COLLECTION 99

“Of what will the house be constructed?” they asked Appuhamy.
“Teakwood,” he replied, “the finest teakwood, every piece seasoned and guaranteed perfect.
Only the best is good enough for the Master.”
“Why teakwood?” they asked. “The jungle above abounds with fine timber. It is his for the cutting.”
“The Master is building for his children and his children’s children. Fine teakwood endures almost as long as stone.
The damp and the sun will not rot it; the ants will not eat it; in hot weather or dry it will not warp.
When it is finished it will be a palace.””Why,” asked the voice of a sceptic, “does he trouble to build this fine
house for his grandchildren when he has not even a son, nor yet a wife? To me it is a great folly.”
Robert Standish
“The Elephant Walk” 1949