The Tower of the Elephant

by Robert E. Howard

The story is set in the decadent, evil Zamorian city of Arenjun, A callow young Conan, just beginning his career in the civilized regions, is drinking at a rowdy tavern when a Kothian rogue mentions a fabulous jewel known as the "Heart of the Elephant". It is kept in the tower of the evil sorcerer Yara, who has long terrorized the Kingdom of Zamora, most recently having transformed a prince into a spider and crushed the young man underfoot. When Conan interrogates the rogue for more information, the man mocks him and a fight ensues. The candle is knocked over and the tavern is plunged into darkness, but Conan's sword finds his opponent in the dark, and he escapes into the moonlit streets. (The Kothian's death saves a damsel he had planned to kidnap and sell into slavery.)

Without further planning, Conan ventures into Yara's garden to steal the jewel, but immediately encounters another intruder, Taurus of Nemedia, the "Prince of Thieves". The cunning Taurus, who is fat but amazingly agile, is impressed by Conan's daring and they agree to work together, with the master thief assuming a patronizing role to the inexperienced young barbarian. After battling lions in the tower gardens, the thieves ascend Yara's spire by grappling hook and rope. On the roof, Taurus enters a treasure chamber, but is ambushed by a lurking giant spider, and killed by three bites in the neck. After a desperate battle, Conan crushes the spider with a chest of gems, then descends in search of his prize, the Heart.

Lower in the tower, he discovers a strange "trans-cosmic being" with the body of a man and the oversized head of an elephant. The creature, named Yag-kosha, is a blind and tortured prisoner of Yara.

Yag-kosha reveals to Conan the pre-cataclysmic saga of his alien people, their arrival on Earth from the planet Yog, and how he taught Yara the art of magic, only to have his own apprentice betray him; but Conan's intrusion is the perfect opportunity for revenge. Moved to pity by Yag-kosha's plea, Conan, as instructed, grabs the fabled jewel, mercifully kills the elephant-like being, extracts the heart from his corpse, and drips its blood over the Heart of the Elephant. When he sets the blood-infused relic in front of Yara in his sleeping-chamber, the gem's magic shrinks and draws the soceror into the jewel. Inside, a revived Yag-kosha, limbs and wings restored, pursues the screaming Yara as the Heart vanishes.

Obeying Yag-kosha's instructions, Conan leaves immediately and emerges empty-handed from the tower at dawn, just as it collapses behind him. He has nothing for his night's work but his sword, loin-cloth, and sandals.