PRELUDE:


	The early morning sun reflected in Queen Akase's eyes.  King 
Ahadi looked into their fire and whispered the word "beloved."  
She smiled and nuzzled him, then kissed her new twin sons as if 
the four of them were alone in a private kingdom of love.
	But they were not alone.  Next to them Shaka, the King's 
brother, his wife Avina, and their twin daughters Sarabi and 
Elanna welcomed in the dawn.  And spread out across the plain in 
their tribes were the works of Aiheu the Beautiful in all their 
splendor-the solemn elephants, the tall giraffes, the lithe zebras 
with stripes more joyous than the brightest bird.  Side by side 
they stood, rank on rank, row on row.  And never was the fang 
shown, nor the claw bared.  They had come to celebrate the mystery 
of life through the presentation of the new Prince.  For that one 
day, death did not walk among them.

ZAZU:		Spread the tidings far and wide,
		Shout them from the mountainside!
		Cry Ai-heu a-ba-ma-mi all, because the Prince is 
born!

AKASE:	Our love, at last, has found its pure embodiment in you,
(TO TAKA)	Our love, at last, is visible in everything you do;
		The way you feel, the way you smile, the way you look at me,
		Will prove to all, beyond a doubt, how great a love can be.

		And how I love you!  You make the morning start.
		Joy streaming from my heart as I repeat your name:
		You are my treasure, you came into my world,
		Whatever Fate may hold, my life won't be the same.

AHADI:	You will be King, you will be great, your dreams will all come true,
(TO MUFASA)	But just for now remain my son, and let me comfort you.
		I want the best to give my sons, I offer all I own;
		What good is wealth and lands or health if one must live alone?

		And how I love you!  You make the morning start.
		Joy streaming from my heart as I repeat your name:
		You are my treasure, you came into my world,
		Whatever Fate may hold, my life won't be the same.

	Through the gathered hosts walked Makedde, the mandrill.  
Those near him drew back and cleared the way.  He blessed them 
with signs of Aiheu's love, touching the very young with 
outstretched fingers, and also the very old.
	Makedde forded the boulders that protected the base of Pride 
Rock, a warm shaft of stone whose sheltering arms protected lions 
from the uncertainties of night.  Up, up the winding trail he 
climbed until he reached the promontory of stone where destiny 
awaited.  As the world held its breath, Makedde approached the two 
sons of Akase.  Ahadi lay his paw on small Mufasa and nodded 
gravely.
	"I touch your mane," Makedde said with deep respect.  
"Incosi aka Incosi, Great King."  He sprinkled Mufasa with 
powdered Alba and anointed his brow with Chrisum.  Then he picked 
up the small golden treasure and held him up.  A shaft of light 
broke through the morning clouds and lit the cub like a kiss of 
joy.  A child born of love who had known nothing but love in his 
short life looked over the admiring throng.  Through the shouts, 
through the clamor of the transformed crowd a voice of sweetness 
whispered through the light, "Makedde, will you protect him?"
	"With your help, Aiheu, I will not fail."
	Below, the crowd in respect and awe felt the presence of 
God, and they fell to the ground bowing, scraping and calling in 
their own tongues the words of worship each according to their own 
belief.  But Makedde did not hear them.  Taking the tender baby to 
his arms, he kissed him.  "May the wind blow kindly on you.  May 
the sun shine brightly on you.  May the gods take you to their 
heart."  A tear of joy ran down his face.
	Reluctantly, he lay the cub down by Akase.  Small Taka 
looked up expectantly, his eyes full of innocent curiosity.  With 
a smile, but some regret, Makedde cuddled the cub under the chin 
and felt the hum of his happy purr.  "This will be the wise one," 
Makedde whispered.  "He would have made a great king."


