L'enfant lion (1993)

The story begins with a group of horsemen from the North, bringing several captured children whom they intend to sell as slaves. Two of them, Léna and Oulé, are sold together to a wealthy prince. Léna then tells their story through her memories: They once lived in Pama, the Land of Lions. Their tribe had established its village on its own land. After protecting Pama from Sama the Elephant and his herd by killing a large bull, Moko, Oulé’s father, made peace between his tribe and the lions while making an offering—a gazelle—to Ouara, the clan’s queen. Léna continues, saying that Moko and Tamani were supposed to have twins, and that, among the lions, Ouara and Nyogo, the lion lord, were supposed to have two little princes. But in the end, Tamani had only one son, Oulé, and Ouara had a daughter whom she and Nyogo named Sirga. One day, the Bush brought Oulé and Sirga together, and a bond like that between siblings grew between the two babies. Moko and Ouara let their children play together without fear. The years passed, and Oulé and Sirga grew up like true brother and sister, playing, hunting, and sleeping together. Léna grew up too, becoming Oulé’s friend and then, very soon, falling in love with him. But Oulé spent almost all his time with Sirga. Léna became jealous, and one day she secretly followed Oulé. She met Sirga. Instinctively, the two girls disliked each other: Sirga roared to drive Léna away and sulked when Oulé came to see her. Léna would sulk at her too. Rejected by his friend and his sister, Oulé fell into sadness. Oulé and Sirga would eventually make up, just as disaster was approaching... At the same time, Moko was furious with his hunters when he discovered they had set traps despite his having forbidden them to do so. He discovered that Nyogo had fallen into one of them and set out with his hunters to free him. Meanwhile, Sama and his herd of elephants returned to conquer Pama, knowing that this time the humans would not be able to stop them. Oulé prepared to defend Pama alongside the lion herd. But the elephants, more numerous and stronger, killed several lions during the battle. A large bull advanced toward Oulé. Sirga attacked, leaping onto his back to protect herself from his tusks and trunk. Oulé killed the elephant—Sama or one of his companions—by piercing him with his spear, just as his father had done before him. Frightened once again by the death of one of their own, the elephants fled. Meanwhile, Moko and his hunters used a large net to haul Nyogo up and get him out of the trap. But believing the humans had betrayed him, Nyogo clawed and killed one of them. The hunters shot two arrows at him before Moko stopped them, horrified by what his warriors had just done. Moko tried to restore trust between himself and Nyogo. But suddenly the sky darkened, and lightning struck Nyogo, killing him. Sensing her companion’s death, Ouara could only roar with grief and anger. Grieving the loss of his friend, Moko gave his body to the river so it would be kept from scavengers. Shortly afterward, Oulé went to the lions’ territory and discovered that they had left, including Ouara and Sirga. He warned Moko, who understood that this was a bad omen. Léna tried to comfort Oulé, telling him that Sirga would return. With the lions no longer there to protect them, Moko posted lookouts in various places to warn of future danger. Moko told his son that he had the strength of the lions and that as long as he lived, Pama would live. One of the village sorcerers taught Oulé the secret of Fire. Soon afterward, the danger the tribe feared arrived: the Horsemen of the North. They had wrapped their horses’ hooves to move quietly while Moko and his warriors prepared for battle. The horsemen launched their attack, and Moko and his warriors faced them. But the main body of horsemen circled around and killed them all by shooting them in the back, while a small group served as a diversion. Oulé tried to escape, but a horseman shot him, wounding him in the shoulder and capturing him. Moko could only watch his son being taken by force before dying of his wound. The horsemen used the villagers’ fire to set the huts alight. The women and children fled in terror. The horsemen captured several children, including Léna, who was reunited with Oulé. What became of Tamani, the other women, or any children who may have escaped capture is unknown. Oulé could only watch his village go up in flames. Back in the present, Léna is shown sadly thinking about everything she has lost. She explains that Oulé has been separated from her in the palace. The Blue Bird, or Wind Spirit, contacts Oulé and asks him to free it and the other spirits from their cage. Oulé uses the language of bees, which he learned in the Bush, so that they will heal his wound. The prince and his magicians witness Oulé’s powers—first with the bees, and then when he easily masters a cobra, because his mother Tamani bears the sign of the serpent, meaning that no snake will ever attack Oulé and that snakes will be his friends. They are both impressed and terrified. The prince’s magicians tell him that if he keeps the child captive, the palace and everyone living in it will disappear beneath the sand. One night, while trying to get to Oulé, Léna is caught by a guard. As punishment, she is taken to an unknown place. Oulé agrees to free the Wind on the condition that it take Léna to the place where they arranged to meet. The Wind does so, unleashing a tornado that attacks the caravan and carries Léna away. Furious that Oulé has defied him several times, the prince orders one of his men to drug him and take him to the snow-covered mountains to die, leaving him with only a blanket and a spear for protection. But Oulé manages to overcome the ordeal in the mountains and make his way home. One night, he comes upon Pama’s lion herd, led by a new lion lord. Oulé finds Ouara and Sirga. After their reunion, Oulé and Sirga find Léna surrounded by hyenas, having made a fire to keep them at bay. Oulé and Sirga drive the hyenas away and save her. Oulé puts an end to the jealousy between Sirga and Léna. The story ends with Léna and Oulé happy to be going home, accompanied by Sirga.