“Lord Rainbow fell before Aiheu and cried, ‘Even so, Lord!’ And with a loud cry he gave up his Ka.
And at that same moment a great crimson light shone from the heavens on Lady Nala and her five children. And in that moment she was cured by the power of Lord Rainbow, but she wept for she felt in the light the touch of her husband and that he was no more.
The years went on long and hard for Lord Rainbow. Following his old friend One Who Makes Rain, the crimson light of his Ka would shine down on the land where his wife and cubs dwelled after every rain that the terrible plague would not return. And then when death came to Lady Nala, she joined him so that the bow of light in the heavens was both red and blue. When Nala’s mother died, she joined her faithful daughter and became a yellow light. And in the course of time when his four cubs grew old and died one by one, their lights went to join their family, and so now after the rain the whole family can be seen playing together in the heavens with their first and dearest friend.”
The mercurial African storm died down, and the rays of the sun streamed through the vail of clouds like a blessing. And next to the golden burst of enchantment arched a breathtakingly beautiful rainbow.
“Look! There he is!”
“Yes, child! See Lady Nala?? That’s your namesake, Honey Tree!”
Nala waved with her paw and shouted, “Hello, Nala!”
A few seconds later, a voice answered, “Hello, Nala!”
“She heard me!” Nala squealed with delight. Sarafina suspected it was only an echo, but she groomed her daughter with tender affection and said, “She knew your name. That means you’re special--but I always knew that.”
THE DROUGHT OF NEGEB:
Elanna was very fond of cubs, but after her miscarriage Rafiki broke the sad news that she would never have any children of her own. Starved for love, she yearned for the sporadic attentions of the Pride’s cubs.
Unfortunately, the other lionesses did not approve of her husband Taka. They did not want her to be associating with their cubs, and while nothing was ever said to her face, they left no doubt how they felt. Hushed whispers, subtle gestures and icy glances hurt her like claws at every turn. And with anguish she would rest on her rock alone and watch cubs playing in the distance while she pined to groom them, tell them stories and kiss them softly and lovingly on the cheek and between the ears and maybe, Aiheu willing, feel their small soft bodies snuggled against her side in sleep.
It was time for the hunt, a pleasure Elanna had been denied for almost three years. And rather than leave Elanna with their cubs, Isha stayed behind to sit with them. It was the ultimate accusation of uselessness hurled against Elanna that a fine huntress like Isha would leave the hunt to cub-sit.
Taka was surveying his territory, about to leave to walk the border on his usual evening rounds. Though Elanna counted herself fortunate that he was a very loving husband, he had turned more and more inward as the drought had worsened. He would neglect her for hours at a time, even when he was not walking the line. These times were her private hell, as neglected by her Pride Sisters she was also neglected by the reason for their scorn.
Isha had to go relieve herself. That was what she told the cubs at any rate, but the fact was she had other things she wanted to do. One was to raid some of the food the hyenas had stashed away to keep up her strength. After days of eating lizards and mice, she felt entitled to her turn at raiding the cache. It would take skill and finesse, and Elanna knew she would be gone for a while.
She sneaked quietly to the cubs and sat down next to them. “Hello there, sweet things! It’s good to see you again!”
“Hi, Aunt Lannie!” Togo and Kombi said. Habusu and Lisani rubbed against her endearingly and wiggled with joy as Elanna kissed them.
“How about a nice story?” Elanna asked.
“Yeah!” Togo said. “One we haven’t heard in a while!”
Now there was one story they had not heard in a very long while because it struck uncomfortably close to home. It was the only one Elanna could think of before they lost interest, so she started uncertainly into The Drought of Negeb.
“There was once a Lion King Ulu who was a great ruler and exceedingly kind. He had a son Negeb and his love for him was boundless, and everything that came to his son had to be the best. But Negeb son became spoiled to this attention and when his father died and he had to rule the kingdom, he wanted to keep the privileges to which he had been used.
“Where his father had placed few responsibilities on his shoulders, he did not wish to make his daily patrols but instead had the lionesses drive off the hyenas and wild dogs whenever they found them. And though the lionesses worked harder for him than they did for his father, Negeb barely deigned to notice the voices of the lions under his rule, and the other animal Incosi were rarely permitted an audience.
“Kills made by the lionesses were judged harshly, and if deemed unfit for his tastes, he ordered the lionesses to hunt again.
“Tashi who was his betrothed came before him and nuzzled him. ‘My King, I would remain behind from the hunt tonight.’
“’And why is that, Tashi? Are you ill?’
“’I am approaching my first season, and I have come to please my husband.’
“He looked at her appraisingly. ‘Then why do you come here if it is your husband that you seek.’
“’But Sire, were we not betrothed by our parents good and true?’
“’Indeed we were,’ King Negeb said. ‘And yet your face is round and eyes are small, and your constant croaking like a raven is only matched by the harshness of your giggle. What COULD my father have been thinking??’
“’Oh, my King!’ she cried, falling prostrate before him. ‘You pierce my heart with thorns!’ She sobbed inconsolably. ‘If my chatter bothers you, I shall remain silent, but do not cast me out!’
“’Who cast you out, I say? My belly is empty--the hunt begins. Hunt well, and you shall remain. But do not call yourself my betrothed--the thought of breathing on your cheek makes me want to wretch!’
“Deeply hurt, he young lioness went into the North, into the land of the hyenas, and when the sentries challenged her to leave or die, she said, ‘All places are one to me. Do to me as it seems fit.’
“Her great sadness touched the hearts of the hyenas, and they allowed her to remain and eventually to be adopted into the clan. And for a long time Tashi stayed with them, learning their language and their customs. Because her heart was good, they came to love her like a clan sister, and her love for them was returned. But still there was an emptiness in her heart. She missed her old pride sisters and despite all she still loved King Negeb and prayed each night that he would love her in return.
“Aiheu was incensed with Negeb for his sins. In a cloud of anger which blotted the sun and sent thunder and lightning to shake the foundation of the earth, Aiheu revealed himself in all his glory to the king, who wailed with terror. ‘What is this that my servant has done? In foolishness have you increased, oh Negeb, and in foolishness shall you decrease. Suffering shall overtake you, son of Ulu, and with the measure you granted mercy shall mercy be granted to you. But for the sake of a good lioness who prays each night for you, I shall not rip you alive as I had wont to do.’
“As the days passed, Aiheu's meaning became apparent. The Lord's wrath burned from the heavens scorching the earth below. Plants withered and died under the assault, and animals became scarce. Only the hardy gemsbok remained, scrounging what nourishment they could from the dry earth. The kings lionesses preyed heavily upon the gemsbok, as they were their only source of food as well as moisture.