Killer Elephant - James Corbett - Bog

Its the wild wild east. James Corbett traveled widely across India in search of stories. He realized rural India was still feudal where landlords still kept elephants as a symbol of their strength and power. "Killer Elephant" is such a story. Paddum Prasad is a bull elephant which the landlord uses to kill humans and create an atmosphere of fear in the surrounding villages. He does this to usurp peoples lands. The villagers fight back and kill the elephant. Unperturbed, the landlord buys a new one. He swears by the size and temperament of the animal. "This one is a brute," he says, "not a fly swatter like the one that was gunned down." The new elephant is delighted. What else could it ask for? It had full permission to swat and kill humans. "If the humans want me to kill humans," it rumbles, " then so be it." The elephant goes into battle and terrorizes the villagers in the surrounding area. It fights and kills humans. It goes berserk and rampages through villages causing humans to flee their homes. It must be stopped or gunned down so hunters are called in. But the landlord is adamant. No one will shoot his elephant as long as he is alive. It is a question of prestige and self esteem. So a ding dong war ensues between the humans and the elephant. Who will win?Read on.