An Elephant in the Garden

Lizzie does not understand or approve of Mutti’s hatred for Peter, even though he wears the uniform of the enemy; Mutti was always a pacifist, and Peter is “trying […] to be kind and conciliatory and helpful” (110). Lizzie also has feelings about Peter that trouble her and make her feel guilty. Unable to talk about them, she goes to the barn and tells Marlene that she loves Peter, “this airman, this enemy” (111), whom she has known for less than 24 hours. Marlene listens as Lizzie pours out her heart, and Lizzie learns that “[t]o be a true friend, you have to be a good listener, and […] Marlene was the truest of friends” (112). Physically exhausted, Mutti, Lizzie, and Karli sleep upstairs the rest of the afternoon and all night; Mutti blocks the bedroom door with a chair because she does not trust Peter. Peter sleeps downstairs in a chair by the stove.

The following morning, Lizzie finds Peter at the kitchen table studying a map. The American forces, he says, are near Heidelberg, about 200 miles away. Since he, Lizzie, and her family are all going west, Peter thinks they should travel together. Guided by his compass, they could stay off the roads crowded with refugees, travel by night, and rest during the day. Overhearing the conversation, Mutti is adamant about staying at the farm. When Peter says he thinks they would have a “better chance” staying together and helping one another, Mutti coldly says, “We do not need you, we do not want you” (115). She then directs Lizzie to take Marlene to the stream for a drink.

At the stream with Marlene, Lizzie hears Mutti screaming and Karli shrieking from the direction of the lake. Rushing to the lake, she sees that Karli, who cannot swim, has fallen through a hole in the ice, his head bobbing up and down in the water. Peter is holding Mutti to keep her from going after Karli, and she is screaming and struggling to break free. Peter tells her to stay there, saying he will reach Karli. Seeing Lizzie, he shouts for her to bring him a rope. After finding one in Manfred’s tool shed, Lizzie races back to the lake; Peter is out on the ice trying to pull Karli from the water. Lizzie and Mutti walk toward him on the ice until he tells them not to come any closer. Lizzie throws one end of the rope to Peter and wraps the other around herself. When Peter gets the rope around Karli, Lizzie and Mutti pull on the rope. Peter lifts Karli’s lifeless body from the water, carries him into the house, and lays him on the floor.

After removing Karli’s wet clothes and covering him with a blanket, Peter pumps Karli’s chest and breathes into his mouth again and again. Karli does not respond: His skin is gray, and his lips are blue. Lizzie and Mutti hold each other and sob, certain that Karli is dead, but Peter refuses to give up. He continues CPR until Karli regains consciousness, water pouring from his mouth as he sputters and coughs. Peter rests on his knees, his hands covering his face. Lizzie wants to “hug him tight and never let go” (120). As Mutti holds Karli in her arms, kissing him over and over, Lizzie kneels in front of Peter, takes his hands in hers, and sees that he has been crying too. When their eyes meet, she knows that Peter shares her feelings.

To dry out, Peter changes into some of Manfred’s clothes. Mutti makes soup for dinner. She is quiet, lost in thought, and something is different about her. She no longer tells the children not to talk to Peter, and the pitchfork is gone. As they all sit down to eat, someone knocks firmly at the door. Lizzie is sure it is the police and sees that Peter is afraid.

Three German soldiers come into the room carrying rifles. One of them, a sergeant, interrogates Mutti while the others look around the room. Mutti remains calm, saying that the house belonged to her sister and that she, her daughter, and her two sons are now living there. The sergeant says they are searching for a parachutist from a British bomber that was shot down. They found the plane’s wreckage not far away, and they know “one of the bastards [is] here somewhere” (124). Mutti tells the sergeant that she has not seen anyone and that she and her children just arrived from Dresden. The sergeant replies bitterly, “There is no city anymore […] There is no Dresden” (124). He adds that if they find the enemy soldier they are looking for, they will not take him prisoner: They will shoot him and explain later.

One of the other German soldiers calls to the sergeant from outside, amazed that there is an elephant in the barn. Mutti explains that she worked in the Dresden zoo and that they managed to save Marlene. While the sergeant goes to see Marlene for himself, the third soldier guards Mutti, Lizzie, Karli, and Peter, who sit at the table, their fear growing. When the sergeant returns, Mutti assures him that Marlene is not dangerous and that she has not seen an airman or a parachutist. The sergeant asks to see everyone’s papers (identification documents); Mutti says they have none since they were outside when the bombers came and “just ran.” Taking down everyone’s names, he asks Peter how old he is; Peter says he 21. The sergeant then asks why he is not in the army; when Peter hesitates, Karli says, “He gets asthma like me […] When he gets out of breath, he gets asthma” (126). Mutti backs up Karli’s improvised story. Satisfied with Mutti’s answers, the sergeant and the other two soldiers leave, talking about the elephant in the barn.

After making sure the soldiers are gone, Mutti sits down at the table, “her face drained of all color” (127). She and Peter look at each other in silence for a few moments. Reaching into her pocket, she takes out Peter’s compass and returns it. Peter tries to thank Mutti for saving him; in response, Mutti tells him, “From now on, no more sorrys, and no more thank-yous. What is done is done. The past is behind us. You are family now, one of us” (128).

Mutti also tells Peter that he was right about their traveling west together and helping each other; however, Peter no longer thinks it is a good idea. Being caught with him would put Mutti, Lizzie, and Karli in great danger: “[The Germans] will shoot you if they ever find out who I am” (129). Convinced they must stay together, Mutti argues that Peter speaks “good German” and that in Manfred’s clothes, he looks German. Peter sees another problem in traveling together: Marlene will draw attention to them, so they should leave her in the barn with plenty of hay and water. Mutti will not even consider this: “Where we go Marlene goes […] She is part of the family too” (129).

With matters settled, they spend the rest of the day preparing for the trip. Studying his map, Peter estimates they can reach the Americans in four or five weeks. They pack all the food they can carry in rucksacks, a blanket secured over the top of each one, and have one last meal at the farm. That night, wearing all the warm clothes they need, they lead Marlene from the barn and set out into the darkness with Karli riding on the elephant’s back. Lizzie and Peter, the compass in his hand, walk together ahead of the others.