SCENE:  LEARNING THEIR LESSON


	Ahadi loved to play with his young sons.  But he also took 
time to see to their education.  Some lessons were naturally fun--
like stalking and pouncing.  Others were less fun, but equally 
important.
	Mufasa was always good at stalking and pouncing, and he held 
his own wrestling with his brother Taka whom he almost always 
beat.  But Taka could listen to hours of the Chronicles of the 
Kings and the Law of the Pride while Mufasa would start to squirm 
and follow the distant herds with his eyes.
	Ahadi found Taka a thirsty sponge, and flattered by the rapt 
attention he got, he drew on all the learning of a lifetime and 
told him many wonderful and strange things on the inspiring 
setting of the promontory.
	"The words of wisdom are sometimes hardest to hear," Ahadi 
said.  "N'ga and Sufa, the sons of Ramalah ignored their father's 
teachings, and it would bring them to grief.  For a father teaches 
out of love, and to reject his teachings is to refuse his love.  
It's the same with us, my sons.  I would not have you come to 
grief...."  Ahadi paused, glanced at Mufasa who was wrapped up in 
his own daydream, winked at Taka, and kept right on going in the 
same voice.  "And it was in this time that a certain lion cub 
watched the plains for wildebeests, dreaming of the day when he 
would have no more lessons to learn.  And doing so, he stuffed his 
head with dead grass instead of knowledge."  He added with some 
emphasis: "Isn't that so, Mufasa??"
	"Yes, father."
	Taka laughed and rolled about, singing,  "Dead grass, dead 
grass, nyah-nyah-na-nyah-nyah!"
	"What's so funny??"  Mufasa looked at Taka with irritation, 
but his father scowled, and he looked down embarrassed.
	"Taka, what were we talking about?" Ahadi knew he could rely 
on him.
	"There were these two brothers N'ga and Sufa.  They were 
very famous.  One day N'ga got into this fight with Sufa over this 
girl.  Not just any girl, because she was white as clouds and 
magic, see, and if one of them married her, their kingdom would be 
great.  But she was one swell number, and they both wanted her to 
marry them.  So they went down by this lake (and this is the 
really neat part)--they fought all day and all night without 
stopping.  And they fought the second day."
	He began walking around Mufasa as he talked.  "They fought 
all the third day.  They didn't sleep either.  They fought for 
five whole days and nights, cause she was such a babe, and they 
were so stubborn that neither one would give in.  And on the fifth 
day, they both fell asleep at the same time.  And while they were 
asleep, the girl sneaked out and married a magic lion with powers 
like hers, and boy did N'ga and Sufa feel like a couple of 
idiots!"
	"Good job!"  Ahadi nuzzled Taka.  "And such a unique 
interpretation."
	Mufasa looked dejected.
	"Come here, Muffy."  Ahadi pulled Mufasa over with his paw 
and nuzzled him.  "I wish you could play all the time if that's 
what you really want.  But you need to learn the skills of 
leadership.  Besides, while I learned these lessons from my father 
it was a special time for us to spend together.  Enjoy this time 
while it lasts, and make the most of it."
	"I try.  Really I do."
	"I know.  But remember that I don't love you for how smart 
you are or how strong you are.  I love you because you're my sons.  
Whatever gifts Aiheu gives you, you need to make the most of them, 
and that takes education.  Understand?"
	"Yes, Dad."
	Ahadi smiled indulgently.  "Why don't you two go play for a 
while."
	The cubs gamboled away, but Ahadi shouted, "Whoa!  Aren't 
you forgetting something?"
	Muffy and Taka ran back and gave their dad a quick kiss.


