Original subtitles

A child speaks:

Nobody in Pama had wanted the war.

It just happened.

The Lion Child

When fear hit the village, I understood.

But it was too late.

And now I wonder if all of this happened because of me.

The wise men of Pama spoke sometimes of the horsemen

who came from the north.

They told that villages were destroyed,

children taken away,

without knowing what became of them.

Do not cry, Lena.

I'm tired.

Remember Lena, lion cubs don't cry.

I am not a lion. I'm not Sirga.

Oulé never cries.

I do not know how he does it.

There are times it's hard not to cry.

Go! Hurry!

Faster!

Hurry. Move on.

Hurry, hurry!

What's that? Come here, you.

What is it? Get rid of the girl.

What about him? The dog cheated me.

They shot him. See how they treat the merchandise.

Damaged goods. You're going to fix him.

Do your best to hide it.

Oulé moaned.

Yallah!

- You know what will happen to us? - No.

Do you think they will separate us?

- No. They can't. - Here we go. Come on.

Come on.

Go!

Enter!

Quickly. Go, go!

Quickly. Go. Wait there.

Come see, ladies and gentlemen. They arrived.

Aren't they beautiful? Approach.

Chouf, sidi.

Approach.

They are beautiful.

Chouf!

She is beautiful, isn't she?

Look at these children, they are beautiful.

Sidi! Come, my prince.

Come. I know what you want.

Look.

Come.

Come, my prince. Welcome.

I know what you want. She is beautiful. And her eyes!

She got bees in her eyes.

Open your eyes. Beautiful, huh?

And the boy

has muscles! He is strong, beautiful, healthy.

And she is sweet, and in good health!

Chouf.

I sell them together. I can not separate them.

5 dirhams. If you take the two.

5 dirhams. It's a bargain.

Not even the price of a white camel.

It's okay.

You made a good deal. You will not regret it.

This boy will bring you luck.

Oulé did not speak.

He hurt his shoulder.

Anyway, Oulé does not talk much.

Sometimes he is as strange as the great Yaba,

the messenger of the lions.

But I was happy to be with him.

Fissa, pronto.

I had never seen a house that big.

There must have been many people.

You could hear them, but no one knew where they were.

And the people we saw had strange heads.

Tie him. Tie him to the wheel!

I have to tie you up,

as if you couldn't manage on your own!

You understand? The wheel should never stop.

This is what the master wants.

Go.

The cry of the lion. Oulé cries like a lion from the back of his throat.

His father, Moko Kaouro, told me:

"Never forget, Lena: Oulé is sometimes like a lion.

You can't do anything about it. Nor can he."

It is a history that dates back from his birth.

A story that is linked to our earth.

Pama, that's the land of the lions.

The village was on their land.

Ah Bambara!

At Pama, the master was Nioro, the Lord of the lions.

And the queen was Ouara, the lioness.

Sama the elephant had always threatened Pama .

Moko told me.

The elephants were jealous of the lions territory .

When they attacked,

it was him, Moko Kaouro, the chief hunter,

who defended Pama.

Moko had brought Sama to his knees.

The elephants had learned their lesson.

They would not return to the territory of the lions.

Since then, Pama,

the people and the lions, lived in peace.

Moko had an offering for the queen.

Because now the lions were guarding the village.

All this had happened just before the birth of Oulé.

Tamani!

Tamani warn Moko:

When the next moon rises

thou shalt deliver twins.

Twins! Do you realize?

Twins!

So hunters have built a cradle for two,

with a beautiful head of a lioness so that Ouara might protect

Tamani and Moko's twins.

Yes, the story began well before Oulé's birth,

in the village, but also in the bush.

It is said that jackal Lacma has such bad breath,

that even his shadow turns away from him.

But he is the sorcerer, and all animals listen to him.

He kept watch all night

near Queen Ouara and Lord Nioro.

At dawn, he dashed through the

Baoulé forest to spread the news.

He went to find Téné, the cheetah,

Bouki, the hyena,

and Golo, the monkey.

To all inhabitants of the bush he announced

that next full moon Ouara the lioness

will bring two little princes in the world.

But in Pama the sorcerers had been wrong.

Tamani had only one child,

a baby shining like red copper.

Because of its color, Moko called him Oulé, Oulé the Red.

In the bush the jackal was also wrong.

Ouara has only one a child: a blond princess

as bright-eyed as Sirga, the morning star.

Nioro named his daughter Sirga.

Sirga, the name

the birds carried in their flight

and spread all over the land of the lions.

"Sirga the lioness is among us."

The cradle was too big for a single baby.

Tamani often saw Oulé turn

to the brother or sister he didn't have.

Sirga when playing with her mom, also sought for the

unborn little brother or sister.

Mmm, mmm...

Oulé was very greedy.

It seemed he ate for two.

And Sirga like Oulé, drank all the milk of her mother.

