LUCAS THE LION
THE RAIN AND THE COMB
To the kids of Yamba who have patiently listened as I’ve tried to teach
them English; who have endured my poor attempts to speak in Kiswahili
with good humour and who are mostly nothing like Lucas at all.
LUCAS THE LION
THE RAIN AND THE COMB
Once upon a time there was a lion called Lucas who lived in a small village called Yamba
which was high up in the Usambara Mountains in Tanzania.
Like most young lions, Lucas wanted a comb to brush his mane.
So, early one morning he left his home in Yamba and set off for Milingano Market.
On his way down the steep mountainside, he met Kadja, a talking bird who was perched
on a big tree. Kadja was a very wise and very old bird. “Where are you going?” he
squawked to Lucas. “I’m on my way to Milingano Market to buy a comb for my mane”
Lucas replied. “You have a beautiful mane” said Kadja “but I see you’re not wearing any
shoes on your paws. It looks like it’s going to rain later. If I was you, I would buy some
shoes for your paws, for if it rains you’ll find it difficult to climb back up the mountain”.
“Rain. Pah! Shoes. Pah!” said Lucas to himself as he continued to climb down the great
mountain. “What is that old bird talking about? I don’t need any shoes. It’s not raining
now. I want a comb to brush my beautiful mane”.
Lucas had climbed about half way down the mountain when he met Mzee Mbuzi who was
grazing on his shamba. “Where are you going?” he bleated to Lucas. “I’m on my way to
Milingano Market to buy a comb for my mane” Lucas replied. “You have a beautiful
bushy mane” he said to Lucas “but I see you’re not wearing any shoes on your paws. It
looks like it’s going to rain later. If I was you, I would buy some shoes for your paws, for
if it rains, you’ll find it difficult to climb back up the mountain”.
“Rain. Pah! Shoes. Pah!” said Lucas to himself as he continued to climb down the great
mountain. “What is that old goat talking about? I don’t need any shoes. It’s not raining
now. I want a comb to brush my beautiful bushy mane”.
Lucas had nearly reached the bottom of the great mountain when he met Kikongwe
Kombe who was sunbathing on a giant rock. “Where are you going?” he called to Lucas.
“I’m on my way to Milingano Market to buy a comb for my mane” Lucas replied. “You
have a big bushy beautiful mane” he said to Lucas “but I see you’re not wearing any
shoes on your paws. It looks like it’s going to rain later. If I was you, I would buy some
shoes for your paws, for if it rains, you’ll find it difficult to climb back up the mountain”.
“Rain. Pah! Shoes. Pah!” said Lucas to himself as he continued to climb down the great
mountain. “What is that old tortoise talking about? I don’t need any shoes. It’s not
raining now. I want a comb to brush my big bushy beautiful mane”.
When Lucas eventually arrived at Milingano Market he saw many colourful things for
sale. He saw radios and razors, buckets and balls, combs and clocks and sandals and
shoes. “It’s still sunny” he said to himself “I don’t need any shoes. I want a comb to
brush my big bushy beautiful mane”.
So, he decided to ignore the wise old bird’s advice. He decided to ignore Mzee Mbuzi’s
and Kikongwe Kombe’s advice too. “What do they know?” he thought “they’re just
jealous because they don’t have big bushy beautiful manes”.
“Please may I have a comb to brush my big bushy beautiful mane?” he said to the man
selling combs. “Yes. You may. 500 shillings please.” Lucas handed over a 500 shilling
note. He was very happy and he decided to climb back up the mountain so that he could
tell all his friends in Yamba about his new comb.
Lucas walked past Kikongwe Kombe who was still sunbathing on the giant rock. “It’s still
sunny you old fool. I don’t need any shoes” he called to the tortoise as he climbed past
him.
Lucas walked past Mzee Mbuzi who was still grazing on his shamba. “It’s not raining you
silly old goat. I don’t need any shoes” he jeered as he clambered past him.
Lucas walked past Kadja who was still perched on the big tree. “What were you talking
about you crazy old bird? It’s not raining.” he mocked as he scrambled past him.
But just then, when Lucas had climbed about half way up the mountain, the rain began
to pour. “Oh dear” thought Lucas “my mane will get matted and knotted”. He took
another few steps up the mountain but it was getting very wet and slippery. “Oh dear”
he thought “if I slip over, my mane will get dirty and muddy”. He took another few
steps. “Oh dear” he thought “if I lose my footing, I will slip and slide all the way back
down the great mountain!”
Slip. Bang. Whollop! Lucas lost his footing and started to bump and tumble back down
the mountain.
He skidded past Kadja who was sheltering under the leaves of the big tree.
He tumbled past Mzee Mbuzi who was sheltering under an umbrella on his shamba.
He bounced past Kikongwe Kombe who was sheltering inside his shell on the giant rock.
He skidded and tumbled and bounced all the way back down the mountain to Milingano.
“Oh dear” he thought “maybe I should have listened to the advice of my elders!”