Years passed. Jovan’s once-thriving warehouse grew empty. His gold went into the horse’s stomach; his time was spent protecting a beast that gave him nothing but the appearance of status. The villagers watched as Jovan’s clothes grew tattered while the horse remained pristine.
During a particularly brutal blizzard, Jovan sat in his freezing home. Through the window, he watched the horse standing in its heated stable. He realized that the Voivode hadn't given him a gift; he had given him a . The "White Elephant" was a mirror—it showed Jovan that his vanity was the very thing that had ruined him.
He could not sell it, for to sell a gift from the Voivode was treason. He could not give it away, for who would take a burden that would bankrupt them?. The Empty Treasury
He became a prisoner of his own prestige. He was "The Lord of the White Elephant," but he was starving.