Although the sorcerer's wish did not come through,

and Tamani had only one baby,

but like Moko, she loved him twice as much.

Kroo.

Here, I brought you some milk.

Drink it, and watch my baby.

Tamani possessed the sign of the snake, the sign which Oulé will inherit.

No snake would ever attack her.

Snakes are their friends.

Here, you'll be safe.

You do not risk anything.

Sleep in peace. I'll be back soon.

But Tamani had no idea that on that day,

the bush had planned something else.

Kroo, the snake is hungry. Greedy, but not stupid.

But for one bowl of milk, he did not want to tangle with the queen.

OK, Oulé. I'm here.

Oulé.

Did Kroo drink it all?

Come on.

And say: thank you Kroo.

Now Sirga knew how to find Oulé.

That was what the bush had foreseen.

Tamani, Ouara was here with Sirga.

The old bush knows what she's doing.

They need a brother and a sister, these two children.

But, it's a boy and a lion, Moko.

If the bush has decided that Ouara's daughter will be Oulé sister,

neither you nor I can do anything about it.

Oulé and Sirga had met.

Later, with her, he would learn the secrets of the bush,

kept by the wind and the bees.

The bush knows what she does: He who can talk to the bees

will be cured by them.

And he who understands the language of the wind

will fly with him out of reach of danger.

Papa.

Oulé!

Oulé!

Oulé sleeps all day like a big cat.

Tamani promised me: when Oulé would grow up,

he would play with me.

So, I waited for Oulé to grow up.

Oulé! You are initiated.

The forest is my home. The forest is my home.

Oulé was much bigger now.

But the more he grew, the less I saw of him.

Lena come.

Tell me, what is Oulé doing in the bush?

He is still with her, huh?

He loves Sirga more... than me?

Oulé must learn to hunt like his father.

He must know all the secrets of the forest and animals.

Oulé already knew.

He told me about his hunting with Sirga.

Sirga!

Sirga stay around here. Among the rocks.

Oulé and Sirga used to hunt together

like a couple of foxes.

The antelopes had to learn to be on their guard.

They were dealing with a hunter

with 2 heads and 6 legs.

They were dealing with a hunter with long claws.

A hunter who could imitate their call.

Well done!

Moko was proud with Oulé. He had nothing more to teach him..

His son knew secrets that no man ever learned.

You see, Sirga? It went well!

The next will be a buffalo. Okay?

Are you tired?

Okay, see you later.

I go eat.

Bring that box over there.

- Wait, it is not cooked. - This is sweet.

- You stay with me? - If you want.

Oulé!

I could see he was always thinking about Sirga.

I too thought about her. But I had never seen her.

He had never wanted to take me.

I fooled you Ouara. You thought it was Sirga!

These herbs make a black color.

You make it yellow, Lena?

You say nothing? Good.

I don't want to talk about her. You're just jealous.

I don't talk to her about you either.

You too are jealous?

You are sulking as well Sirga?

Look Sirga. Look.

Look at yourself.

You're not pretty when you sulk.

Ouara! Ouara!

What's wrong with Sirga?

Ouara, tell me why Sirga doesn't want to play with me?

Do you know why?

Sirga!

Till tomorrow, Sirga.

See you tomorrow.

- Oulé, you want to play? - No, I don't want to.

Oulé, what are you thinking about?

Nothing.

Why don't you eat?

I'm not hungry.

Oulé knew everyone in the bush.

He even became friends with the bees

and they gave him honey.

Oulé had understood I was unhappy.

But it did not change anything.

He preferred to be with his lioness.

He was always with her.

I wanted Oulé never to see Sirga again.

So, I made a wish.

Sirga,

what's wrong?

Yes, I made a wish.

And everything happened at the same time.

Yes, it all happened at the same time.

I forbid to hunt with traps.

How do you know what animals pass here?

- No... - Shut up!

Silence!

- It's a storm. - Silence!

It's not a storm. It's Nioro the lion.

Go to the village and get the big net. And you...

Everything happened very quickly.

Nioro the lion was trapped and the hunters

couldn't stand up to them.

The elephants attacked Pama again.

Knowing that the men couldn't stand up to them.

And the elephants felt strong.

Sirga!

Oulé like Moko, brought Sama to his knees.

Oulé and Sirga had fought together.

Together they had won.

But it was of no use.

Now let me do it.

Pull!

Gently.

No! No!

Stop!

Gently Nioro.

Gently. It's me, Moko Kaouro.

I will remove the arrows.

Gently. You must live, Nioro. It's okay.

Moko Kaouro could not save Nioro.

Lightning struck and killed the lion king.

Moko trusted his body to the river Theou,

so the vultures would leave it in peace.

Ouara! Ouara!

Sirga!

Sirga!

Moko! Moko!

Moko!

Moko! The lions are gone.

I know, Oulé. And Sirga?

