Show When King Died in India Elephant Chose New Ruler The importance of elephants in Indian history dates from the Vedic period when they were Indias India's Indias India's In In- dias dia's k king ng They were supposed supposed supposed sup sup- posed to be gifted with an unerring unerring unerring ing instinct to spot the real scion of the royal blood Whenever a king died childless the royal elephant elephant elephant ele ele- was called upon to solve the difficulty He Hc was gaily caparisoned and given a garland to put around the neck of whomsoever he chose in his rambles for the quest of a suc sue cessor Wandering through the hills and dales the elephant would come upon the rightful ruler of his choice and put the garland around his neck Thus sometimes a beggars beggar's bowl was exchanged for a kingly crown In this way was the new king king g found and the courtiers who followed followed followed fol fol- fol- fol lowed the royal animal flocked to toI his hs standard and swore fealty to I him I J |