The White Elephant

A Christmas gift for Robert. Bear in mind, the title does not, in any way, have anything to do with the dictionary def inition of 'White Elephant.'

As so many stories begin, so also does this tale begin once upon a time... As you may know, the animal kingdom is a many coloured thing. Animals are decked in reds and browns and greens and blues and nearly every other colour under the sun. And for the colours there is, like most things that exist in our world, a reason. When creatures were put on the earth, they were not coloured as they are now. Indeed, their shades have so altered that I cannot imagine how they once looked. Amidst the

motley of colours (and creatures that were discontented with them), however, there was a creature toned unlike any other. It was a White lephant. It was not !ust any shade of what passes as white these days, though. "he elephant was a true white. Its hide bore the white that bears all colours. #aturally, this lephant was chosen as the monarch of the animals. $ut evil brewed in the hearts of the animals. "he soul reason that the White lephant was favoured was that all the other animals wanted to be coloured as he was. "hey planned to give him the power to change their colour, so that they might have glory. $ut the White lephant knew their plan. When every creature set forth their cry of power, the White lephant turned their oaths against them, stripping every animal of its colour. very creature but the White lephant was pitch black. very uncoloured creature loosed a wail of sorrow for their loss. "he White lephant let forth a mighty trumpet and silenced them. %e spoke to them, saying, &'ou have made yourselves unworthy of any colour( you have made yourselves black. I have been given the power to bestow colour back unto you, but I will not do so unless you give me a reason to. "hink hard on your reasoning, for I shall colour you accordingly, but shall only do so once. "here was not, as one might have expected, a sudden rush to be coloured. "he animals took the White lephant for his word and most of them set off to find a way into his favour.

"he )arrot was among the first to approach the White lephant. &*y kind wishes to be coloured so that even in the brightest forests, amongst the brightest creatures, we may be distinguished,+ said he. &And why should I do this for you,+ in-uired the White lephant. &Well...+ the )arrot thought for a moment, &*y kind have a great talent. We can mimic nearly any sound we hear. #o other animal can do this, so we must be coloured like no other.+ "he )arrot finished with a confident bob of his head. &'ours is the worth of a !ester and you shall be seen accordingly. I will give you the bright colours you ask for, and you shall be noticed !ust as you wish to be. $ut your true worth shall be seen in your feathers( your purpose shall be in the amusement of others.+ And so, the )arrots were coloured.

"he lephants were the next to come before the White lephant. &$rother,+ said they, &colour us as you are coloured, that we may share in your glory.+ &'ou false creatures.+ cried the White lephant, &'ou would claim me as kin to achieve

your ends. 'ou are a sad race and shall be coloured so. I hope that with it, you will discard your vanities and better cherish wisdom.+ And so, the lephants were coloured.

In time and through seasons, the White lephant was addressed by many, many more animals. %e was true to his promise and, through his wisdom, coloured each animal most fittingly.

"here came upon him one day a great flock of black /ongbirds. 0ne stepped forward and addressed the White lephant. &White lephant,+ it boldly began, &We sing for every creature of the earth and we would ask for but one reward. #one can tell one of our kind from another( we ask for colour that will set us apart from each other, that we may be seen for what we are and not !ust heard.+ "he White lephant smiled down upon them and granted their re-uest, but when the flock dispersed, one black $ird remained. %e was enraged at the White lephant, for his plumage had received no splendour. "he White lephant ga1ed calmly down at the $ird and replied, &'ou, with course voice, have hidden yourself among the songbirds in the hope of stealing colour. In doing so, you have chosen your own colour. 'ou shall be $lackbird for your lie.+ And so, the /ongbirds were coloured.