SCENE:  WHATEVER THE LIGHT TOUCHES


	The next morning, Ahadi rose earlier than was his custom.  
Stealthily, he crept over to where his twin sons lay side by side, 
and with the most careful nudge touched Mufasa.  The cub shifted 
but did not rouse.  He pressed again, a little harder, and stirred 
Mufasa from his sleep.  Muffy looked up a little surprised and 
irritated, but Ahadi touched his mouth with his paw and silently 
jerked his head about to say "follow me."  His interest piqued, 
Muffy struggled to his feet quietly and began to follow his father 
out of the cave.
	Taka, who was a light sleeper, felt a cold place on his back 
where it was warm before.  He grunted and pushed himself back 
toward a brother that was not there.  Sleepily he felt around with 
a paw, then looked about and just caught a glimpse that he was 
missing something important.
	On stealthy paws, he stirred himself and crept out onto the 
platform that served as his spectacular front porch.  There in the 
light of the early morning sun sat father and son.  Mufasa leaned 
against his father, gold rimmed in the splendor of daybreak.
	"Why wasn't I invited?" Taka wondered.  He wanted to bury 
himself in the fragrant softness of his father's mane and enjoy 
the sunrise.  For a moment, he considered snuggling up on the 
other side.  Then Muffy said, "What's up, Dad?"
	"Shhh!  You'll wake Taka."
	Taka enjoyed secrets, so he crouched in the doorway where he 
could see and not be seen.
	"See what the light touches," Ahadi purred softly.  "That is 
the boundary of my kingdom.  I sit here sometimes and look at it 
and it humbles me.  So many peoples depend on me, and I must put 
their needs above my own.  But it has been wonderful.  It is 
always wonderful to be needed, especially when you always do your 
best to meet those needs.  Someday you will know that feeling when 
I am gone, for I have chosen you to follow me."
	"Me?"  Muffy looked genuinely surprised.  "Whoa, neat!"
	Taka gasped.  "No!  It's not fair!" formed on his lips, but 
no sound came out.
	Muffy said, with some difficulty, "But Taka has always been 
the smart one.  I thought sure he'd be King.  He knows 
everything."
	"Not everything, son, though he is very bright.  You're 
bright too, though you need to apply yourself more in your 
studies.  I brought you out here in the hope that you would work 
harder if you knew what was at stake.  What you are learning is 
the wisdom of our people.  You are the future king.  As long as 
you know how to be a good king, you will have lionesses who can 
chase wildebeests."  Ahadi sighed deeply.  "The decision was not 
easy.  Don't tell Taka just yet.  Right now, it's our little 
secret."
	"Why is it a secret, Dad?"
	"Because as you say, Taka is smart.  He tries so hard.  If 
he knew he would not be King, he may be discouraged and waste the 
talents that Aiheu gave him.  Much as you were tempted to do."  He 
looked deeply but not judgementally into Mufasa's eyes.  "You know 
I speak the truth, don't you.  You are very clever when you want 
to be."  He sighed deeply.  "This should have been a happy 
occasion.  Instead it breaks my heart.  I wish I had a kingdom to 
give each of you, but I don't."
	"Why can't we cut it in half.  He can take that half, and 
I'll take this?"
	"That's very kind of you, Muffy, but it won't work.  Hunting 
would be poor in a smaller kingdom.  Accept fate--the whole 
kingdom belongs to both of you, but you will be King, and he will 
not.  That's why I taught you the story of N'ga and Sufa.  If you 
always fight and can never agree, the prize will often go to 
another.  If you love Taka, and I know you do, you will say 
nothing for now.  I want to tell him in my own way when the time 
is right.  I will be gentle."
	"I see."  Mufasa said thoughtfully, "I want to be King 
someday, but I sure feel bad about Taka.  I won't tell till you 
say it's OK."
	Ahadi smiled.  "Maybe you have to work harder on your 
lessons, but you have a good heart.  That was my greatest hope, to 
leave this world without worries or regrets.  When I think of you 
as King after me, I feel no worries or regrets."
	For a moment, Taka was very angry, but his anger soon 
changed to hurt.  Head bowed and ears flattened, he sneaked back 
to the warmth and comfort of his mother.


SCENE:  NO TIME FOR NAPS


	"Minshasa, cloud white, borne upon the breast of the savanna 
like a dream of love.  Who that bears the mane shall look upon her 
visage and remain unsmitten?  Minshasa, the voice of tender 
longings.  Minshasa, beloved of the gods.  Beware, my sons, her 
awful charms!"

