He abode weeping for the loss of his wife and children till the
morning, when he went forth wandering at a venture, knowing not
what he should do, and gave not over faring along the sea-shore
days and nights, unknowing whither he went and taking no food
therein other than the herbs of the earth and seeing neither man
nor beast nor other living thing, till his travel brought him to
the top of a mountain. He took up his sojourn in the mountain and
abode there [awhile] alone, eating of its fruits and drinking of
its waters. Then he came down thence and fared on along the high
road three days, at the end of which time he came upon tilled
fields and villages and gave not over going till he sighted a
great city on the shore of the sea and came to the gate thereof
at the last of the day. The gatekeepers suffered him not to
enter; so he abode his night anhungred, and when he arose in the
morning, be sat down hard by the gate.

Now the king of the city was dead and had left no son, and the
townsfolk fell out concerning who should be king over them: and
their sayings differed and their counsels, so that turmoil was
like to betide between them by reason of this. At last, after
long dissension, they came to an accord and agreed to leave the
choice to the late king's elephant and that he unto whom he
consented should be king and that they would not contest the
commandment with him. So they made oath of this and on the
morrow, they brought out the elephant and came forth to the
utterward of the city; nor was there man or woman left in the
place but was present at that time. Then they adorned the
elephant and setting up the throne on his back, gave him the
crown in his trunk; and he went round about examining the faces
of the folk, but stopped not with any of them till he came to the