White Elephant С‚рёс‚р»рѕрірё | Сѓсђрїсѓрєрё

He became a prisoner of his own prestige. He was "The Lord of the White Elephant," but he was starving.

He could not sell it, for to sell a gift from the Voivode was treason. He could not give it away, for who would take a burden that would bankrupt them?. The Empty Treasury He became a prisoner of his own prestige

During a particularly brutal blizzard, Jovan sat in his freezing home. Through the window, he watched the horse standing in its heated stable. He realized that the Voivode hadn't given him a gift; he had given him a . The "White Elephant" was a mirror—it showed Jovan that his vanity was the very thing that had ruined him. He could not give it away, for who

Jovan soon realized the true nature of his "blessing." The horse was sacred; it could not be used to pull a plow, carry goods to market, or even be ridden for travel. To work the animal was an insult to the Voivode. He realized that the Voivode hadn't given him

"A gift for the most faithful," the Voivode declared. But as the gates of the palace closed, Jovan saw the faint, cruel smile on the ruler's face.

Years passed. Jovan’s once-thriving warehouse grew empty. His gold went into the horse’s stomach; his time was spent protecting a beast that gave him nothing but the appearance of status. The villagers watched as Jovan’s clothes grew tattered while the horse remained pristine.