[Clarification: I had this dream printed in a good version and it was stolen. In the white elephant dream they removed from my printed version that those who were left lying in the yard after the fight all looked dead. My stupid enemies wrote something like: they were all in a state where they could be revived].
45. THE WHITE ELEPHANT
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My dear young people, I dreamed that it was a holiday, at recess time after lunch and that you had a great time. I thought I was with Knight Vallauri, professor of fine letters, in my room. We had talked about some literary issues and other things related to religion. Suddenly, I heard at the door the knock [the “tan tan”] of someone calling.
I ran to open. She was my mother, who died six years ago, who called me, scared:
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Come and see, come and see.--
What's up? I asked her.--
And without delay, she led me to the balcony from where I saw, in the courtyard, in the midst of the young ones a colossal-sized elephant.
But how can that be? I exclaimed. Let's go downstairs.--
And full of dread I looked at Knight Vallauri and he looked at me as if we were wondering the cause of the presence of that enormous beast in the midst of the youths. Without wasting time the three of us descended to the porticoes.--
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Many of you, naturally, got closer to see the elephant. This seemed docile in nature: he had fun running with the young, caressing them with his trunk; He was so intelligent that he obeyed the commands of his little friends, as if he had been trained and domesticated in the Oratory from his early years so that many young people caressed him with confidence and followed him everywhere. But not all of you were around him. I soon saw that most of you ran away from side to side looking for a place of refuge and that you finally entered into the Church.
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I also tried to enter through the door that overlooks the courtyard, but, as I passed by the statue of the Virgin, which is placed near the fountain, I touched the end of Her mantle to invoke Her patronage, and then She raised Her right arm. Vallauri wanted to imitate me by doing the same thing on the other side and Our Lady raised Her left arm.---
I was surprised, not knowing how to explain such a strange fact to me. The time for sacred ceremonies came in the meantime, and you all went to church. I also entered it and saw the elephant standing at the bottom of the Temple near the door.
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The Vespers were sung and after a conversation I headed to the Altar accompanied by Don Víctor Alasonatti and Don Angel Savio to give the blessing with the Blessed Sacrament. But, at that solemn moment when everyone was deeply inclined to worship the Saint of Saints, I saw, always at the bottom of the church, in the center of the corridor, between the two rows of the benches, the elephant kneeling and bowed, but in reverse, that is, with the trunk and fangs turned in the direction of the front door.
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After the function, I wanted to go out immediately to the yard to see what was going on; but, as I had to attend someone that wanted to make a consultation to me in the sacristy, I had to delay myself a little time.
I went out soon after to the porches, while you resumed your games in the yard. The elephant, as he left the church, headed to the second courtyard, around which the buildings are under construction. Keep in mind this circumstance, cause, in that courtyard, the unpleasant scene took place, that I will tell you now.
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Suddenly I saw a banner appear at the end of the courtyard in which it was read in cubic characters: Holy Mary, help the disgraced.
The young men formed behind processionally, when, suddenly and without anyone expecting that, I saw the elephant, who at first seemed so meek, to throw himself at the young men that were surrounding him by giving furious roars, and grabbing with his trunk those closest to him, lifted them up, threw them to the ground, trampled them and wreaked a horrible havoc.
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The dispersal was then general: some were screaming, some were crying, some, being injured, they were asking the companions for help, while truly unspeakable, certain young men to which the beast had done no harm, instead of helping and succoring the wounded, they made a pact with the elephant to provide him with new victims.
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As these things happened, that statuette you see there (Don Bosco indicated the statue of the Blessed Virgin) got anima [note: was given life and movement] and increased in size; She became a person of high stature, raised Her arms and opened the mantle in which there were embroidered with exquisite art, numerous inscriptions. The mantle reached such proportions that it came to cover all those who came to be guarded beneath it; everyone was safe there. The first to go to such a refuge were the best young people, who formed a chosen group. But when the Blessed Virgin saw that many did not rush to Her, She shouted aloud:
Everybody come to me!
And behold, the crowd of the young continued to flow under the protection of that mantle, which was spreading more and more.
Some, on the other hand, instead of taking refuge in it, they ran from one side to another, being injured before being put in safety. The Blessed Virgin, anguished, Her face lit, continued to shout, but fewer and fewer came to Her.
