At camp, the boys Mäxchen and Knirps make friends with a squirrel. Envious Emil wants to spoil their fun with the little animal and invents a hair-raising story in which he allegedly captures a wild lion, tames it and takes it home with him. Mäxchen's bragging gets too much, he steals away and lets out a menacing lion's roar with the help of a watering can. Emil flees, his hair dusted with horror. Everyone rejoices at his embarrassment - including the squirrel.