anxious to avoid rather than to provoke any encounter. From very early times, elephants have not only been used in war and in industrial pursuits, but have added to the pomp and display of powerful rulers, and ages ago they were made to amuse the multitude by performances of course very dissimilar to those witnessed in our modern circuses. Elephants are considered to be the wisest and most powerful beast of the animal world.