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 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.