She left without a word.

This is a bad omen, wife.

You see, for many years, there was nothing here.

It was your grandfather who built this village.

He too was a great hunter.

Oulé,

Don't ever forget you have the power of the lion in you.

And as long as you're living, Pama will live.

The old men did not understand. It had never happened before.

Never had the lions left their land.

The old men were not afraid, but knew that misfortune had struck on Pama.

Sirga is gone.

She'll come back.

Are you sure she will come back?

Yes, of course.

Sirga will come back, some day.

It's true, I would like her to come back.

The sorcerer questioned Filafou the spider.

She replied: "Beware of silence,

rather than noise."

She said nothing more.

Yaba.

Yaba, the lion's messenger, came to the village.

Why did he come?

To announce a message from the lions?

But Yaba said nothing.

He seemed as lost as the men.

So then went Moko went to ask "The One Who Can Tell".

The large granite rock that sits on the land of Pama.

Like an ear.

But for the first time in men's memory,

the great stone was silent.

Samba rest on the rock there.

Oulé?

- Yes? - Come.

There are bad things happening in the bush.

What do you know?

- You know things? - Yes.

You also know the bush.

I do not know nothing.

So, look:

I'll tell you the secret of fire and you master your heart.

Because the fire will cool your blood.

I remove the fire from this stick.

Look.

So hold the stick and look closely.

Now what?

And now the fire still burns the stick.

You see?

Ashes.

It is you who will guard the secret for Pama.

Cut the throats of the horses!

Today our village has disappeared.

Pama no longer exists.

There is nothing left in the land of the lions.

But I know now that all that happened was not because of me.

Now I am prisoner, like many here in this palace.

But Oulé is not with me.

This is the home of Bluebird!

The people here will kill you

if you open it.

It is a bird from the desert.

It is he who will guide you on your journey.

- It is enclosed here. There. - Hey!

The genie of the wind is locked in this cage.

It must always kept closed.

If it opens, the genie will escape

causing tornadoes, erasing the traces of travelers.

And travelers will get lost. Now go back to work.

Go!

Oulé, Oulé.

You who speak with the spirits,

set us free.

Set us free, Oulé.

Set us free.

In this palace, the wind, like Oulé, was a prisoner.

But the bush had not only taught Oulé the language of the wind,

but also the language of the bees.

Oulé is cured. He regained his strength.

If he wants, he can leave.

The people in the palace do not even realize this.

They think about the party

given by the prince for the marriage of his daughter.

Salaam Alaikum.

Oulé!

It's the honey that cured him.

Even if that is the case, he has a power over men.

What power?

The prince's counselors refuse to believe the wise men.

Oulé is innocent, he can't be dangerous.

Bees bite.

The wise men consult the sand.

And the sand tells them:

a child that came through the desert.

He knows the language of beasts and spirits as well.

This child is stronger than the sorcerer.

And if the prince, as powerful, holds him captive,

the palace will disappear.

In any case, they are warned.

No more captive. No more palace, no more prince.

No more palace, no more prince!

My little friend!

My little friend, they are scared! No more prince, no more palace!

Oulé!

Oulé!

Ah!

- They are taking me away! - Do not cry, Lena.

Trust me.

Whatever happens, do not worry, the wind will look after you.

At full moon, I'll meet you at the rocks of Manata.

Promised.

Come! Come!

Oulé!

You know why I came? I came to set you free.

And you will take Lena. And I will find

her at the rocks of Manata.

My eyes were stinging.

However, I did not cry.

It is the sand and the wind who have carried

me as if I was weightless.

I floated so fast through the air, then everything calmed down

and my feet touched the ground.

It is night. I expect Oulé. He will come.

Tomorrow morning,

people of the prince will

take you to a country from where no one returns.

You will have to endure the ordeal of the mountain.

They will drug you and leave you.

I give you the fire stone.

I know that you

will overcome the mountains.

You will reach the land of Youbi Yaba.

I who speak to you,

I almost reached this famous land of Youbi Yaba.

I was young, like you are.

I had just been captured.

You do not know, my boy, what it is to be captured.

But...

the land of Youbi Yaba,

Oura Koundou, the land of the lions...

Ouara.

Ouara.

The land of the lions.

Sirga!

Sirga!

Gently.

Sirga...

Sweetie.

Ow!

There, slowly...

Sirga look.

Let's go.

Quickly Sirga! Hurry!

Hyenas! Go ahead, Sirga!

Oulé!

- Lena! - Oulé...

- Did they hurt you? - No. It's okay.

I knew you'd come.

Drink, Lena.

Drink.

Tomorrow, Lena, tomorrow we will be in the village.

You take Sirga to Pama?

The lioness, is she still jealous?

Always.

- Tell her to stop growling. - Stop, Sirga.

Stop.

Oulé...

I'll build you a house.

Subtitles by Subransu