LEGAL NOTE:  This original copyrighted work is based on Walt Disney's 
feature film, "The Lion King."  Elements taken directly from "The Lion 
King" are the property of The Walt Disney Company.  "The Spirit Quest" 
is distributed free of charge excepting  reasonable distribution costs.  
Quoting passages from our work, writing original pieces based on our 
work, or using characters we created is fine as long as you secure prior 
approval.  That begins by sending either of us a copy of the work.  Our 
e-mail addresses are:

David A. Morris:	damorris@wilmington.net
John H. Burkitt:  john.burkitt@nashville.com

Your comments on our work, pro and con, are always welcome.

This story is a fictional work, but we don't claim that any resemblance 
to any characters living or dead is purely coincidental.  With love and 
respect, we acknowledge the debt we owe to those who taught us how to 
laugh and cry.  Without acting as clear models for any one character, 
many great souls, some non-human, have been woven deeply into the fabric 
of our lives only to end up in "The Spirit Quest."



FOREWORD BY THE AUTHORS:

	In the middle of writing this work, the awesome power of nature 
reaffirmed itself.  Hurricane Fran devastated portions of David's 
hometown and we were out of touch for several days.  I never realized 
before how much I missed his friendship, gentle humor and insights; 
things I no longer take for granted.  As Uzuri so truly said, "There is 
not much time between sunrise and sunset.  If you would not be caught 
out after dark, you must leave some time for all the important things." 
	This work tackles the unique perspective of Rafiki without being a 
simple restatement of Chronicles.  Reading it, you will find that there 
is a little Rafiki in all of us.
	Now let us discuss lions and ourselves.  Male lions sometimes kill 
cubs when they take over a pride.  Sometimes they won't, and that is 
very significant.  Leonine society is a patchwork quilt of 
possibilities, probabilities, and the occasional life that sets a higher 
goal for the species.  Human society is much the same in its diverse 
way.  We have hopeful possibilities, depressing probabilities, and the 
occasional life that sets a higher goal for our species, like Moses, 
Francis of Assisi and Florence Nightingale.  The Nazi holocaust and the 
Mayan sacrifice of war prisoners were documented human behaviors.  You 
are human.  That means these things are part of the observed behaviors 
of YOUR species.  Does that make you feel offended?  Many of us are 
repelled by these events, though events such as this form a recurring 
pattern in the history of our species.  Pick up the paper-they are still 
occurring and most likely will continue despite our best efforts.  By 
this criterion, "Cruelty, Human" has earned a place right before "Cub 
Killing, Male Lion," in the encyclopedia of behaviors.  Is this intended 
as a stinging indictment of the human race?  Hardly.  What about the 
"Magna Charta," Robert Louis Stevenson, and Livingstone's charity 
hospital in Central Africa?  Isn't that also part of the human legacy?  
Sure it is.  "Magna Charta" comes before "Mother Love, Lioness."  A 
light begins to shine on you, and the meaning becomes clear.  We are not 
that different--not really.  A divine spark of love in each of us waits 
for the chance to burst into flame.  Tend it, encourage it, add the  
tinder of respect and blow upon it softly with kind words.  Those of us, 
human, lion, and mandrill, who burn brightly in the darkness not only 
walk with God, we light the path for others.  Follow this trail and 
strive to set a higher goal for yourself and your species--it is your 
own Spirit Quest.

					John Burkitt, Nashville, Tennessee
					October 1, 1996

	It's good to be back again.  It feels like a homecoming, to be 
back in the Pride Lands.  There are so many wondrous places to go, and 
faces to see...like the song says, "There's more to be seen, than can 
ever be seen; more to do than can ever be done."  So stay a little 
longer with us.
	There's a few other places we still have yet to visit.
	On Saturday night, September 7th, Hurricane Fran had smashed her 
way into history here in Wilmington.  With the power out, I was sitting 
in the pitch blackness of my room, trying to write down a scene for this 
story by candlelight when the phone rang.  To my utter delight, I heard 
John's voice on the other end.  His selfless concern for me moved me to 
tears, and the buoyant effect on my spirits was immeasurable.  I count 
myself lucky to have such a friend.

					David Morris, Wilmington, North Carolina
					October 1, 1996

DEDICATION:

	This work is dedicated to Aslan, the lion whom we have adopted 
through the Born Free Foundation.  His newfound freedom and the loving 
care given him by his friends in the BFF is a source of joy for our 
spirits.

	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.

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