Page:Tales of the Punjab.pdf/234

212 TALES OF THE PUNJAB

But, to his astonishment, the wrestler only stirred a little, and said sleepily, ‘What is the matter? what is the matter? If you want to shampoo my head, why the plague don’t you do it properly? What's worth doing at all is worth doing well; so put a little of your weight into it, my friend |’

The elephant stared, and left off stamping ; but, nothing daunted, seized the wrestler round the waist with its trunk, intending to heave him up and dash him to pieces on the ground, ‘Ho! ho! my little friend !—that is your plan, is it?’ quoth the wrestler, with a yawn; and catching hold of the elephant's tail, and swinging the monster over his shoulder, he continued his journey jauntily.

By and by he reached his destination, and, standing outside the Indian wrestler’s house, cried out, ‘Ho! my friend! Come out and try a fall!'

‘My husband’s not at home to-day,’ answered the wrestler’s wife from inside; ‘he has gone into the wood to cut pea-sticks.’

'Well, well ! when he returns give him this, with my compliments, and tell him the owner has come from far to challenge him.’

So saying, he chucked the elephant clean over the courtyard wall.

‘Oh, mamma! mamma!’ cried a treble voice from within, ‘I declare that nasty man has thrown a mouse over the wall into my lap! What shall I do to him?’

‘Never mind, little daughter!’ answered the wrestler’s wife; ‘papa will teach him better manners. Take the grass broom and sweep the mouse away.’

Then there was a sound of sweeping, and immediately the dead elephant came flying over the wall.