“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.”
Togo said, “Kind of like Avina?”
“Yes, only poor Avina died surrounded by enemies. You missed a lot not knowing her.” Isha patted his cheek with her paw. “An elderly baboon shaman was passing through the kingdom to bless cubs. Mano sought him out and fell before him, begging him to help.
“’Shall I bless you, my child?’
“’A zebra broke my mother’s jaw!’ Mano sobbed. ‘She can’t eat! You must help her!’
“The baboon looked at him sadly. ‘It is the order of things that some die young. Only Aiheu himself can conquer death.’
“’Where can I find Aiheu?’
“’Do you think the mighty Aiheu will give you audience? Do you not know the bargain made by your grandfather that pleasure is worth pain, and that the two are brothers? That pain is the price of pleasure?’
“’But if I gave him a gift?’ Mano insisted. ‘Surely he would let my mother live if I gave him a gift! Something to trade for my mother’s life?’
“The old one said, ‘It would take something of equal value. You would have to die in her stead, but no one has ever proposed such a thing.’
“’Then I will be the first,’ Mano said. ‘My life for hers. Now sir, tell me where I may find Aiheu.’
“’It is not simple,’ the baboon said. ‘He is in the distant east, a journey fraught with danger and challenge. And if you would see him, you must be quick, for if your mother’s jaw is broken, she will die within the week. In your dreams you shall see a vision where to find the Lord, and it will give you true guidance if your heart is pure and your courage is strong.’”
Kombi asked, “Is this a true story?”
“All of my stories are true unless I tell you they are not. Listen carefully--you may learn something.” She continued:
“Mano went to his mother to bid her farewell. She motioned for him to come near. ‘Take your place by my side, dearest son. Let me love you while my strength holds out, so you will remember me when you are old and tired.’”
A tear slid down Wajanja’s cheek. “That’s so sad!”
“Mano wept. ‘I could never forget you, Mother, but I cannot stay. I must go into the east to find Aiheu and bring you healing.’
“’Foolish, kind child, stay with me. I shall not live to see you return.’
“’Mother, I must go. If I stay here and watch you die, I will never be happy again. Bless me for my journey and pray for my success.’
“She put her paw on his cheek and blessed him, and he headed toward the land of the sunrise.