Then the judge said to the elephant, “Examine these men and tell us which is the robber.” The elephant touched with his trunk each of the five accused men, from his head to his feet.
And the white-haired man and the three others stood still and laughed at the elephant with happy faces; for they knew in their hearts they were not guilty and they thought the elephant knew. But the fifth man shivered with fear and his face changed to many colors. While the elephant was examining him, the judge said, “Do your duty,” and rapped loudly. The elephant took the guilty man and threw him down on the floor, dead.
Then the judge said to the four guiltless men, “You may go.” And to the woman he said, “Be careful whom you accuse.” Then he said to the elephant, [[184]]“Food and water are waiting for you. I hope you may live a long time, and help me to judge wisely.”
After this many wise men who were not superstitious went to the judge and said:
“We know that your elephant can not read the heart and mind of man. What kind of food do you give him and what do you teach him? Man himself lives only from sixty to one hundred years and he knows little. How could an elephant read the heart of man, a thing which man, himself, can not do? Did the spirit of a dead man grow wise and enter that elephant? We pray that you explain.”
And Ko-Kio-Yong, the wise judge, laughed and said, “My elephant eats and drinks as other elephants do. I think he surely does not know a robber from an honest man, but this is a belief among our people. The honest man believes it and has no fear, because he has done no wrong. The thief believes it, and is filled with terror. Trial before the elephant is only confession through fear.” [[185]]
THE GENERAL, THE BIRD, AND THE ANT[1]
將軍賴蟻
