Hannibal of the Alps

A small man strode into a large tent. He spoke quietly, “Gen. Hannibal, sir... your greatness....”

“What is it?” Hannibal peered over a stack of scrolls.

“The troops are rested... yet restless. There has been a terrible accident.” The minor attendant shifted his weight, averting his eyes from the chief commander of Carthage’s armies.

Hannibal rose to his feet and strode around the table to face the man. “Have our supply lines been cut by the Romans?”

“No, sir. Something has happened to the animals.”

Hannibal grabbed the man by the shoulders and shouted, “Which animals?”

“Some of the... uhh... exotic animals went missing early this morning.”

Hannibal shook him and cried, “Which exotic animals? What kind?”

The attendant’s eyes widened as he replied, “The elephants.”

“How many of the elephants?”

The attendant paused for a moment. “All of them.”

Hannibal released the man and strode away, incensed. “Send out men to search for them. They can’t have gone far, not in this blizzard.”

“They were found not long ago.”

Hannibal turned, the expression on his face was hopeful. “Were any lost?”

The attendant closed his eyes and whispered, “All of them.”

Hannibal tore at his clothes and screamed. “How did this happen?”

“They walked too close to the edge of a cliff and... slipped, sir. They were found far below, frozen.... All of them.”

“How are we supposed to defeat the Romans without elephants to trample them? Our men aren’t capable of such valor. Send word to Carthage. All hope is lost. And tell them to send more elephants.... All of them.”