The White Elephant白象的赤子心

张玲

Once upon a time， there lived a herd of elephants at the bottom of the majestic Himalayas. Their leader was a magnificent and rare white elephant who was an extremely kind-hearted soul. He greatly loved his mother who had grown blind and feeble1） and could not look out for herself.

Each day this white elephant would go deep into the forest in search of food. He would look for the best wild fruit to send to his mother. But his mother never received any. This was because his messengers would always eat it up themselves. Each night， when he returned home he would be surprised to hear that his mother had been starving all day. He was absolutely disgusted with his herd.

Then one day， he decided to leave them all behind and disappeared in the middle of the night along with his dear mother. He took her to Mount Candorana to live in a cave beside a beautiful lake that was covered by gorgeous pink lotuses2）.

It so happened that one day， when the white elephant was feeding， he heard loud cries. A forester3） from Benaras had lost his way in the forest and was absolutely terrified. He had come to the area to visit relatives and could not find his way out.

On seeing this big white elephant he was even more terrified and ran as fast as he could. The elephant followed him and told him not to be afraid， as all he wanted to do was to help him. He asked the forester why he was crying so bitterly. The forester replied that he was crying because he had been roaming the forest for the past seven days and could not find his way out.

The elephant told him not to worry as he knew every inch of this forest and could take him to safety. He then lifted him on to his back and carried him to the edge of the forest from where the forester went on his merry way back to Benaras.

On reaching the city， he heard that King Brahmadutta's personal elephant had just died and the King was looking for a new elephant. His heralds4） were roaming the city， announcing that any man who had seen or heard of an elephant fit for a King should come forward with the information.

The forester was very excited and immediately went up to the King and told him about the white elephant that he had seen on Mount Candorana. He told him that he had marked the way and would require the help of the elephant trainers in order to catch this fantastic elephant.

The King was quite pleased with the information and immediately dispatched5） a number of soldiers and elephant trainers along with the forester. After travelling for many days， the group reached the lake besides which the elephants resided. They slowly moved down to the edge of the lake and hid behind the bushes. The white elephant was collecting lotus shoots6） for his mother's meal and could sense the presence of humans. When he looked up， he spotted the forester and realized that it was he who had led the King's men to him. He was very upset at the ingratitude7） but decided that if he put up a struggle many of the men would be killed. And he was just too kind to hurt anyone. So he decided to go along with them to Benaras and then request that the benevolent8） King set him free.

That night when the white elephant did not return home， his mother was very worried. She had heard all the commotion9） outside and had guessed that the King's men had taken away her son. She was scared that the King would ride him into battle and her son would definitely be killed. She was also worried that there would be no one to look after her or even feed her， as she could not see. She just lay down and cried bitterly.

Meanwhile her son was led into the beautiful city of Benaras where he was given a grand reception. The whole city was decorated and his own stable was gaily10） painted and covered with garlands11） of fragrant flowers. The trainers laid out12） a feast for their new state elephant who refused to touch a morsel13）. He did not respond to any kind of stimuli， be it the fragrant flowers or the beautiful and comfortable stable. He just sat there looking completely despondent14）.

The worried trainers went straight to report the situation to their King， as they were scared that the elephant would just waste away15） without any food or water. The King was extremely concerned when he heard what they had said and went to the stable himself. He offered the elephant food from the royal table and asked him why he grieved in this manner. He thought that the elephant should be proud and honored that he was chosen as the state elephant and would get the opportunity to serve his King.

But the white elephant replied that he would not eat a thing until he met his mother. So the King asked him where his mother was. The elephant replied that she was back home on Mount Candorana and must be worried and hungry as she was blind and had no one to feed her and take care of her. He was afraid that she would die.

The compassionate King was touched by the elephant's story and asked him to return to his blind， old mother and take care of her as he had been doing all along. He set him free in love and kindness. The happy elephant went running home as fast as he could. And he was relieved to find that his mother was still alive. He filled his trunk with water and poured it over his sick mother who thought that it was raining. The white elephant gently bent over his blind mother and stroked her lovingly. She immediately recognized his touch and was overjoyed. Her son lifted her up and told her that the kind and compassionate King of Benaras had set him free and he was here to love and look after his mother forever.

His mother was absolutely thrilled and blessed the kind King with peace， prosperity and joy till the end of his days. She was so thankful to him for sending her son back home. The white elephant took care of his mother till the day she died. Then he went to Benaras to serve the King. And when he himself died， the King erected a statue of him by the side of the lake and held an annual elephant festival there in memory of such a caring and noble soul.

