He became a prisoner of his own prestige. He was "The Lord of the White Elephant," but he was starving.
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. He became a prisoner of his own prestige
In the gray heart of the mountains, there lived a merchant named Jovan. Jovan was a man of high ambition but a shallow heart. He spent his life courting the favor of the Great Voivode (the local ruler), believing that to be near power was to be powerful himself. Through the window, he watched the horse standing
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 In the gray heart of the mountains, there
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.