The narrator reads about the disappearance of an elderly elephant in the local newspaper. The article outlines the unusual circumstances of the elephant’s disappearance: The elephant’s shackle was found at the elephant house still locked, and the elephant’s keeper is also missing.

The narrator, who has had a special interest in the elephant for years, recounts how the elephant was adopted by his town after a local zoo was closed. The elephant and his keeper—who has cared for the elephant for the last decade and who is clearly very close to the elephant—were put up in an elephant house at the edge of the town.

The narrator reflects on the case of the missing elephant, concluding that the only explanation is that the elephant has simply vanished. He realizes, though, that nobody will admit that this is really the only explanation. Time passes, meanwhile, and the elephant is not found, despite the fact that search parties scour the area. Eventually, the townspeople lose interest in the case. The narrator continues visiting the empty elephant house, though, noting how sad the place seems now.

The narrator, who works in the public relations department of an electrical appliance company, meets a magazine editor at a company party.