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The elephant continued to wreak havoc, and some youths, wielding one and two swords, placing themselves in one side and in the other, made it difficult for the companions, who were still in the yard, to come to Mary, threatening and injuring them. The elephant didn't make the slightest harm to the ones of the swords.
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Some of the boys who had taken refuge near Our Lady, encouraged by Her, began to make frequent runs and, in their incursions, managed to snatch from the elephant some prey and transported the wounded under the cloak of the mysterious statue, being such immediately healed. Afterwards, Mary's emissaries re-engaged in new conquests. Several of them, armed with sticks, drove the beast away from his victims, keeping his accomplices at bay. And they did not cease in their efforts, even at the cost of their own lives, managing to keep almost all of them safe.
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The courtyard seemed already deserted. Some boys were lying on the ground, almost dead. Towards a door, next to the porticos was seen a multitude of young people under the cloak of Our Lady. On the other hand, at some distance, was the elephant with two boys who had helped him in his destructive work, insolently still wielded their swords in a menacing way. When behold, the animal, standing on the hind legs, became a horrible ghost of long horns: and taking a broad black cloak or net, he wrapped in it the disgraced who had helped him, giving at the same time a tremendous roar. He then wrapped them all in a thick smoke and, opening the earth under his feet, they disappeared with the monster.
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At the end of this horrible scene, I looked around to say something to my mother and Knight Vallauri, but I didn't see them.
I then turned to Mary, eager to read the inscriptions embroidered on Her mantle and saw that some were literally taken from the Holy Scriptures and others were a little modified. I read these, among many others:
Those who honor Me will have eternal life; whoever finds Me will find Life; If you are a child, come to Me; Refuge of sinners; The Health of those who believe; All full of piety, meekness and mercy. Blessed are those who keep My ways.
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After the elephant disappeared, everything was quiet. Our Lady seemed to be like tired of screaming so much. After a brief silence, She addressed the young people, telling them beautiful phrases of comfort and hope, repeating the same sentence that you see under that niche, that I commanded to write there.
[I remember I had the phrase in my printed sheets, and I copied the entire dream in my Facebook, in Spanish, some months ago, but now, the phrase is not neither in my computer nor in the printed documents. May be it was: Mary Help of the needy.]
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Then She said:
You, who have heard My voice and escaped the demon's havoc, have seen and have been able to observe your perverted companions. Do you want to know what caused their perdition?: bad conversations against purity, the wrongdoings to which they surrendered after the inconvenient conversations. You also saw your companions armed with swords: they are the ones who seek your ruin taking you away from Me; which were the cause of the perdition of many of their fellow students.
Those whom God waits for longer time are then more severely punished; and that hellish demon, after wrapping them in his nets, led them with him to eternal perdition.
Now you leave quietly, but do not forget My words: flee from Satan's fellow friends, avoid bad conversations, especially against purity; put unlimited trust in Me and My cloak will always serve as a safe haven.
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After these and other similar words, She vanished and nothing remained in the place She used to occupy, except for our beloved statuette. Then I saw my deceased mother appear again; again the banner was raised with the inscriptions: Sancta María, succurre miseris. All the young men were placed in order behind it and, thus processionally arranged, intonated the song: Praise Mary.
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But soon the singing began to decay, then all that spectacle disappeared and I woke up completely bathed in sweat. This is what I dreamed.
My children, deduct the Christmas bonus [The advice/counsel/motto for the following year that Saint John Bosco used to give to the students] by yourself. Those under the cloak, those who were thrown into the air by the elephant, those who wielded the sword, they will realize their situation if they examine their consciences. I only repeat to you the words of the Blessed Virgin: Venite ad me, omnes; all turn to Her, in all kinds of dangers; invoke Mary and I assure you that you will be heard. For the others, those who were so cruelly mistreated by the beast, do the purpose of fleeing bad conversations, flee from bad companions; and those who intended to keep others away from Mary, do change your lives, or leave this house. Whoever wants to know the place he occupied in the dream, come and see me in my room and I'll tell him. But I repeat this: Satan's ministers, do change your lives, or leave. Good night!