The White Elephant and the Owl

One day, rumors of her beauty reached the ears of the king's elephant trainer. This trainer decided that he would capture and tame this beautiful creature for the pleasure and enjoyment of the king. Off her went to find her and when he did, he tied a huge rope around her neck and pulled her all the way back to the training grounds.

Once she arrived, she was forced into a pen and poked and prodded and beaten repeatedly as the trainer tried tirelessly to force her to succumb to his will. Each day as he approached, she became more and more frightened. You see in the wild, she had always been treated gently and with respect. As he came closer, she would run into the sides of the pen in a wild frenzy until one day she finally broke through. She did not stop running until she was so deep within the forest she could never be found by humans again.

Unfortunately, even though she was back in the forest she was still afraid. Each time a branch broke, or a rock tumbled from a hillside, she trembled in fear. Even the wind blowing through the trees caused her terrible distress.

High up in the trees, was a wise old owl, who, for some time, had been watching the daily activities of this beautiful elephant. The owl flew down towards her and the elephant appear very alarmed. The owl told her not to be afraid, that she only wanted to speak to her. So, quivering, but trying to be patient, the elephant stood and listened.

The owl explained that she herself was only a small bird and nothing for such a massive beauty to be afraid of. The owl also reminded her than there were no men nearby, that she was only surrounded by forest and forest animals. The elephant appeared to relax slightly. The owl continued by saying that all of the elephants' fear was in her own mind and yet, she was allowing it to control her and destroy her. The owl told her that it was in her very own power to control her thoughts and therefore to control her fear.

The elephant thought about what the owl had to say and realized that she was correct. With the utmost sincerity and appreciation, she thanked the owl for her guidance and tried from that day forward to control her fear.

The beautiful white elephant was still very afraid, but slowly, day by day, everything began to seem a little less scary. Through the power of her own thoughts she was able to control her fear and before she knew it she was back to the happy life she had enjoyed before her terrible ordeal had taken place.