A GENTLE GIANT.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume I, Issue 179, 15 July 1911, Page 1 (Supplement)

A GENTLE GIANT.

Tlierr wa; an old elephant njire! Pizarro, says Mrs. L. Higgin in her book. ‘Spani-Ji Life in Town and Country.” a great favourite with the |sopl.* of Madrid lie w.ls an enormous animal, liut one of his tusks had been broken off about a third from the tip, so that be ha.l ! only ono to u- • in warfare as protection. Ho was tethered to the c.*ntie of the arena by <*ne of his hind icits to a stump about twelve inches high. Then the bulls were let out one at a time. MixinwhiL*. J’izarro amiis**l himself by rating oranges whu h wi re showered on him by his adm;'< is on the benches. With tlie greitest coi.lners he continued his repast, picking up orange after orang.* wi'.ii his tiunk, all that he was careful to <!■> being to k‘*op his fact* to the bull, turning ’lowly as his enemy gallop *1 rouno the ring trying to take him in ’he flunk. At last the bull prepar.*d to charge. Pizarro pack<d away his trunk between his tusks, and quietly a i nte<l the ensliught. Tiie I till rushed at *i.m furiously. but the huge ani.ruil. quite ecoJ-naturedly, and a littl? with an air cf contempt, simply tuinc-i aside the attack with his one complete horn, ard. as soon as the bull withd-. 'v a little ii'*nplr.ss t wi. went on picking up and eating his oranges a.s before Bull aft *r bull gave up the content ai impossible, and contentedly worn; out. between the cabastros sent in to fetch them. At last one more persistent or courageous than tho others camo liounding in. Pizarro r«<a!is.*d at once that for the moment he must* pause in eating his dessert ; but hi* became aware at the same time ihut, in turning round to face the successive bulls, he had gradually wound himself up close to the stump, and had no room to back so as to receive the attack. The most interesting inc’dent in the whole affray was to watch the elenhant find out, by swinging his tethered leg first in one direction and then in another, how to free himself. This he did. first by swinging his leg round and round over the stump, then * - walking slowly round and round, a’wavs facing the bull, and Ir.iwing kis cord further and further until ho nas perfectly fri*e : then h-’ was a caref:>' only to turn as on a pivot, keeping the rope at a stretch. Finally the t-rill charged at him with groat fury; stepping lightly aside. Pizarro caught him up sideways with his tusk and held him up in the air, perfectly impotent, and marl with rage. "Tien he considered the pony creature had been sufficiently shown his inferiority h*> gently put him down, and the astonished and humbled bull decl : nerl further contest. The fighting bulls of Spain are Wonderfully .small in comparison with our own animals, it should lie ;nid.

Poor old Pizarro used to walk home alone after his turn at the eireui was over every aight, under my balcony open his .stable door with nis own latchkey, or, at least, with his trunk, nnd put himself to bed like any Christian.