Chapter 11 Where the elephants are bred; how the dragons and they disagree

Elephants breed in that part of Africa which lies beyond the deserts and wilderness of the Syrtes, also in Mauritania; they are found also among the Ethiopians and Troglodites, as hath been said. But India brings forth the biggest, as also the dragons, that are continually at variance with them, and evermore fighting, and those of such greatness, that they can easily clasp and wind round about the elephants, and withal tie them fast with a knot. In this conflict, they die, both the one and the other. The elephant he falls down dead as conquered, and with his heavy weight crushes and squeezes the dragon that is wound and wreathed about him.

Chapter 12 The wittiness and policy of these creatures

Wonderful is the wit and subtlety that dumb creatures have, and how they shift for themselves and annoy their enemies, which is the only difficulty that they have to arise and grow to so great a height and excessive bigness. The dragon therefore espying the elephant when he goes to relief, assails him from a high tree and launches himself upon him; but the elephant knowing well enough he is not able to withstand his windings and knittings about him, seeks to come close to some trees or hard rocks, and so for to crush and squeeze the dragon between him and them. The dragons, ware [wary or cautious] hereof, entangle and snarl his feet and legs first with their tail; the elephants on the other side, undo those knots with their trunk as with a hand. But to prevent that again, the dragons put in their heads into their snout, and so stop their wind, and withal fret and gnaw the tenderest parts they find there. Now in case these two mortal enemies chance to re-encounter on the way, they bristle and bridle one against another, and address themselves to fight. But the chief thing the dragons make at is the eye, whereby it comes to pass, that many times the elephants are found blind, pined for hunger, and worn away, and after much languishing, for very anguish and sorrow die of their venom. What reason should a man allege of this so mortal war between them, if it be not a very sport of nature, and pleasure that she takes, in matching these two so great enemies together, and so even and equal in each respect? But some report this mutual war between them after another sort, and that the occasion thereof arises from a natural cause: for (say they) the elephant’s blood is exceeding cold, and therefore the dragons be wonderful desirous thereof to refresh and cool themselves therewith during the parching hot season of the year. And to this purpose they lie under the water, waiting their time to take the elephants at a vantage [when they have an advantage over them] when they are drinking, where they catch fast hold first of their trunk, and they have not so soon clasped and entangled it with their tail, but they set their venomous teeth in the elephant’s ear (the only part of all their body which they cannot reach unto with their trunk) and so bite it hard. Now these dragons are so big withal, that they are able to receive all the elephant’s blood. Thus, are they sucked dry until they fall down dead. And the dragons also, drunk with their blood, are squeezed under them, and so die together.