Let me see how you behave."
The men began putting ropes around Umboo's big neck. He did not mind
this, for it had been done before, in India, when he was to pull a
heavy wagon of teakwood logs. But this time it was different.
All of a sudden Umboo felt his front legs being lifted from the
ground. His head and trunk went up in the air, and all his weight came
on his hind legs. They were strong enough to bear it, but the elephant
did not know what was going on.
"It's all right, my elephant friend!" said the man from India. "Up!
Up! Stand up! Stand on your hind legs, Umboo!"
And Umboo had to do this whether he wanted to or not. The rope, on
which the men were pulling, and which was fast to a hook in the
ceiling of the barn over head, was lifting Umboo's front feet from the
ground. This left him only his hind legs, and he had to stand on them
whether he wanted to or not.
If you have ever tried to teach your dog to stand on his hind legs,
you will know what was being done to Umboo. When you try to teach your
dog this trick, you generally take him where he can stand up in a
corner, so he can lean against the wall and will not fall over
backwards or sideways; for that is what he feels like doing when you
lift up his front legs.
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