#ot so very long after the song birds had gone, a herd of %orses thundered up to the White lephant. "he White lephant acknowledged them with a flick of his trunk and, needing no further encouragement, they burst into a clamour, each stating its own virtues. /peed, ma!esty, intelligence, and strength were among those that the %orses listed. & nough. What you have said is true,+ said the White lephant, &'our race does, indeed, posses these -ualities. "here is not one among you, however, who possesses them all, so your herds shall be many2coloured.+ "he %orses gave their thanks and had turned to leave when the White lephant spoke again. &Wait,+ he said, &there is one among you who was not fit to burst with self pride. Which one of you did not name a virtue of your kind,+ A young %orse stepped forward, the smallest of the herd. "he White lephant placed the tip of his trunk upon the %orses brow and said, &'ou have shown the greatest virtue through your silence. 'our brow, and the brow of all your descendants shall be marked by a star.+ And so, the %orses were coloured.

An agle of a certain kind was eager to prove his worth and approached the White lephant with much pomp. &White lephant,+ began the agle, &I come to prove I am worthy of great colour. /et me a task, that I may prove my worth in doing it. I can scale the tallest mountains and dive deep into the sea. /et me a task.+ &"he actions of a braggart show little of his true being,+ replied the White lephant, &What is it you do in a day of yours, 'ou steal food from others greater than you. 'our noble acts may fool others but, in truth, you posses nobility only in your head( you are really kin to a the 3ulture.+ "he agle flew off, his crown stained white, and his false pride -uickly recovering, as false pride always does. And so, the $ald agle was coloured.

"he White lephant coloured many pelts, furs, skins, and feathers. %e coloured to appease, teach, and punish. All this he did and did in no small amount of time. In his considerable age, he had seen nearly every animal, heard nearly every plea, and seen nearly every act done to achieve coloured merit. 0nly the 4aven had yet to approach the lephant. "he White lephant had no friends to speak of, for no creature would be troubled to see him once they had been given colour. %e had wandered through the land until he found a place of peace in which he knew he would die alone.

"he 4aven was , even then, a bird that was generally untrustworthy. $eing an unsociable bird, the 4aven did not approach the White lephant and became not only accustomed to

its colour, but even rather fond of it.

And so, it came about that on the very day the White lephant was in his last hours, a certain 4aven seen him in his pitiable state. "his 4aven did what not many animals and certainly not many 4avens would have done. %e landed near the White lephant and asked if him if he was in need of anything. "he White lephant was silent for a moment. &/uch a -uestion has not been put to me since I was a calf,+ he said slowly, astonishment clear in his rasping voice. &I have ever been asked to do something for another, but have never been asked what I want. Is this your way of getting a colour for yourself,+ &#o indeed, White lephant,+ replied the 4aven in earnest, &*y race does not desire another colour than the one we have already. "ruly, only by chance did I fly above you.+ &Will you do what I need of you then,+ asked the White lephant. &As long as it lay within my powers,+ said the 4aven, hopping closer. &I will surely pass soon and I would very much like for an unselfish creature to be by my side as I do,+ was the re-uest. "he White lephant expected some sort of excuse or another to be made, but the 4aven surprised him again. &0f course I will do this,+ was its only reply. "hey were silent as they let the hours slip by. "he 4aven did everything he could to make the White lephant comfortable( he shaded his eyes with a wing, scampered

around keeping insects away, and even tried to cover the White lephant with leaves as the day turned to night and the night went cold.

&4aven.+ rasped the White lephant, breaking the long silence. "he 4aven dropped the leaves he had been placing on the White lephant and hopped over to his head. &White lephant,+ he responded in -uestion. &I want to give you something, but all I can give is colour. I know you wish to remain black, and so you shall. $ut when the sun falls upon your feathers, your race shall be remembered, for the light shall make all colours visible on it. 'ou shall shine under the sun like no other animal. "his is all I can do for your kindness.+ "he 4aven could think of nothing to say but, &"hank you White lephant.+ &"hat is not all,+ the White lephant began again, &'ou have shown me that though a whole race can be thought to be unworthy, there will always be exceptions like yourself. "herefor, in honour of you and the kindness you have shown me, there shall be some born in every race that are white. *ore white than even the white of that race.+ "he White lephant took one last, great breath and was still. And so, the 4aven was honoured.