The Leonid Saga cotpl-5

by John H. Burkitt

  “They cried out to Aiheu. ‘Lord! Why have you given us only pain? Where is our beauty, our happiness?’

  “And Aiheu wept, for their suffering was dire. And he said, ‘Though the cause does not lie in your own actions, you are polluted. Do not be filled with resentment, but rather be mindful of the hope I offer you. Cleansing comes from within, in a clean heart and truthful witness. You will be sorely tempted by the mud, but you are also full of my milk, and it will overcome all else if you let it. Remember in your darkness that my light is with you, shining on the true path.’”

  “What happened to the gorilla?” Mufasa asked.

  “Koko confessed what he did before Aiheu, and he was pardoned. Aiheu gave him authority over the mud to purge the lake, and he became the keeper of the lake until it was finally drained at the end of the first era. Because he drank from the milk each day, he only began to age when the lake was no more, and his days were two hundred and seventy years.”

  Taka said, “But if it kept him alive all that time, wasn’t Aiheu rewarding him for doing something wrong?”

  “Who said it was a reward?” Ahadi asked with a sly grin. “How would you like to guard that watering hole for two hundred and seventy years?”

  “I see what you mean.”

  “Personally, I’m glad that if I take care of you, God willing I’ll die first as is the natural order of things, and I’ll never have to watch my sons die.”

  “But I don’t want to watch you die either!” Taka said, pressing tighter against his father.

  “Of course you don’t. But by then you and Sarabi will be married and have lots of cubs to take care of. The same way I miss my parents, but I spend most of my time thinking about you two and your mother. Someday you’ll have people to take care of, and it won’t hurt as badly as if it happened right now.”

  He continued with the story: “I would not have you ignorant concerning death, for Aiheu has provided for his children. When an animal dies whose life is acceptable to God, it becomes one of the second Nisei. They oversee the welfare of those they left behind. The greatest of the second Nisei are the Great Kings of the Past and those whom Aiheu has blessed for good service. Koko became one of the second Nisei. And then there are animals whose deeds are constantly evil, and they join the Makei. These are doomed to walk the earth without bodies until they find the image of Aiheu within themselves and seek redemption through service. They are called the Makei, which means ‘the bringers of tears,’ for their suffering makes Aiheu weep.

  “The first children of Aiheu were close to their God and to each other, for their spirits had roamed free together. But their children who were born to bodies of soil were not able to hear the words of the Lord. To keep the peoples from losing touch with him entirely, Aiheu anointed some children with holy chrisum that from birth they may hear him when he speaks. And these he called shamans. They were strictly charged to bring the word of God to his peoples with honesty and unselfishness. A lying shaman is worse than the Makei, and Aiheu will not weep for them nor will he repent of his anger.”

  “Are there any lion shamans?” Taka asked. “Are they all monkeys like Makedde and Rafiki?”

  Ahadi laughed a little. “There were a few lion shamans, but not very many. We have a lot of work to do, protecting our family and ruling responsibly. Many more were lionesses, but they usually have to hunt for their mates and cubs.”

  “And monkeys don’t have as much to do?”

  “I wouldn’t say that,” Ahadi said. “Every time I see Rafiki, he’s busy.”

  “Yeah, just like you.” Taka sighed. “If God put us into this world to have fun, why do we have to work all the time?”

  “Sometimes I wonder that myself,” Ahadi said, kissing him. “But you know what? When I’m out there patrolling the borders, I think about my sons and my mate safe at home, and it gives me a warm feeling inside. Somehow when I come home the love I get is much better because I feel like I’ve earned it. The hard times make the good times feel more special.” Ahadi smiled. “Story’s over. You can go play now.”

  Mufasa ran and kissed Ahadi good-bye, then he bounded off like a liberated prisoner. Taka continued to snuggle against Ahadi’s soft mane.

  “What’s wrong, Taka? Why don’t you go and play?”

  “You said we’d talk later. I want to get it over with.”

  “You’re shaking, my son. Why? I’m not angry with you!”

  “You’re not? Honest?”