                                -- RAMALLAH, FROM LEONID SAGA, "D" 
SECTION, VARIATION 1

	Akase was worried about Taka.  She had a lioness' 
sensitivity to how her own cubs felt, and she knew Taka was not 
feeling well.  He moped about.  At times he would not meet her 
eyes.  At other times he would stare into them as if he were 
trying to see something deep inside.
	Even Ahadi could tell something was amiss.  He nudged the 
small cub playfully with his nose.  "Something got you down, Taka?"
	"No sir."
	"You can tell your Dad.  I know--how about a nice story?  
You know, one of the Great Kings of the Past.  Have I ever told 
you about Moko Greatmane?"
	"Yes sir."  Taka sighed deeply.  Ahadi started to say 
something, but Akase silently shook her head and mouthed, "No."
	Ahadi gave his son a warm lion kiss on the cheek.  "I love 
you, son.  You know there is nothing you can't tell me when you're 
good and ready."
	Taka looked up pitifully.  "Do you, Dad?  Do you still love me?"
	Ahadi bit his lip.  "Oh gods.  Don't you know?"  Deeply 
affected, he stared at the cub for a while, then wandered off a 
few steps to sit facing the distant mountains.
	Akase was a little sharp.  "What on earth made you say that?  
Of course he loves you.  Look how you hurt him!"  She softened her 
tone.  "Honey tree, what ever made you think he didn't love you?"
	"Well I...."  Taka could tell her the truth, but she would 
know he had spied on his father.  He struggled with the burden for 
a moment, then said, "I was just asking, that's all.  I'm sorry."
	Quietly, Taka went over a secret list of every foolish thing 
he'd ever done, wondering which one condemned him to be second 
place for life.  Was it the time he sneaked away without telling 
Mom?  Was it the time he pulled that practical joke on Uzuri and 
she got so upset with him?  Maybe Uzuri told Dad, even though he'd 
begged her not to?  Should he have the nerve to ask?  No.  Of 
course not.  He was not even supposed to know anything about it.  
Besides, after his Dad told Muffy his decision, it would be too 
late to change anything.
	It was nearly noon, time for Taka's nap, but Mufasa gamboled 
up like a box of rubber balls, so full of cubhood enthusiasm that 
he was about to burst.  His mood was contagious.  "Taka, you just 
gotta see this!"
	"Gotta see what?"
	"What is it, son?" Akase purred.  "Another hedgehog?  A 
meerkat perhaps?"
	"Well, it's--"  His tail twitched.  "Yeah, a meerkat."
	"What's so great about a meerkat?  We see them all the 
time," Taka said, sulking.  "It's almost noon.  It's hot enough to 
melt your brain, if you had one."
	"But this meerkat is DIFFERENT," Mufasa said with a sly 
wink.  Taka saw the way Mufasa's tail twitched, something that 
always happened when he told a lie.  He half-smiled with a toothy, 
wry grin.
	"Different, eh?"  Taka was shaken out of his self-pity.  
"Well, I guess so.  Is it okay, Mom?"
	"If you're back soon.  You've been kind of under the weather 
today."
	Almost before she could finish her sentence, Mufasa and Taka 
bounded off like a shot, startling a flock of noisy guinea fowl 
into a conniption.  They headed through the deep grass of the 
plain, stopping once in a while to stand up above the grass like 
furry jack-in-the-boxes.
	Deep in grass though they were, young Sarabi saw them 
fording the broomsedge and knew there must be something up worth 
seeing.  She hurried across the rocks and plunged into the green 
waves.  Before long, she joined them, panting.
	"So what's up?" Sarabi asked.
	"Oh, nothing," Mufasa said.  "We were practicing--stalking."  
His tail twitched.
	"Every time you're up nothing," Sarabi said, "You're up to 
something."
	"We are going to look at--a meerkat," Taka volunteered.
