VietNamNet Bridge – Nine-year-old Y Quyet Rya can control an elephant weighing 4 tons, taking him to the forest to seek food and serve tourists in Don Village in Dak Lak province in the Central Highlands of Vietnam.

The boy learned how to control the elephant from his uncle Y The Knul, 40, when he was 7 years old.

Y The Knul is a famous mahout in Don Village.

Among his students, Y Quyet Rya is the best.

The boy bathes his elephant named Gen in a lake in the Yok Don National Park.

According to senior mahouts, it is difficult to find eligible kids to be trained as mahouts.

Y The said: "In our family, there are dozens of children from 7 to 18 years old – the age that is appropriate for being training as a mahout, but only Y Quyet meets the criteria. He loves elephants very much."

Y Quyet can manage elephants to perform in a circus near the lake.

After two years, Quyet now controls his elephant skillfully.

The elephant is a close friend of the boy.

Le Anh