  “I don’t say things I don’t mean.” He gently pressed Taka into his soft chest with a paw. “I just want to know what your little friends told you. I’m not even going to ask their names.”

  “Oh.”

  “You can play with Muffy now. We’ll talk later. I’m an experienced lion, and I can tell you things your young friends never even dreamed of. Then when they tell you nonsense, you can smile and think about how foolish they are.”

  Taka smiled with amusement and started to walk off.

  “Forgetting something?”

  Taka turned, horrified. He rushed back to Ahadi and when the King bent down kissed him several times. “Dad, you know I love you. I just forgot. Honest!”

  “I know. You see, I know Muffy loves me because he tells me every day. But you never have to tell me. Everything you do shows it.”

  Taka stood on his back feet and put his paws into his father’s great mane. He stood there rubbing his face against his father for several moments before standing down and going to look for his brother. Ahadi reached up with his paw and felt the spot where his son had been, smoothing down his mane. “I’m going to have to say that again sometime.”

  THE FIRST CUBS:

  “You asked for something different, my cubs? This is

  a rare delicacy: a black Zebra with white stripes!”

  --Leonine joke.

  Isha knew that the best time for stories was in the early evening, shortly before the hunt. For her it was a peaceful moment before the toilsome job of finding food. For her cubs it was a warm moment with Mom before she left them with the cub-sitter.

  Isha was settling down on the rock where she had slept so many nights with her young ones snuggled against her side. Habusu her son and Lisani, her sister Beesa’s child, were settling in for their story. Habu sat close to “Miss Priss” whom he loved greatly and often referred to as his ‘fiancee’ despite her young age.

  Isha felt Lisani cuddle under her chin and she purred deeply, settling her paw on Lissie’s small chest and feeling the tides of her life. Habu sat upright, watching the tuft on the end of Isha’s restless tail. He was getting a little old to be pouncing on tail tufts, especially with his sharp teeth, yet there was no law against WANTING to do it. The moment Lisani grunted and winked at him, he came and settled next to her and pushed his face against hers in that endearing way that always made Isha smile.

  Isha drew in a deep cleansing breath through her nose, held it a second, and let it escape through her mouth. “In the first days, all living things that were made were made from the mud by Aiheu’s own paws, and into them he breathed life that the restless spirits of the Dream Time could be flesh and blood and experience things rather than just thinking about them.

  “Love they knew, for wisely Aiheu chose the bodies for each Ka, that he should pair those whose love for each other would be great and beautiful. And so the first Lion Baba and the first Lioness Mamaan looked in each other’s eyes and knew they were made for each other and their love was great and marvelous.

  “Now when Baba breathed upon the cheek of Mamaan, she kindled new life.”

  “Not so close!” Lisani told Habu with genuine fear. She rubbed her cheek. “He breathed on me! Aunt Isha, make him stop! I’m too young to have babies!”

  Isha looked at her, first with grim surprise, then with a painful attempt to keep a straight face. She looked away, and a half-stifled giggle came out. Isha in desperation bit her own paw. Tears streamed down her face from the sting, but she rolled over on the groun
d and began to howl with laughter. “Oh gods, Lissie, it’s too much! I’m sorry, but really!”

  Lisani looked at her crossly. “I’m just trying to look out for myself. Isn’t that what you taught me?”

  Isha laid down and covered her eyes, then she glanced at Lisani cautiously. She began to laugh again and it was several moments before she came to herself.

  “Look here, Lissie. It’s an EXPRESSION. Like the time I told Kombi not to get a knot in his tail. An EXPRESSION. You could jump down his throat and you would not have cubs!”

  “Oh.” She looked over at Habusu whose ears were lowered with supreme embarrassment. “I’m sorry, Habu. Really.” She nuzzled him, kissed him, then nuzzled him again. Then she lay her head on his shoulder and purred. “Someday, when we’re both ready, I’ll be proud to bear your cubs.” Habu’s ears perked back up.

  “What happened next?” Habu asked.

