"Look!" he cried to Fou-tan. "There must be a circus coming to town."
"The King's elephants," explained Fou-tan, unimpressed.
"Why does he have so many?" asked King.
"A king without elephants would be no king," replied the girl. "They proclaim to all men the king's wealth and power. When he makes war, his soldiers go into battle upon them and fight from their backs, for those are the war elephants of Lodivarman."
"There must be hundreds of them," commented the American.
"There are thousands," said Fou-tan.
"And against whom does Lodivarman make war?"
"Against Pnom Dhek."
"Only against Pnom Dhek?" inquired King.
"Yes, only against Pnom Dhek."