Sunday, September 28, 2008

Le Lion, The Elephant and The Rhino

On Saturday at the brocante (flea market), I found an ancient copy of Joseph Kessel's Le Lion, a book that had enchanted me as a child; indeed, the novel tells the story of a little girl, Patricia, who lives in Kenya and has a special relationship with a wild lion. I too spent my childhood in Kenya and while I did not cuddle with wild beasts, safaris gave me plenty of opportunities to watch and adore animals. I had a soft spot for elephants - I almost bought the toy elephant, left, that I also found at the brocante.

The closest I came to genuine wild animals was when I rode... a rhinoceros! Grey rhinos are endangered, so they used to be followed around by armed guards and were thus comfortable with humans. It was a unique experience, and one that made me forever an advocate of animals. May we preserve them.

29 comments:

Leanne said...

Thanks for stopping by my blog last week. Oh, I am so jealous- I would love to write about my Parisian flea market adventure!! And how interesting to read you lived in Kenya as a kid. That childhood picture on the rhinoceros is pretty great.

I love your blog. I will be back.

Andrea Tachezy said...

Love the elephant!! And wow - your rhino ride, that´s something!

Anonymous said...

wow...mary-laure....always great and fascinating stories....one day i hope you put your fabulous life to pen and paper! what a marvelous read it would be!!!!!
nancy

Unknown said...

I adored this post!
The elephant is so cute and the last photo is terrific!!!!

limonana said...

incredible photo!! that was is worth framing....

Mary-Laure said...

ANDREA - I was sure an animal lover like YOU would like this post. Now imagine your Frodo with the rhinos...

NANCY - some day I might write about all this, who knows?

KARINA - que te parece, deberia haber comprado el elefante?
El problema es que mi perro DESTRUYE los jugetes... Siempre se cree que son para el.

lu-n-am said...

j'adore ton blog! (excuse my french - it's horribly rusty!) thanks so much for visiting our blog...i love visiting yours! it's a very magical place to explore...your life & history seems so lovely.
Bisous.
~Am~

Esti said...

Cómo disfruto de tus historias de infancia!! qué bonita imágen...

Anonymous said...

je me souviens parfaitement de ces rhinos parce que c'est moi qui ai pris cette photo qui a bien jaunie Il s'agissait de l'espece " white rhino " dans la reserve de Masai mara au Kenya ou nous etions alles en safari..

Here, There, Elsewhere... and more said...

Beautiful post - love the photo and that elephant is beyond precious - thanks for sharing..:)

Fifi Flowers said...

Amazing childhood! Love the photo!

Jill said...

what an amazing photo of you and your sister on the rhino! you are so lucky to have seen all of those animals in their natural habitat. my children would love it, but we've only been to zoos, which are pretty depressing.

Jaimee McClellan said...

You continue to amaze me with your adventures old and new!!!

María Paula Dufour said...

Mary Laure!
Me encatan tus posts!
Son tan sensibles!
Quisiera ver el elefante más grande!!!!!
Podrá ser? Se lo merece! ;)

Mrs.French said...

you need to write a book about your life...I love this post with all my heart.

please sir said...

Oh my what a book and experience - sounds wonderful. Thanks for sharing!

LenoreNeverM♡re said...

the elephant is adorable...rhino ride is beyooond my dream! I adore all animals except rats!

Anonymous said...

Such a beautiful photo from your childhood... so magical and slightly surreal in nature.

Mary-Laure said...

LU-N-AM - your French looks good, actually. As long as you know how to say "Bisous", you're fine...

JL - merci pour les precisions!

MARIA PAULA - desgraciadamente, es la unica foto del elefante que tenga...

artycho said...

Wow mary-laure I love your post! how amazing you riding a rhino?! I too loved Le lion the analogy with your own life story is great!

Mary-Laure said...

ARTYCHO - I hope dear little Cerys reads Le Lion some day, in her beautiful English countryside...

tangobaby said...

You are so full of surprises! The closest most children will be to a rhino is on a carousel. You were a lucky little princess girl!

MISS GLITZY said...

Moi aussi j'aime les éléphants... Et j'aime celui que tu as trouvé à cette brocante, le fait qu'il ait bien vécu lui donne encore plus de valeur.

Unknown said...

oh my, what an absolutely amazingly wonderful picture!~ sure beats riding on a pony.

i love the elephant-what a beautiful toy...

Laura in Paris said...

A rhino ride in Kenya! Not many kids have that type of memories!

sMacThoughts said...

What a fascinating childhood you must have had. TRAGIC you did not buy this gorgeous elephant!!

Geisslein said...

What a wonderful photo!!!
Wish you a wonderful day.
sunny greetings from germany
geisslein

mansuetude said...

i love elephants... they are like old pillars of mystery and wisdom. that book looks wonderful--symbolic of a spiritual soul, too..

essbesee said...

Not many people can say they've rode on a rhino, especially as a child. What an amazing place to have grown up. Thanks for stopping by The Claw, I will stop by Aurea again for sure.