  Isha took a moment to pick up where she left off. “Well, after Baba and Mamaan did that special thing that married people do when they love each other, she kindled new life. After two moons, she began to show, and they did not understand the light in her eyes.” Isha cleared her throat. “That’s another expression, by the way. It means expecting cubs. So as I was saying, after two moons, she began to show. In fear, Mamaan called upon Aiheu to heal her, for she thought she was sick.

  “Aiheu only smiled and said, ‘Surely you will not die. Be of good cheer, for you will bring life into the world.’

  “Baba and Mamaan did not understand, for there had been no cubs before. But their trust was in God, and they endured the suffering of birth expecting what the Lord had promised them.

  “And when the two were born who were the firstborn of lions, they gladdened the hearts of their parents. The male was named Huba, for he was born of love. The female was Rajua, for she was the promise of hope.”

  “A boy and a girl,” Habu said. “Just like us.”

  “Indeed, just like you!” Isha nuzzled him. “You were born of love. And Lissie is the promise of hope.” She kissed Lisani too.

  “What is that special thing they do?” Habu asked with concern.

  “If I told you now, it would spoil your mantlement. There is a proper time to know these things, and your father will speak with you--I hope. I don’t want to take that away from him if I can help it.”

  “But I don’t want to do the wrong thing. I mean, I’m too young to take care of kids.”

  Isha smiled, and this time without amusement. “Without a mane, it’s not going to happen. Trust me, Habu. You really should speak with me on this, and not even trust your close friends. Once when Ajenti and I were little cubs--and that may be hard for you to imagine--Ajenti thought she would tell me where babies come from. She said that the father plants a little seed and that over time it grows into the child. That was another expression, but I didn’t know that.” She looked down and in a half whisper said, “So one day I put a mango seed under a rock. I waited a whole week to see what would happen.”

  “Nothing happened,” Lisani said. “That’s silly.”

  “Oh really?” She looked at them both intently. The suspense was thick enough to touch with a paw. “I lifted that rock and out ran this mouse! Eek eek!” Isha laughed and patted her head. “I spent the better part of the day trying to catch my child and find out if I had a boy or a girl! Needless to say, when my Mom found out about it, Ajenti got a good cuffing!”

  Habu cried, “Eek eek!” and sprang on his mother. Lisani joined him, and giggling, Isha wrestled with them, once in a while shouting, “Claws in! Claws in! I’m not as young as I used to be!”

  After Isha ended up flat on her back and cried, “Uncle!” she rose, stretched her aching joints, and kissed the two cubs. “Well, let’s finish this thing before sunset.”

  Habu nodded at Lisani and they settled to the ground like proud sphinxes to listen.

  “Aiheu came to see the cubs and to teach Baba and Mamaan the ways of parenthood. He also strictly charged them that what he taught should be passed down through the generations, father to son and mother to daughter. And so it is done to this day according to the will of God. And I speak the words of Aiheu the Beautiful who breathed into our nostrils the breath of life: Come, let my children grow in grace and stature, and let my gift of life endure from generation to generation as long as the sun shall rise and set. And I place a sign among you that my favor endures forever.

  “When the mane comes forth the gods expect certain things of a lion. He shall be tested by the wilderness, and if he is found worthy, he shall become a King.

  “And among the children of Baba and Mamaan were Amalkozi who was great among lions. Also King Ramallah, whose sons N’ga and Sufa watch us from the stars. And there was Malawi, the father of Lord Mano whose name is blessed forever.”

  “Is that it?” Lisani asked.

  “No, Miss Priss. But if I told you all their doings, we would be here till the next rains.”

  THE STORY OF MANO AND MINSHASA:

  Young Wajanja enjoyed being with Isha. The two of them shared a passion for living that made them appreciate the miraculous qualities of the ordinary. Jannie had been watching a bee on a flower as it probed the golden treasure trove of pollen, packing it on its legs to fly back to the hive. Isha helped her track the bee back to the hive, and then they watched at a safe distance as the workers stocked the hive with honey.