	"A meerkat?" Sarabi asked, a little unconvinced.  She saw 
his nose twitch, a sure sign that he was lying.
	"Well, this one is different," Taka said.
	"Then I want to see, too," Sarabi said.
	"Good work, lame brain," Mufasa half-snarled.  He cuffed 
Taka soundly on the cheek.  Taka growled and cuffed him back.  
These were done with the claws in, like the well-bred lions they 
were, but they started wrestling full-tilt.
	Muffy was stronger, and he fought cleanly.  Taka was a 
determined opponent, and before long he started snapping at ears 
and tails.  As the fight threatened to turn really ugly, Sarabi 
started running little circles around them, distressed.
	"Stop it!  Stop it right now!"  Sarabi was highly indignant.  
"We'll never see that stupid old meerkat at this rate--if there 
ever was one."
	She had no effect.  The snarls began to sound more serious.  
Taka was losing, as he usually did, but he wasn't giving up.  "Say 
Uncle!"
	"Not till you--ow!--stop calling me names!  Just cause 
you're bigger than I am doesn't make you smarter!"
	Sarabi shouted, "I'll tell your mother if you don't stop!  
You're both lame brains sometimes."
	"We're just funning," Mufasa said, on top.
	"Yeah.  We didn't mean anything," Taka said, wiggling out 
from beneath, and giving Mufasa one last hard swat with his claws out.
	Sarabi looked Taka over, and seeing a small spot of blood on 
his right ear felt very motherly, began to clean it with her 
tongue.  
	Taka could always count on her sympathy, but he wanted to 
look more grown at the moment.  "Doesn't hurt."
	"You're bleeding."
	"Oh, it's nothing.  Really."
	"Yeah, really," Mufasa said, cleaning a nasty cut on the 
back of his paw by himself.  "Well, if you insist on coming, 
there's this honey badger near the forest.  He's white--whiter 
than clouds.  You remember when N'ga and Sufa were fighting over 
that white lioness because she was magic and could grant wishes?"
	"You mean Minshasa?"  Taka thought a moment.  "Oh yeah!  But 
you can't marry a badger.  Or can you?"
	"I don't want to marry it.  I only want a wish."
	"What are you going to wish for, Muffy?"
	Mufasa smiled an embarrassed smile.  "That's why I wanted 
you to come.  I want you to sit with me when I join the great 
kings of the past.  Dad wants me to be King when he dies."
	"I heard him.  I was hiding behind a rock when he told you."
	"You shouldn't spy on people," Mufasa said sternly, but he 
added, "Maybe you won't be a king in this life, but if the badger 
really gives wishes, you'll be a king when you die."
	"Really?"  Taka was in transports.  "You'd do that for me?  
What a neat idea!"  He was very demonstrative, and he nuzzled 
Mufasa.  "You're the best!  You said wanted to give me half of the 
Pride Lands.  I heard you."
	"Yeah.  But it's not going to happen, so don't tell anyone I 
said that."
	"I won't.  It doesn't matter now, but it was really neat.  
You're the best, Muffy!"  He laughed and took a swat at his 
brother.  The two of them got into a wrestling match, giggling and 
squirming.  Both of them did their utmost, butut as usual Mufasa 
quickly won, pinning Taka.
	Mufasa had to smile a little inside.  He was glad he didn't 
wish for something selfish.  Still holding Taka down, he said, 
"Look, when Dad tells you I'm the new King, you act surprised.  
You'd better.  You know he'd cuff you good for spying on us."
	"I want to be where Taka is," Sarabi said.  "Either I get to 
sit with Taka, or I'm telling on both of you!"
	"That's going to be my wish," Taka said.  He squirmed out 
from under Mufasa, went and nuzzled her.  "Now what are you going 
to wish for?"
	Sarabi gave Taka a quick tongue touch on the cheek.  "You'll 
find out."
	With this settled, the three cubs headed toward the burrow 
at the edge of the acacia grove.



