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| Sunday, 18 August 2002 |
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Sel lipi: Rogue Elephants? Swasthi Shree! Thus says His Sacred Majesty, the gracious Great King, glorious Chakravarthi, King of the Kings of Maya, Pihiti and Ruhuna, Mahoora of the Vanniala-aeththo and ruler of all lands from Yapapatuna to Sampanthota, including the jungle haunts of the wild elephant: It has come to the notice of the Maha Vasala that the denizens of this isle are amongst the greatest consumers of intoxicants on Pruthuvi; and that this description is not limited to just the human inhabitants. Some years ago there was a report in the Parangi New Scientist sangaraava of bees that went on nectar-drinking binges in Attidiya. And the great and noble elephant, it appears, is too is no stranger to the demon drink, oft imbibing in the Raa left out by villagers to ferment. Some weeks ago, a hora aliya in Must consumed some human-made Raa, according to the precedent of the Nalagiri Tusker, and proceeded in a drunken orgy to start playing pandhu with a couple of women who had gone to the tank to bathe. That is, it used the women as balls, and they only escaped by the skin of their teeth. But the mighty tusker is more often than not sinned against than sinning. It has come to the notice of the Maha Vasala that hundreds of pachyderms are struck down by the yakada yakaa on the rail paths of the realm. The yakada yakaa angshaya will instruct drivers to blow their conch shells hard if they see a herd. Sel lipi for the notification and enlightenment of these drivers will soon be set up near all pathways of the yakada yakaa. It is the sincere hope of the Maha Vasala that the elephants will be able to read these, it being unlikely that anyone else will take any notice of them; that being the way of this realm (as witness the numerous sel lipi requesting the public not to deposit rubbish at the places so designated). Meanwhile, what of the elephant children orphaned by the humans of this realm? They are often brought up well in the orphanage at Pinnawela. Yet, two such specimens seem to be facing a fate worse than death itself. It has come to the notice of the Maha Vasala that children in the distant land of Japanaa have collected Kahapanas so that the people of the Yavana nation of Khroatiyava may see these sublime creatures. Accordingly, two baby elephants have been readied for sending aboard ship to that distant land. However, two groups of animal lovers in that far nation have raised objections, saying that no facilities are available for the upkeep of these animals, and that they may be utilised for ignoble commercial ends. Is it possible that the authorities in that country intend to use these magnificent royal creatures as beasts of burden? Will they be mere labourers in that barbarian realm? Having considered this position, the Maha Vasala has decreed that the possible outbreak of foot in mouth disease, which is prevalent in this realm, prevents us from allowing the transport of these noblest of animals to the Balkan fastness of Khroatiyava. Swasthi Shree! This rock edict is made on this day of Ravi of the month of Nikini of the Year of the Shaka era 1929. - Gotabhaya |
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