С‚рёс‚р»рѕрірё Сѓсђрїсѓрєрё — White Elephant

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.

The horse required the finest oats imported from the coast and a stable lined with silk. Jovan had to hire three grooms just to keep its coat from staining in the mountain mud.

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. During a particularly brutal blizzard, Jovan sat in

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

One winter, to "honor" Jovan’s loyalty, the Voivode gifted him a magnificent white horse—so pure it was called the . It was a creature of mythic beauty, with a coat like polished marble and eyes that seemed to hold the cold wisdom of the peaks. The "White Elephant" was a mirror—it showed Jovan

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

The horse eventually died of old age, leaving Jovan with nothing but a pile of silk and a mountain of debt. When the news reached the palace, the Voivode simply laughed and sent a message: "I have another for you, Jovan. This one is even whiter." Origin of the Phrase White Elephant Explained Jovan soon realized the true nature of his "blessing

"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.