SCENE:  THE BURROW


	The entrance to the burrow was a forbidding black hole.  
Mufasa started to enter it, but the opening was barely large 
enough for a regular cub to squeeze in properly, not really enough 
to maneuver in.  Mufasa was a bit large for his age, and he had no 
hope of getting down there.  He suggested that they call the 
badger out.
	"Hello in there!"
	There was no reply.
	"Come out, badger.  I can hear you breathing in there, so I 
know you're at home."
	They waited several moments.  Nothing happened.
	"Let's go," Sarabi said.  "Looks like he's a no-show."
	"Wait.  I think he's holding out on us."  He yelled down the 
hold, "I'm Prince Mufasa-I'm going to be King someday, and I'm 
making you my prisoner.  If you want to get free, you'll have to 
bless me and my friends!"
	They could indeed hear the sound of muffled breathing coming 
from the depths of the tunnel.  Carried by the walls of the 
burrow, it sounded loud like the sound of the sea in a shell, and 
it was quick, almost urgent and upset.  They didn't know if he was 
afraid or angry.
	"Maybe he's deaf, Your Majesty," Taka said with a laugh.  
"You pulled me all the way over here for a hole in the ground?  I 
bet it's a rabbit.  Just a scared little rabbit!  And YOU called 
ME a lame brain!"
	"But there was a white badger here, honest!"  Mufasa looked 
at Taka, then at Sarabi.  "You do believe me, don't you?  I mean, 
does this smell like a rabbit to you??"
	Taka sniffed carefully of the opening.  He'd never smelled a 
honey badger before, but he knew it was not a rabbit.  It was 
strange and pungent, and full of possibilities.  "I've come this 
far," Taka said.  "If I'm going to get my wish, I guess I have to 
go in there."
	"You'll never do it," Mufasa said, looking at the dark hole 
with a barely repressed shudder.  "He sounds really angry.  
Besides, it's dark in there, and you're afraid of the dark."
	"Says who?"
	"Says me, that's who!  You always think the hyenas are going 
to get you.  Sometimes you won't go to sleep till high moon, then 
you have bad dreams."
	Taka was deeply stung.  Often he would wake with the same 
nightmare of being ripped apart by hyenas.  Akase, always 
listening with a mother's ear, would be there quickly to comfort 
him with warm kisses that smelled like lioness love and let him 
rest his head on her soft belly until he fell asleep to the music 
of her breath.  He never knew if he also woke Mufasa.  Now, there 
was no doubt.  Taka's stomach knotted.  He looked at the hole and 
knew what he must do.
	Sarabi could see the fear and cuddled up next to Taka.  
"Don't do it if you don't want to.  I sure wouldn't."
	"That's cause you're a girl," Taka said, but he looked at 
her kindly.  Then he faced the dark hole.  "I'm not afraid of the 
dark.  I'm not afraid of the badger.  I'm a lion, and lions aren't 
afraid..."  He looked over at Muffy.  "...no matter WHAT their 
brothers think."
	With stooped shoulders and head held low, Taka angled down 
the steep passageway.  As he reluctantly headed down the dark 
shaft, inch by inch, he kept talking.  "We're not going to hurt 
you.  We just want you to give us a wish, see?  There are three of 
us, so that's three wishes."  The sound of breathing from the 
depths grew faster, as did Taka's.  "Three wishes ought to be real 
easy for someone like you.  I mean, what's three wishes for a real 
Nisei?"  Silence.  "Please say something.  Anything."
	"Hey Taka," Mufasa said, "You don't have to do it."  He 
stuck his head in the hole and said, "I'm sorry I called you a dim 
wit."
	"It was lame brain," Sarabi said.
	"Whatever." Mufasa snapped.  "Hey Taka, come back.  I was 
only funning about you being afraid of the dark."  He grew 
impatient.  "Taka, I SAID I WAS SORRY, all right??  Now come out 
of there or I'll tell mother!"
	"Don't block up the hole," Sarabi said.  She listened 
carefully at the entrance.  "What's he doing down there?"
	"How should I know?  Hush."
	They heard Taka's voice from the depths of the tunnel.  It 
was distant, thin and stammering.  "We don't want to hurt you.  
You see, my brother Mufasa is going to be King when he grows up, 
but I'm just his brother.  He had this idea that if I could sit 
with...."
	There was a low rumbling from the depths.  It sounded like a 
growl.
	"Please help me.  I'm scared.  It's so dark in here."  It 
was Taka.  Mufasa and Sarabi did not know if he was talking to the 
badger or to them.  Mufasa tried to push his way down the hole.
	It was a tight fit, and he realized he wouldn't be much 
help.  He started digging.
	"Don't!"  Sarabi pulled him back.  "It will cave in!"
	"But he's in trouble."
	"If he gets buried, he'll really be in trouble."  She looked 
in the opening.  "Taka, are you OK?"
	"Is that you, Sassie?"
	"Please come out.  If you love me, come out."
	"In a minute."
	"Not in a minute!  Right now!"
	The sounds of breathing quickened again.  There were some 
sounds of movement.  Then silence.  After a moment, Mufasa looked 
at Sarabi.  "I didn't think he'd do it.  Either he's very brave or 
very stupid."
	"He's not stupid," Sarabi said firmly.  "If you hadn't 
called him stupid, he wouldn't be down there!  Just because he's 
smaller than you are doesn't mean he's stupid."  She called out 
more loudly.  "Please come out!  You're scaring me!"
	Just then there was a loud, menacing growl and a cub's 
shriek of agony.  "I'm going!  Oh Gods!  Let me go!  Let me go, 
you're hurting me!"  They could hear Taka trying to back out.
	Muffy started digging furiously.  "Taka!!"  Dust flew from 
his paws, and he managed to work his head in.  "Hold on: I can see 
your tail!  Come back a little more.  Give me a few more inches!"
	Mufasa grabbed at the tail and pulled with all his might.  
Sarabi grabbed Muffy's tail, and trying not to hurt him too much 
gave a yank.  Taka came stumbling out of the hole backward, his 
face covered in blood, and one of his eyes protruding from its 
socket.  The white badger came out after him, but saw the other 
two cubs raise the fur on their backs and snarl.  Thinking twice 
about its options, it reluctantly went back in its hole.  Taka 
laid on the ground shivering.  "Oh gods!  It hurts!  Somebody help 
me!  I want my momma!"
	Mufasa stared at the unseeing eye in a pool of blood.  It 
took a moment for him to tear himself away from the horror and 
move.  "I'll get Mom--no, I'd better get Makedde."  He started 
off, then stopped.  "No, he'd have to come back here.  Can you 
walk, Taka?"
	Taka struggled off the ground and began to limp.  Blood 
dripped down his face and onto the grass.  "I'll try.  Is it very 
far?"
	"No.  Just follow me."


