The eland galloped off, and presently a buffalo came tearing past. When he saw the lion he drew up and greeted him. The lion asked, "And are you also running away from this creature called man?"
The buffalo said, "Yes, it is indeed he from whom I am running."
Then said the lion, "This man must be a great and powerful creature, that one of such a terrifying appearance as you are runs from him."
The buffalo said, "No, he is small, but his guile is exceedingly great."
Then the buffalo rushed off, and presently there came forth a man. Now that man was a carpenter, and he carried planks under his arm and his bag of tools over his shoulder. Suddenly he looked up and saw the lion, and he said to himself, "Now I am indeed lost, for there is a lion, and I have no weapons."
That lion, when he saw the man, asked him, "Who are you who are walking so slowly and carefully? All the animals who have passed here were running away from the creature called man. How is it that you are not afraid of him, that you do not make haste to escape?"
Then that man saw that the lion did not recognise him for a man, so he took heart, and said, "No, it is not man, but the elephant I am afraid of, for I am the servant of the elephant, and he has called me to make a house for him. For the elephant fears this man whom you speak of, so I now go to make him a house, so that when he goes inside it man cannot get him."
The lion said, "First you must make such a house for me."
That man said, "No, I cannot, for I have promised to make it for the elephant."
But that lion insisted on the man making him a house first, so that carpenter put down his load and began making a box like a coffin.