And once Umboo helped to tame one of these little wild
ones, telling him to be nice, as he would be kindly treated and have
food and water.
And one day new adventures came to Umboo.
By this time he was a big, strong elephant, nearly fully grown, for it
was now many years since he had been a baby in the jungle. And one
day, as he was standing near a pile of lumber, that he had helped to
build, one of the white men, whom he knew, and who had been kind to
Umboo, took a handkerchief from his white, linen coat pocket, and
wiped his face, for the day was hot.
Then a little spirit of mischief seemed to enter Umboo. And this
little spirit, or fairy, seemed to whisper:
"Take his handkerchief out of his pocket with your trunk, Umboo, and
make believe wipe your own face with it. That will be a funny little
trick, and will make the men laugh, and maybe they will give you some
soft, brown sugar." This the elephants like very much.
Umboo saw the edge of the handkerchief sticking out of the man's
pocket. Very softly the elephant reached put his trunk and took it.
Then Umboo flourished the piece of white linen in the air, as the man
had done, and pretended to use it, though Umboo's face was much larger
than the man's, and really needed no handkerchief.
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