The White Elephant

A minor Mogul prince was given a ?'lucky' white elephant to celebrate his birthday. The prince was ecstatic at receiving such a fine gift. The rare animal couldn't be kept in the stables with ordinary elephants, so a sumptuous palace to house the beast was commissioned. An architect was found in a remote corner of the world and paid a fortune to come to the prince's kingdom to design a suitable dwelling. Rare woods, gold and gems were used to insure that white elephant would be surrounded by the wealth that it was expected to attract. The cost over-runs on the stable were every bit as great as those the Pentagon has become used to for new high-tech weapons systems. To balance the budget, the prince decided to cut the size of his army. After-all possession of the lucky white elephant insured that nothing so un-lucky as an attack could be made on the kingdom.

After several years, the white elephant was finally housed in his new palace. The elephant couldn't be put to work like other animals, but he ate even more than the others. Other elephants might eat almost any sort of straw, but the white elephant needed a very fine grade of straw that had to be imported from a small farm high up in the mountains. The farmer soon was able to build himself a fine palace on the profits derived from feeding the prince's white elephant.

The prince's elephant had to be bathed everyday, so the prince employed a hundred servants to insure that the elephant was properly served. A pool of perfumed water was maintained in a park-like setting. Trees, rocks and waterfalls were cleverly constructed so that the elephant might think that he was free and in the wild. A musical band played to amuse the elephant as his handlers, clad in scarlet and gold, accompanied him to his bath. Special attendants were charged with the responsibility of cleaning the elephant's ears, and others with performing pedicures. Ten virgins were employed to polish the ivory of the elephant's tusks. In order that the elephant be so well cared for the prince reduced the number of servants in his own palace.

The care and feeding of the lucky elephant so strained the princely budget that soon the grounds of his palace became neglected. Outside the palace grounds the kingdoms roads were neglected for want of money to maintain them. Wagons that might have transported merchant goods were used instead to carry fine straw for the elephant, so the economy suffered. The princely calm was disturbed and caused him to become a tougher taskmaster.

"I must have more money", the prince exclaimed. A brave advisor suggested that the white elephant be sold, or put to work. The prince ordered the first execution of his reign. Tax collectors were soon searching out every little piece of money in the realm, and whispered dis-satisfaction became common. A few grew rich; the number of beggars grew geometrically. Neighboring princes saw an opportunity to expand their own kingdoms, and it looked as if war as immanent. The populace was frightened, but the prince insisted that there was nothing to worry about; after all he possessed a white elephant.

The prince's neighbors mobilized their forces and concentrated them along the borders. There was panic in the streets, but the prince remained convinced that he was safe. A delegation of Englishmen appeared at the palace gates, and was invited into the palace. There they proposed that the prince place himself under the protection of the Raj, and that they would take over collection of taxes and the administration of the kingdom.

The prince agreed, and retired to his harem a happy smiling man. His white elephant had saved the day. It is not recorded how the prince felt when the Raj ordered the elephant shot as a needless expense.