Modoc (Novel)

Infobox Book
name = Modoc: The True Story of the Greatest Elephant That Ever Lived


image_caption =
author = Ralph Helfer
country = United States
language = English
series =
subject =
genre = biography
publisher = HarperCollins
release_date = 26 August, 1998
english_release_date =
media_type = Print (Paperback)
pages = 352 pp
isbn = ISBN 0060929510
preceded_by =
followed_by =

"Modoc: The True Story of the Greatest Elephant That Ever Lived" is a novel written by American writer Ralph Helfer and published in 1998. It tells the story of a boy and an elephant and their fight to stay together across three continents.

Plot summary

Modoc tells the story of Bram, a German boy, and his elephant, Modoc. Born within the same hour, Modoc and Bram are raised together by the elephant trainer of a small circus. When the circus is sold to an American, Bram is unwilling to be parted from his elephant and pursues them across the sea.

The ship is wrecked, leaving Modoc, Bram and others adrift in the ocean. The survivors stay afloat on Modoc’s back until help comes for them at the last possible second. Modoc and Bram recuperate in India where they meet the legendary white elephant who gives Modoc near-human intelligence. Afraid the circus owner will find them, boy and elephant flee into the teak forests and join the ranks of the mahouts. Rebels eventually take the town, killing Bram’s wife along with many of the population.

The circus owner is unexplainably able to find them through the rebellion and transports Modoc and Bram to America where they become stars of the big top. Modoc survives a poisoning attempt, a fire and a hook-wielding drunk before the circus owner decides she is too scarred to appear in the ring any longer and sells her without Bram's knowledge.

Twenty years pass in which Modoc’s life deteriorates into abuse until she is purchased by Ralph Helfer, a Hollywood animal trainer. Helfer nurses her back to help and is surprised to find the variety of acts she already knows. Drawn by their supernatural connection, Bram locates her some years after. They spend the rest of their lives in constant contact, nursing one another through old age. Bram is first of the pair to die, saying he is going to show Modoc the way.

Film

In March 2004 the Hollywood Reporter claimed that Kevin Costner was in talks to direct, produce and possibly star in a film version of the book.cite news
title = Kevin Costner To Join 'Greatest Elephant' Movie
publisher = Hollywood Reporter
date = 2004-03-05
url = http://www.killermovies.com/m/modoc/articles/3737.html
accessdate = 2008-08-31]

References