[Footnote 1:  Cotton MSS.  NERO.  D. 1. fol. 168, b.]

In the numerous mediaeval treatises on natural history, known under the title of Bestiaries, this delusion regarding the elephant is often repeated; and it is given at length in a metrical version of the Physiologus of THEOBALDUS, amongst the Arundel Manuscripts in the British Museum.[1]

[Footnote 1:  Arundel MSS.  No. 292, fol. 4, &c.  It has been printed in the Reliquiae Antiquae, vol. i. p. 208, by Mr. WRIGHT, to whom I am indebted for the following rendering of the passage referred to:—­

in water ge sal stonden in water to mid side that wanne hire harde tide that ge ne falle nither nogt that it most in hire thogt for he ne haven no lith that he mugen risen with, etc.

“They will stand in the water, in water up to the middle of the side, that when it comes to them hard, they may not fall down:  that is most in their thought, for they have no joint to enable them to rise again.  How he resteth him this animal, when he walketh abroad, hearken how it is here told.  For he is all unwieldy, forsooth he seeks out a tree, that it strong and stedfast, and leans confidently against it, when he is weary of walking.  The hunter has observed this, who seeks to ensnare him, where his usual dwelling is, to do his will; saws this tree and props it in the manner that he best may, covers it well that he (the elephant) may not be on his guard.  Then he makes thereby a seat, himself sits alone and watches whether his trap takes effect.  Then cometh this unwieldy elephant, and leans him on his side, rests against the tree in the shadow, and so both fall together.  If nobody be by when he falls, he roars ruefully and calls for help, roars ruefully in his manner, hopes he shall through help rise.  Then cometh there one (elephant) in haste, hopes he shall cause him to stand up; labours and tries all his might, but he cannot succeed a bit.  He knows then no other remedy, but roars with his brother, many and large (elephants) come there in search, thinking to make him get up, but for the help of them all he may not get up.  Then they all roar one roar, like the blast of a horn or the sound of bell, for their great roaring a young one cometh running, stoops immediately to him, puts his snout under him, and asks the help of them all; this elephant they raise on his legs:  and thus fails this hunter’s trick, in the manner that I have told you.”]

With the Provencal song writers, the helplessness of the fallen elephant was a favourite simile, and amongst others RICHARD DE BARBEZIEUX, in the latter half of the twelfth century, sung[1],

  “Atressi cum l’olifans
  Que quan chai no s’pot levar.”

[Footnote 1:  One of the most venerable authorities by whom the fallacy was transmitted to modern times was PHILIP de THAUN, who wrote, about the year 1121, A.D., his Livre des Creatures, dedicated to Adelaide of Louvaine, Queen of Henry I. of England.  In the copy of it printed by the Historical Society of Science in 1841, and edited by Mr. WRIGHT, the following passage occurs:—­