w, it was I. Do you hear? And if you do not
leave here mighty quick, I shall have to serve you both in the same way
as I served him."

The lions roared aloud in their fury, and switched their tails
violently.

"Ho, ho!" laughed the elephant gaily. "This is grand. There is no
doubt I shall run soon, they make me so skeery," and he danced round the
pool and jeered at them, then drank a great quantity of water and blew
it in a shower over them.

The lions stirred not, but kept steadfastly gazing at him, planning how
to make their attack.

Perceiving that they were obstinate, he threw another stream of water
over the lions and then backed into the deepest part of the pool, until
there was nothing seen of him but the tip of his trunk. When he rose
again the lions were still watching him, and had not moved.

"Ho, ho!" he trumpeted, "still there! Wait a little, I am coming to
you." He advanced towards the shore, but when he was close enough the
lion sire sprang into the air, and alighted on the elephant's back, and
furiously tore at the muscles of the neck, and bit deep into the
shoulder. The elephant retreated quickly into the deepest part of the
pool, and submerged himself and his enemy, until the lion was compelled
to abandon his back and begin to swim ashore. No sooner had the
elephant felt himself relieved, than he rose to the surface, and hastily
followed and seized the lion with his trunk. Despite his struggles he
was pressed beneath the surface, dragged under his knees, and trodden
into the mud, and in a short time the lion sire was dead.

The elephant laughed triumphantly, and cried, "Ho, ho! am I not strong,
Ma Lion? Did you ever see the likes of me before? Two of you! Young
Lion and Pa Lion are now killed! Come, Ma Lion, had you not better try
now, just to see if you won't have better luck? Come on, old woman,
just once."

The lioness fiercely answered, while she retreated from the pool, "Rest
where you are. I am going to find my brother, and will be back
shortly."

The elephant trumpeted his scorn of her and her kind, and seizing the
carcase of her lord, flung it on shore after her, and declared his
readiness to abide where he was, that he might make mash of all the lion
family.

In a short time the lioness had found her brother, who was a mighty
fellow, and full of fight. As they advanced near the pool together,
they consulted as to the best means of getting at the elephant. Then
the