从前，在雄伟的喜马拉雅山脚下生活着一群大象。它们的头领是一头罕见的美丽白象，心地非常善良。它的妈妈已经老得双目失明、身体虚弱，自己都不能照顾自己，它很爱妈妈。

每天，这头白象都会到森林深处觅食。它总是寻找最鲜美的野果让其他大象带给它的妈妈，但它的妈妈却从未收到过任何果子。这是因为帮它送果子的那些大象总是独吞所有果子。每天晚上回到家时，它都会意外地听到妈妈已经饿了一整天了。它彻底厌倦了它的象群。

于是有一天，它决定永远离开它们。那天午夜，它和它亲爱的妈妈一起消失了。它带妈妈去了坎多拉纳山，住在一个山洞里，旁边有一个美丽的湖，湖面上开满了绚烂的粉色荷花。

碰巧有一天，白象正在吃东西时听到有人大声哭喊。一位从贝拿勒斯来的护林人在森林里迷了路，完全吓坏了。他是来这里走亲戚的，结果找不到回去的路了。

看见这头巨大的白象，护林人更害怕了，拼了命地跑。白象跟上他，告诉他不要害怕，因为它只是想要帮助他而已。它问这个护林人为什么哭得如此悲伤。护林人回答说，他哭是因为他已经在这片森林里漫无目的地走了七天了，却还是找不到回去的路。

白象告诉他不要担心，因为它熟悉这片森林的每一寸土地，可以把他带到安全的地方。然后白象把他举起放在背上，驼着他到了森林边缘，护林人从这里愉快地踏上了回贝拿勒斯的路。

他一到贝拿勒斯城就听说梵施王的御用大象刚刚死去，国王正在寻找一头新的大象。国王的传令官们正在城里四处奔走，向全城宣布：任何人只要见过或听说过适合国王的大象，都应该前来禀报。

护林人非常兴奋，立刻跑到国王那儿，禀告关于他在坎多拉纳山看到的那头白色大象的事儿。他告诉国王，他已经在路上做了记号，要想抓住这头神奇的大象，他还需要驯象师的帮助。

国王听到这个消息非常高兴，立刻派出许多士兵和驯象师随同这位护林人一同前往。经过好几天的跋涉，这一队人终于到达了白象和妈妈生活的湖畔。他们慢慢地走到湖岸边，藏在灌木丛后。白象正在摘荷花的新芽作为妈妈的一餐，它能够觉察到人类的存在。它抬起头，发现了那个护林人，意识到是他带国王的人过来抓它的。它对这个忘恩负义的人非常失望，但断定，如果它反抗，他们当中的很多人都会被它杀死。它太善良了，不想伤害任何人。所以它决定和他们一起去贝拿勒斯，然后再请求仁慈的国王放了它。

白象没有回家的这天晚上，它的妈妈非常担心。外面的骚动她早已全都听到了，她猜到国王的人已经把她的儿子带走了。她害怕国王会骑着她的儿子去打仗，那样她的儿子肯定会战死沙场的。她还担心没人照顾她，更没人给她找吃的，因为她什么都看不到。她只好躺下来，伤心地哭泣。

与此同时，她的儿子被领进了美丽的贝拿勒斯城，并受到了隆重接待。整座城市都装饰一新，专属于它的象厩也涂饰得十分华美，上面还挂满了用芳香的鲜花做成的花环。驯象师为他们的新国象摆了一桌盛宴，可它却一口也不吃。它对任何刺激都不做回应，无论是芳香的鲜花，还是漂亮又舒适的象厩。它只是坐在那儿，看上去一副失望透顶的样子。

忧心忡忡的驯象师直接向国王报告了情况，因为他们害怕白象这么不吃不喝下去会日益衰弱。国王听到驯象师们的汇报后也非常担心，于是亲自去象厩看望。他拿起皇家餐桌上的食物给白象吃，问它为什么如此悲伤。他认为白象当选为国象并能有机会为国王服务，理应感到自豪和荣幸。

但白象回答道，除非让它见到妈妈，否则它什么也不会吃。于是国王问它，它的妈妈在哪里。白象回答说她还在坎多拉纳山的家里，她现在一定又饿又担心，因为她双目失明，而且还没有人给她找吃的，也没有人照顾她。它很害怕她会死掉。

慈悲的国王被白象的故事感动了，让它回到失明的老母亲身边，一如既往地照顾她。他出于爱心和善意释放了白象。开心的白象用最快的速度一路跑回家。看见妈妈还活着，它感到很宽慰。它用象鼻吸满水，喷到生病的妈妈身上，它的妈妈还以为是下雨了呢。白象温柔地俯身靠着失明的妈妈，充满爱意地轻抚她。妈妈立刻辨别出是她的儿子在抚摸她，喜出望外。她的儿子扶她起来，告诉她善良仁慈的贝拿勒斯国王把它放了，它会在这儿永远地爱护、照顾妈妈。

它的妈妈非常高兴，并祝福这位仁慈的国王有生之年平安、富有、快乐。她十分感谢国王能够放她儿子回家。白象一直照顾着母亲，直到她去世的那一天。后来，白象去了贝拿勒斯城为国王服务。它死后，国王在湖边立起了一尊白象的雕像，并每年在那儿举办大象节，以纪念这样一个善良、高尚的灵魂。

1. feeble [?fi?bl] adj. 虚弱的

2. lotus [?l??t?s] n. 荷花

3. forester [?f?r?st?（r）] n. 护林员

4. herald [?her?ld] n. （古时的）传令官

5. dispatch [d??sp?t?] vt. 派遣

6. shoot [?u?t] n. 嫩芽

7. ingratitude [?n?ɡr?t?tju?d] n. 忘恩负义

8. benevolent [b??nev?l?nt] adj. 仁慈的

9. commotion [k??m???n] n. 骚动

10. gaily [?ɡe?li] adv. 华丽地