“I could not because of the lion.”
Even in ancient times, all kinds of tall tales or perceived excuses have been expounded why a task could not, or was not completed. There are plenty creative or imaginary excuses that are spouted by babes or grown adults who are either lazy or procrastinators.

Some excuses can be amusing as is this one recorded three thousand years ago, in a town or city where there were no lions.
King Solomon   
A lazy man says, There is a lion outside, I shall be mauled in the street.’ (Proverb 22:13)
This verse indicates in an ironic, and even comic way to what absurd lengths a lazy many will go in rationalizing his laziness. There is, of course, an element of caricature and exaggeration in the rationalization which is put in his mouth. In fact the excuses of the person will never be so manifestly absurd as this. This is intended as the ‘reductio ad absurdum’ of all his rationalizations. No one would believe a man who said that he could not go to his work because he was afraid of be mauled by a lion in the streets. This is the tallest of tall stories, but not of the accounts which the person gives of his behavior, however plausible and refined they may be, deserve any more credence.
Are they are all evasive devices, attempts to hide the truth from himself that he has a character defect?
 You Decide
Lazy or Procrastinator?
Then again, could it have been a language transposition error of the word ‘lion’ or ‘lying?
In My Opinion
Nah, or Naw?
PS. I should have gone sooner to buy my wife’s Christmas present, but it was so cold out there.
Regards, goodwill blogging, and Merry Christmas.
Proverbs Mc Kane