The day was set for Bozo's execution. His owner, determined to make a final profit from his possession, sold tickets for the killing. Everything was ready. The ringmaster was preparing to give the signal, when a short, stocky man strode up to him.

"Let me into that cage," he said, "and in two minutes I'll show you that you are wrong to destroy that animal."

The ringmaster thought a moment, then refused. "I can't let you. He'd kill you instantly."

"Here," said the amazing stranger. "I thought you'd say that, so here is a legal paper releasing you from all responsibility if I am hurt. Now, will you let me into that cage?"

Turning to the audience, the manager announced that an unknown man was going to try to calm the elephant.

The little man removed his glasses, tucked them into his coat pocket, then removed the coat, which he handed to the manager.

"Now, unlock the door."

At the first rattle of the gate Bozo stopped pacing and squealed shrilly. The man stepped inside and stood still. He began to speak softly. The audience could hear his quiet voice, but they couldn't understand the words. Bozo's big body began to relax. As the soft voice droned on and on, the animal wagged his great head from side to side. Finally the man walked up to the elephant and patted his trunk. Then he led the now-docile elephant around the cage.

Finally the little man left the cage, collected his coat, and made ready to leave.

"Bozo's not a bad elephant," he said. "He was just homesick. I talked Hindustani to him, for he's an Indian elephant, and he's used to the language. He's all right now."

As the little man strode away, the amazed manager looked at the card in his hand -- Rudyard Kipling, it said -- the famous writer who had spent so many years in India. It took a man who was familiar with Indian life and Indian elephants to know what was wrong with Bozo. He wasn't a desperate killer elephant. He was merely terribly lonely and misunderstood.

If we could sit where they sit, how often we would be ready to understand and to forgive quickly those who have wronged us. If we only knew the real reason back of their actions we could understand so much better.

Has someone wronged you? See if you can put yourself in his place for a while. Perhaps then you may be willing to understand and forgive.