Elephant Painting A Self-Portrait?

Are you ready for this? There's almost no way you could be. Got it in my mail tonight, and it has knocked me for a loop. If it's real it's a psychological revolution, isn't it? It's definitely a revelation. As it says in the I Ching "Far-reaching speculations can be linked with this idea" ....I remember back in the day when I saw something in the eyes of certain animals that revealed they were so shockingly more aware and full of understanding than I was. I sometimes thought certain animals were trying to find a way to demonstrate how intelligent they were. Is this an example of that, developed by loving and caring tenders, or is it illusion developed from tedious and perhaps brutal training, as a money-making gimmick? Could such training exist? Is it an illusion? Is there a hand in a glove? You decide. I have no idea. But I do know it's one of the most interesting behaviors I've ever seen. If only the whole elephant were in view the whole time. And I would have liked to see his or her face, and to have locked eyes, as I have done with elephants in the past.




Thanks to Harriett and Chickenphish

*Day later Addendum: The more I remember my elephant friends, and looking in their eyes, the more certain I am that none of them had the slightest inclination, at any level, from cellular to cerebral, to become an artist, let alone to paint a self-portrait. There's no way this is true. I can't believe I could be so gullible in my old age, even for a moment!