ards kneeled on it until it became as
shapeless as a crushed banana pulp. He then laughed and said, "Ha! ha!
This is a proof that I am strong. I have killed a lion, and people will
say proud things of me, and will wonder at my strength."

Presently a brother elephant came up and greeted him.

"See," said the first elephant, "what I have done. It was I that killed
him. I lifted him on high, and lo, he lies like a rotten banana. Do
you not think that I am very strong? Come, be frank now, and give me
some credit for what I have done."

Elephant Number 2 replied, "It is true that you are strong, but that was
only a young lion. There are others of his kind, and I have seen them,
who would give you considerable trouble."

"Ho, ho!" laughed the first elephant, "Get out, stupid. You may bring
his whole tribe here, and I will show you what I can do. Ay! and to
your dam to boot."

"What? My own mother, too?"

"Yes. Go and fetch her if you like."

"Well, well," said Number 2, "you are far gone, there is no doubt. Fare
you well."

Number 2 proceeded on his wanderings, resolved in his own mind that if
he had an opportunity he would send some one to test the boaster's
strength. No. I called out to him as he moved off--

"Away you go. Good-by to you."

In a little while Number 2 Elephant met a lion and lioness, full-grown,
and splendid creatures, who turned out to be the parents of the
youngster which had been slain. After a sociable chat with them, he
said:

"If you go further on along the path I came you will meet a kind of game
which requires killing badly. He has just mangled your cub."

Meantime Elephant Number 1, after chuckling to himself very conceitedly,
proceeded to the pool near by to bathe and cool himself. At every step
he went you could hear his "Ha, ha, ha! loh! I have killed a lion!"
While he was in the pool, spurting the water in a shower over his back,
he suddenly looked up, and at the water's edge beheld a lion and lioness
who were regarding him sternly.

"Well! What do you want?" he asked. "Why are you standing there
looking at me in that way?"

"Are you the rogue who killed our child?" they asked.

"Perhaps I am," he answered. "Why do you want to know?"

"Because we are in search of him. If it be you that did it, you will
have to do the same to us before you leave this ground."

"Ho! ho!" laughed the elephant loudly. "Well, hark. It was I who
killed your cub. Come no