Page:Tales of the Punjab.pdf/104

82 So off he set, with his bundle, his shuttle, and a loaf of bread tied up in a kerchief.

Now as he journeyed he came to a city where a dreadful elephant came daily to make a meal off the inhabitants.Many mighty warriors had gone against it, but none had returned.On hearing this the valiant little weaver thought to himself, 'Now is my chance! A great haystack of an elephant will be a ﬁne mark to a man who has shot a mosquito with a shuttle!’ So he went to the King, and announced that he proposed single-handed to meet and slay the elephant.At ﬁrst the King thought the little man was mad, but as he persisted in his words, he told him that he was free to try his luck if he chose to run the risk; adding that many better men than he had failed.

Nevertheless, our brave weaver was nothing daunted; he even refused to take either sward or bow, but strutted out to meet the elephant armed only with his shuttle.

'It is a weapon I thoroughly understand, good people,' he replied boastfully to those who urged him to choose some more deadly arm, ‘and it has done its work in its time, I can tell you!'

It was a beautiful sight to see little Vicky swaggering out to meet his enemy, while the townsfolk ﬂocked to the walls to witness the ﬁght. Never was such a valiant weaver till the elephant, descrying its tiny antagonist, trumpeted ﬁercely, and charged right at him, and then, alas! all the little man's courage disappeared, and forgetting his new name of Prince Victor he dropped his bundle, his shuttle, and his bread, and bolted away as fast as Vicky's legs could carry him.