lioness sprang forward to the edge of the pool. The elephant
retreated a short distance into deeper water. The lioness upon this
crept along the pool, and pretended to lap the water. The elephant
moved towards her. The lion waited his chance, and finally, with a
great roar, sprang upon his shoulders, and commenced tearing away at the
very place which had been torn by lion sire.

The elephant backed quickly into deep water as he had done before, and
submerged himself, but the lion maintained his hold and bit deeper. The
elephant then sank down until there was nothing to be seen but the tip
of his trunk, upon which the lion, to avoid suffocation, relaxed his
hold and swam vigorously towards shore. The elephant rose up, and as
the lion was stepping on shore, seized him, and drove one of his tusks
through his adversary's body; but as he was in the act, the lioness
sprang upon the elephant's neck, and bit and tore so furiously that he
fell dead, and with his fall crushed the dying lion.

Soon after the close of the terrible combat, Elephant Number 2 came up,
and discovered the lioness licking her chops and paws, and said--

"Hello, it seems there has been quite a quarrel here lately. Three
lions are dead, and here lies one of my own kind, stiffening."

"Yes," replied lioness, gloomily, "the rogue elephant killed my cub
while the little fellow was asleep in the woods. He then killed my
husband and brother, and I killed him; but I do not think the elephant
has gained much by fighting with us. I did not have much trouble in
killing him. Should you meet any friends of his, you may warn them to
leave the lioness alone, or she may be tempted to make short work of
them."

Elephant Number 2, though a patient person generally, was annoyed at
this, and gave her a sudden kick with one of his hind feet, which sent
her sprawling a good distance off, and asked--

"How do you like that, Ma Lion?"

"What do you mean by that?" demanded the enraged lioness.

"Oh, because I hate to hear so much bragging."

"Do you also wish to fight?" she asked.

"We should never talk about doing an impossible thing, Ma Lion," he
answered. "I have travelled many years through these woods, and I have
never fought yet. I find that when a person minds his own business he
seldom comes to trouble, and when I meet one who is even stronger than
myself I greet him pleasantly, and pass on, and I should advise you to
do the same, Ma Lion."

"Yo