SCENE:  THE PROPHESY


	"Three things there are which cannot be called back.  The 
spilled wine, the sped arrow, and the spoken word."

                                      -- MENELAEUS OF NAXOS

	It was a long trek to Makedde's home in the baobab tree.  In 
the hot sun, the blood began to cake in Taka's fur, and flies 
mercilessly swarmed around him.  His gait was unsteady, and try 
though he did, his bravery could only stretch so far.
	"How much further is it?"
	"Just a little more," Mufasa said.
	"That's what you said the last time."  Taka began panting 
uncontrollably.  "It hurts.  Do you think he'll have something for 
the pain?"
	"He has stuff for everything," Sarabi said.  "Don't worry, 
Taka.  Everything will be all right."
	"How much further is it?"
	Sarabi got ahead of him and looked into his face.  His good 
eye did not seem to focus.  She realized he was following the 
sound of Muffy's feet.  "You must keep going," Sarabi said.  "Do 
it for me."
	Loss of blood and the pain was sending Taka into shock, and 
he was getting weak in the limbs.  "Sassie, I don't think I can 
make it."
	"You can make it," she said, leaning into him.  "Taka, did 
you hear the one about the two wildebeests and the zebra?"
	"No."
	"Well there was these two wildebeests, and one said to the 
other, `I bet I can get that zebra to laugh before you can.  So he 
went to the zebra and said, `Watch this!'  He stood on his head 
and stuck out his tongue.  But the zebra didn't laugh.  So you 
know what the other wildebeest did?"
	"What wildebeest?  I don't see any."  He stumbled and lay 
still in the grass.
	"Get up, Taka!  Come on, you got to keep going!"
	She nudged his flank with her nose, prodded him with her 
paws, and even tugged on his ear.  "Get up!"
	"I can't."
	"You have to!"  She nipped his leg.
	"Ow!"  He looked directly at her.
	"Get up or I'll nip you again."
	Muffy put his snout under Taka and pushed.  With a little 
help from his brother, Taka stood again and began to stumble 
along.   "I can see it from here.  Oh thank God."
	Makedde, the sage Mandrill Baboon, was teaching his younger 
brother Rafiki how to divine the future with a bowl of water.  
This technique, called scrying, is the best way to tell the 
future.  For water, they say, has risen higher than birds fly and 
it returns to Earth charged with the energy of the gods.  This is 
so, for any lion sees the new green in the grass after a rain.
	Makedde dropped his work at once when he saw the blood 
spattered cub and his two friends.  "Rafiki, mix a poultice 
quick!"  He looked at Taka's eye closely.  "Oh Master Taka, what 
have you done now!"
	Makedde held up his hand on one side of Taka's head, then 
the other.  "No sight on that side.  This is bad.  Very bad.  But 
perhaps I can fix it."
	Makedde got some moistened Alba from Rafiki and squeezed it 
on the ground.  The dust became mud, and he took this mud 
carefully in his hand.
	"These are badger marks," Makedde said.  "If I couldn't see 
it, I could sure smell it."  He shook his head.  "What on earth 
possessed you to play with the badgers?  You know they are 
dangerous."
	"It was a white badger," Taka said.  "I wanted to get a 
wish, like N'ga and Sufa."
	"Oh I see."  He frowned.  "You don't know the difference 
between a white lioness and a white badger!  So you wanted a wish, 
did you?"
	"It was my idea," Mufasa said.  "When we died, I wanted my 
brother to sit by me with the great kings of the past."
	Makedde sighed.  "Noble sentiment indeed.  But all living 
things are precious to Aiheu.  He gathers them all to himself and 
sits them where he will, not according to bravery or strength of 
body, but by the immortal Ka."  He washed his hands in a basin.  
"If your Ka is full of love and wisdom, it does not matter if you 
are smaller than your brother."  He patted Taka.  "Courage, little 
one."  Taka gnashed his teeth.  His good eye closed tightly and 
his ears went back.
	Makedde was gentle with the lion cub.  The cool mud 
surrounded Taka's damaged eye, not hurting as badly as he thought 
it would.  Then with a press of his paw, Makedde popped the still-
intact eye back into its socket.  With infinite care, Makedde took 
water from a gourd dipper and washed away the mud a few grains at 
a time.  "Don't squint.  It makes my job harder."
	When all the blood was washed away, and the eye was clear, 
Makedde got a twig of Dwe'dwe and broke it in half.  A single drop 
of resin came out, and Makedde skillfully ran it the length of 
Taka's cut, pressing the sides of the wound together carefully 
with his fingers.  He blew on it a few times to make sure the 
wound would stay closed.
	Rafiki brought a gourd of water for Taka.  Makedde added 
some herbs for building blood, relieving pain, and a small pinch 
of Tiko Root for good measure to prevent infection.  Finally he 
added some honey.  "It won't taste good, but it will feel good."
	Taka found the mixture bearable, but he was terribly thirsty 
after losing so much blood in the heat.  And it did feel good.
	It seemed like an eternity to Sarabi before Makedde was 
finished.  She worked up the courage to ask, "Will that eye work 
again?"
	"Rafiki," Makedde asked, "You heard the lady.  What will 
come of Taka?"
	Rafiki was nervous.  It was his first time to scry for 
another.  So he looked into the water thoughtfully, trying to 
remember all his brother taught him.  A wind came out of the west 
and stirred the water.  It carried with it the odor of decay.  The 
