Modoc R A L P H H E L F E R The True Story of the Greatest Elephant That Ever Lived To My Daughter Tana Contents Author’s Note vii 1 ON A GRAY, FOGGY MORNING THEY CAME, rising on the… 1 2 “MORNING, HERR GOBEL.” 6 3 DURING THE SLOW SEASON CURPO was allowed to take care… 13 4 SATURDAY MORNING. There was no great fanfare about it. Modoc’s… 25 5 “Hi, I’M GERTIE,” said a voice. 30 6 “NOW YOU KIDS BE CAREFUL and I don’t want you… 33 7 THE SIDESHOW, which many patrons considered a “freak show,” featured… 38 8 TRUCKS, SKIPLOADERS, AND ROUSTABOUTS were busy moving circus equipment and… 51 9 WHEN BRAM ARRIVED at the circus grounds it looked as… 59 10 NEWS ARRIVED FROM THE PORT that The Ghanjee from India… 62 11 THE JOURNEY FOR BRAM was one of wonderment and danger.… 72 12 “WHAT IN THE HELL do you think you’re doing!” The… 81 13 THE WEATHER HAD TAKEN a turn for the worse. Winds… 87 14 BRAM TOOK A MOMENT to gaze around the hold. Litter… 95 15 “Help!…Help!” 99 16 HOURS HAD PASSED. The fog thinned, and in places had… 109 17 “I’M SORRY, but the doctor left strict orders that the… 113 18 “WAKE UP! WAKE UP, SIR” 120 19 A FEW DAYS HAD PASSED when a small Indian man… 130 20 BRAM AWAKENED IN A BASKET CHAIR, hung from the high… 141 21 THE SUN BROKE INTO DAYLIGHT like an egg being cracked… 145 22 THE LIGHT OF THE FULL MOON moved through the trees… 152 23 AS THE WEEKS WENT BY Bram and Mo lived wherever… 156 24 A HUNDRED YARDS DOWNSTREAM Bram found a place where the… 166 25 FOR A MONTH HE PRESSED ON, rarely stopping except to… 170 26 THAT NIGHT BRAM LAY AWAKE; his thoughts were of Gertie.… 181 27 A NOTICE IN THE VILLAGE said that Kalli Gooma would… 191 28 BRAM AWOKE TO A LOUD COMMOTION. The early morning sun… 200 29 BRAM AND SIAN WERE TO BE MARRIED! It said so… 206 30 THIRTY-FOUR ELEPHANTS STOOD READY. Eight had been outfitted with machine… 217 31 BRAM’S MIND AWOKE long before his body, to a slow-turning… 229 32 THE CARAVAN WAS WAITING. Modoc and the other elephants that… 238 33 SHE WAS THE BIGGEST FROM THE START. Even old Bertha,… 245 34 THE LINES AT THE TICKET BOOTH stretched down the block… 256 35 MO DIDN’T FEEL WELL. Her last performance had been a… 266 36 “ALWAYS WALK IN THE VALLEY OF LIFE. The mountains on… 274 37 BRAM NEVER DID GET OVER CURPO’S DEATH. He blamed himself… 282 38 “I’M SELLING MO.” 288 39 AN ANIMAL COMPANY called Gentle Jungle Exotic Animal Rental had… 294 40 “THEY HAVE ANIMAL RENTAL COMPANIES HERE,” said Gertie. 309 41 “MO IS LOSING HER SIGHT IN THE OTHER EYE, Bram. 313 Epilogue 322 Move Up, Mo!… 323 Acknowledgments About the Author Other Books by Ralph Helfer Cover Copyright About the Publisher Author’s Note The story of Modoc is true. When writers attempt to write a story based on the truth, they must first take all that they them- selves have seen and know it to be a fact. Next comes research and documented proof which may—or may not—be true. And, finally, there is “hearsay”—that which people tell you is factual. All this is put in a bowl, mashed and ground, and spread onto the pages in as close a semblance as possible. Then a little (poetic) political license is taken. Therefore, the story of Modoc is true—at least as far as I know. It’s the best I could do.