  “Look at the perfect little tubes that make it up,” Isha said. “Just don’t get too close. Each one holds a drop of honey. That’s what they eat, you know. They spend their life hunting flowers the way we hunt antelope, only they don’t kill them. Heaven will be like that, you know.”

  “Isn’t that wonderful!” Jannie said, getting closer.

  “Watch out!”

  “I can’t see. I’m not going to touch it.”

  A bee saw her curious gawking as a threat and swarmed her. “Hey, get away!” She ran a short distance and tried to roll in the grass.

  “Hold still!” Isha cried. “I’ll get it!”

  “Leave me alone, stupid bee! Get away!”

  Isha came up to her as she batted like a windmill. She watched her small prey until it lit on Wajanja, seeking its target. A sudden but careful swat of Isha’s paw knocked the bee on the ground without even scratching Jannie’s fur. Then Isha stomped down on the bee in the grass.

  “DAMN!! Owww, ohhee, ooohh!!” Isha hopped around on three legs, holding her injured paw up. “The little bugger! A curse on your whole hive!”

  “Are you OK??”

  “Yeah,” Isha said, settling down in the grass and sucking on her paw. “I bet I hurt her more than she hurt me!”

  Togo and Kombi came bounding up. Kombi shook his head. “You ought to be easier with your Aunt Isha!”

  “It was a bee,” Isha said. “There’s a hive over there.”

  “Uh oh! I’m out of here!”

  Kombi ran off, followed by Togo and Wajanja.

  “Hey, wait up!” Isha hobbled after them on three legs. “Jannie, I promised your mother I’d keep an eye on you! Stop, NOW!”

  The three cubs came to a halt and sat watching Isha painfully cover the distance with one paw in the air.

  “Gee, are you going to be OK?”

  “Yes, Togo. Thanks for asking.”

  “It bit you real good, didn’t it?”

  “Bees don’t bite, they sting. That’s the other end.” She settled to the ground again. “Look, I don’t feel like playing games now and I can’t keep running after you. Does anyone want to hear a good story?”

  “Mbogo’s big fight!” Kombi said.

  “Something with wild dogs in it!” Togo said.

  “Eww, gross!” Wajanja said. “I want a love story! Kigali and Lisha!”

  “Who wants all that kissing!” Kombi said. “Mbogo and the Lioness! That’s the best story EVER.”

  Isha smiled benevolently. “I tell you what. I’m going to tell you a special love story.”

  �
��Come on, Beebee,” Togo said. “I just ate and I don’t want to lose it all.”

  “Yeah. We’re out of here.”

  “No, wait!” Isha smiled mischievously. “This is about a different kind of love. You’ll like it, Kombi--there’s some fighting in it. Best of all, there’s not a lot of kissing.”

  “Well, if you promise....”

  Isha looked at each of the cubs intently with a long, silent glance. Soon, they were all staring at her and she hadn’t yet spoken a word. Such was her flawless delivery that she was always in demand for stories.

  “Many years ago there was a lion cub named Mano, the favorite son of King Malawi and Queen Penda. In Mano’s time, most of the animals who were not born of a female had gone back to be with Aiheu. Few remembered what it was like to live in a world without birth or death during the time of dreams. But for the sake of these few, Aiheu would sometimes walk among his creations.

  “Mano was carefree in those days. But the source of his great joy was not playing games but serving his parents. When he was but one year old, he would hunt small game with his mother, and before the first threads of his mane began to show, he would walk the border with his father.

  “At first the hyenas taunted him and the wild dogs laughed at him as he marked the territory. But as the days passed, they came to admire him and would pay respect to him due a king. Malawi rejoiced to think that someday the land would go to a son who inspired such admiration even from his adversaries.

  “But one day when the Queen was hunting, she was struck in the face by a zebra’s hoof and her jaw was broken. It was a mortal wound, and she went home so she might not die alone. The heartbroken Malawi prepared her for her death the way Aiheu had taught his children, marking around her eye and under her jaw with his paw as he wept. Her cubs huddled against her, grief stricken. But of all the cubs, Mano grieved the most, too much to accept her fate.”