ripples died down, and he gasped.  "Wait, something appears.  It 
tells me...."
	"What?" Sarabi asked impatiently.
	Rafiki stared into the water as one possessed.  His voice 
deepened and was labored.  "The road is long and hard.  Those who 
smile to your face bare their teeth as you leave."  He left the 
bowl and stooped in front of Taka.  Pointing his finger 
accusingly, he said, "Friends come from unlikely places, then 
abandon you in your hour of need.  He who is first to touch you 
shall beget your doom, and she who gives you love shall let it 
turn to hate."
	"Rafiki!" Makedde shouted.  "Control it!  It's an evil 
spirit!"
	"Anger is your only salvation," Rafiki muttered, gripping 
Taka by the fur of his cheek.  "Arm yourself with cruel hate.  
Take what is yours, for it shall not be freely given."
	Taka broke away and tried to hide behind Sarabi and Mufasa, 
crouching low and trembling.  "No!  It's not so!  Tell me it's not 
so!"
	"Stop it!"  Makedde shook him violently.  "Stop it in the 
name of the gods!"
	Rafiki looked wild-eyed as if he'd seen a ghost.  It took 
him a few moments to come to himself.  "Brother?  What happened to 
me?  I could not control myself.  I was a stick, and some hand was 
swinging me!"
	Mufasa was horrified.  "Is this going to happen for sure?  
Can't we stop it?"
	Rafiki went behind Muffy and Sassie to look at the cringing 
Taka.  "Don't be afraid, my son."  He stroked the trembling child.  
"Oh gods, that was not me speaking.  That was not me.  I love you.  
I would never say such things.  You must love, always love, the 
way I love you.  Forgive me.  Please forgive me."  He wept.
	"My brother did not know what he was saying," Makedde said 
sternly.  "He did not control the water-the water controlled him.  
Smell the reek of death in the air?  Evil spirits often come to 
speak, and they use a half-truth to bring mischief into the world.  
When I can see you alone, Taka, I'll tell your future and I will 
do it right."
	Taka started to cry.  "Do they really hate me?"
	"No, Taka," Mufasa said firmly.  Then he looked a little 
embarrassed.  "We all love you, even if you do get in trouble all 
the time."
	"But what if it's right?" Sarabi asked.  "I mean if its a 
half-truth, doesn't that mean half of it is true?"
	"None of it's true," Mufasa said.  He went to his brother 
and draped his paw over Taka's shoulder.  "There--I'm the first 
one to touch you.  I'm your bestest friend in the world, so you 
don't have to worry any more."
	"And I'm the one that loves you most," Sarabi said aloud, 
not caring who heard it for once.  "When we grow up, I'm going to 
marry you."  Without thinking, she touched Taka's face with her 
warm tongue.  The taste of blood reminded her of her mistake.  "Oh 
Taka, are you all right?"
	Taka stared at her, then tilted his head.  He smiled.  "I 
can see you!  I can see you with both eyes!"  He nuzzled her 
affectionately.  "You would never hurt me, would you, Sassie?"
	"Never!  Not in a million years."
	Taka gave her a weak lick.  "We will always be together, I 
promise.  You did mean it--about marrying me--didn't you?"
	"Yes, Taka.  That was going to be my wish."
	He smiled.  "I just know I'm going to catch it when I get 
home, but it was worth it.  Really.  Will you walk home with me?"
	"Of course I will," Sarabi said.
	"Dad won't spank you," Mufasa said.  "You don't spank 
someone when they're hurt.  You know, you REALLY should have come 
out when I told you to.  Maybe you'll listen next time."
	"Yeah."  He looked at Mufasa closely.  "Does it show?  Do 
you think Mom will notice?"
	Muffy looked at him carefully as if he were trying to make 
up his mind, but it was no contest.  "She'll notice all right.  I 
think it's going to leave a scar."
	The three cubs bounded off as quickly as Taka could keep up.  
After they were quite a way from the Baobab, Rafiki said, 
"Brother, I'm quite sure of what I saw.  I don't know why I said 
it, but I knew it was so."
	"I know," Makedde said.  "But sometimes it is in the telling 
that things come true.  You did not pray for guidance first--you 
left yourself unprotected.  Evil spirits just wait for chances 
like this.  They speak their piece, filling innocent little heads 
with foul thoughts to stir up trouble.  Sometimes silence is the 
wisest prophesy of all."
	Rafiki hung his head.  "I am so ashamed.  Can't I undo it, 
brother?  Is there nothing I can do?"
	Makedde went back to the scrying pool.  He looked deeply 
into the water.  For a long time he saw nothing, because his head 
was too full of worries.  Then there was a gentle breeze from the 
east and on the wind was wafted the comforting scent of wild 
honey.  The wind stirred the surface of the water, and after it 
had passed, the power of a blessed spirit had dispelled the 
shadows.
	Makedde stared like one in a trance.  "Rafiki, if you would 
hear the words of Aiheu, pay attention.  For a little truth is 
like a little branch that will not reach to the choice fruit."
	The young mandrill fell on his face.  "Speak, Lord."
	"The evil which you have set free, you must also bind.  All 
the years of your life shall you toil to undo a careless moment.  
Milk and mud join quickly, but do they separate quickly?  Your 
words have made the milk unfit to drink, yet I have not forsaken 
you.  For if milk and mud are my creations, I can appoint whom I 
please to separate them, and it will be done."

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