Once, the King of Siam could do anything he wanted with his people. That is what is called an absolute monarchy. When-I-was-a-boy, if any one acted very “bossy” or ordered others around, we used to say, “Who do you think you are? The King of Siam?”
But now the King of Thailand has to rule according to the laws of the country and cannot do just as he pleases the way his ancestors used to do.
The Buddhists believe that when they die their souls go into the bodies of animals. The kings’ souls they think go into the bodies of white elephants, so in Thailand the White Elephant is sacred. The white elephantsare, however, more gray than white. Once any white elephant found in a herd had to be presented to the King to bring good luck to him and to the kingdom. Because these royal white elephants did no work, we have come to call something we may have that is of no use, and yet we must keep and take care of, “a white elephant.” A friend of mine has an old worn-out automobile that will not run, that he can neither sell nor give away, and as it takes up space in his garage he calls it his “white elephant.”
In Burma the ordinary gray elephant is used as we use an automobile, truck, or tractor and costs about the same as an automobile does. An elephant carries people, he carries loads, he lifts logs, he plows. A driver sits on the elephant’s head and taps him on one side or the other to let him know just what he is to do and he does it. He works regular hours and knows when it’s time to start work and when it’s time to quit. It is as if he belonged to a labor union, and he will not work at all unless he has had one or more baths each day!
We always say wood will float, but there is a kind of wood in Burma that is so heavy it will not float. It is called “Teak.” They use teak instead of other woods in making furniture, for white ants eat up and destroy anything made out of softer woods.

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