Elephants are fairly common in Teleleli, being used to carry heavy loads. There are three guilds of mahoots, or elephant-handlers, in Teleleli, and they are bitter rivals. Each has their own method of training elephants, which their members also follow in their daily lives. One advocates Kindness; another Violence; and a third Trickery. Each guild is said to have been founded by one of three sisters, who were all named Aspasia.

The method of catching elephants is a closely-guarded secret, kept especially from the mahoots. But it is said that the hunters find a tree near a water-hole or other place where elephants congregate. They then saw part of the way through the tree. When an elephant leans against it, to scratch an itch or to rest, both tree and elephant will fall down. Elephants are said to be graceful and agile in all things save in picking themselves up once they have fallen.

Elephants are said to make love back-to-back, due to their extreme shyness.