Storia do Mogor 263.2.1

263.2.1

These animals are most grateful, and recognise any benefit done them; they also feel an injury, and when the opportunity arises take a cruel revenge. This have I seen suffered by many an elephant-driver for the ill-treatment he had been guilty of, some because of stealing their food and not giving them their full rations, others for having without cause struck and abused them. It happened to me once that I was attending a princess, entering and issuing by a great courtyard, where I saw collected together her horses and elephants. On my leaving, the princess presented me with some betel leaf. I passed near an elephant, and holding out my hand, offered it the betel leaf. It put out its trunk, took it, placed it in its mouth, and ate it. Every time I came out of the palace it recognised me, and put out its trunk, and I made over to it all the betel I had received. In a short time the princess recovered, and I went no more to the house. A year afterwards I was passing through the city with some horsemen in my train, when an elephant approached me with its trunk raised, and followed me. I cried out angrily to the driver to keep his elephant under control. He answered that the elephant knew me again and wanted betel leaf, to which he had become accustomed on my visits to the princess's house.