Little Toomai was frightened . He did not know much of white men , but Petersen Sahib was the greatest white man in the world to him . He was the head of all the Keddah operations -- the man who caught all the elephants for the Government of India , and who knew more about the ways of elephants than any living man . `` What -- what will happen ? '' said Little Toomai . `` Happen ! The worst that can happen . Petersen Sahib is a madman . Else why should he go hunting these wild devils ? He may even require thee to be an elephant catcher , to sleep anywhere in these fever-filled jungles , and at last to be trampled to death in the Keddah . It is well that this nonsense ends safely . Next week the catching is over , and we of the plains are sent back to our stations . Then we will march on smooth roads , and forget all this hunting . But , son , I am angry that thou shouldst meddle in the business that belongs to these dirty Assamese jungle folk . Kala Nag will obey none but me , so I must go with him into the Keddah , but he is only a fighting elephant , and he does not help to rope them . So I sit at my ease , as befits a mahout , -- not a mere hunter , -- a mahout , I say , and a man who gets a pension at the end of his service . Is the family of Toomai of the Elephants to be trodden underfoot in the dirt of a Keddah ? Bad one ! Wicked one ! Worthless son !
Go and wash Kala Nag and attend to his ears , and see that there are no thorns XXXXX his feet .
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