Page:Hermione and her little group of serious thinkers (1923, c1916).djvu/43

 HOW THE SWAMI HAPPENED TO HAVE SEVEN WIVES

SN'T it terrible about that elephant at the Zoo—Oh, you know!—it's like Gunga Din, only, of course, it isn't Gunga Din at all.

Anyhow, he's chained for life! I suppose someone gave him tobacco for a joke and it made him cross. I've heard of those cases, haven't you?

An elephant is such a—such a—well, noble beast, isn't he?

Its transmigration of souls makes them that way, perhaps.

Just think—the soul of some Hindu Howdah may be in that beast!

Or is it a Rajah?

Anyhow, it sits on top of an elephant.

We took up transmigration of souls one time—our Little Group of Serious Thinkers, you know—and it's wonderful; simply wonderful!

That was when the Swami Brandranath used to talk to us. The dear Swami! Such eyes—so pure and yet so magnetic!—I have never seen in a human being.

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