He decided that he
would go down very early to the spot on the bank of the river where they
were in the habit of sunning themselves and disguise himself as an old
stump of a tree, then, when they came out and were enjoying the sunshine,
he would shoot the fine old white one with the beautiful glossy skin that
he had so much admired. As on other days the lions came, and when they saw
this stump the white lion, which was a kind of king among them, said:
"'I never saw that big stump before. I think it must be Nanahboozhoo.'
"Another one said he thought the same thing.
"Others only laughed, and said, 'It is only an old pine stump.'
"However, as a number of them were suspicious, it was decided to go up and
shake it and see if it would move, and thus really find out. They went to
it, and three of them together used their greatest efforts to move it.
"Nanahboozhoo had to make one of the hardest efforts of his life to hold
firm. However, he succeeded, and so the lions only said:
"'It really is a stump of a tree, but it is very strange we did not notice
it before.' Then they rolled about on the warm sand in the sunshine until
one after another fell asleep.
"Nanahboozhoo now noiselessly and quickly turned himself into a young
hunter, then taking up his bow and arrow he shot the white lion. His arrow
stuck fast in his body and badly wounded him, but did not kill him. At once
the lions all plunged into the river and disappeared.
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