Mufasa had a scar on his leg. One day, he saw his son, Simba, on some rocks. Mufasa went over. “I am going to tell you how I got this scar,” said Mufasa. Simba lifted his head. Mufasa started, “I was leaping about, being silly. I knew that there were thorny plants around. But I was showing off.” Simba smiled. “I leaped even more. I was leaping further, but I thought that I wouldn’t be able to fall in those plants. I leapt far but then saw this bush coming to me! I lifted most of my self, but my leg got scratched. And I still have it now.” “Bet it tort you not to show off!” said Simba. Mufasa laughed. Mufasa went inside. Simba was puzzled. How would he handle being a king? He sighed, and jumped onto a rock. 
Not yet, I won’t, but someday I’ll be king,
How’ll I handle all that king stuff?
It will be hard and everything-
Also all the fans and buff! Oh!
How’ll I cope?
How’ll I manage?
Ruling must be harder than it sounds,
Will that be success or just a miraaage?
I want things to go well!
And things to goo-oo swell!

Simba was going to go inside.

How’ll I cope?
How’ll I deal?
With all the stuff I’ll have to doo-oo?
Will alllll-this really appeal?

He comes in and looks at his father.

I want things to go well,
And things to go swell,
How willll-I cope?


The next day, Simba wanted to practice being king. “But what does a king do?” he said to himself. “Well…” He heard this voice and then saw Nala-his best friend, come out. “…a king should be nice and when he is still a cub he should play with his best friend.” “No, Nala,” said Simba. Nala lifted her head, puzzled and surprised. “I am practicing being king.” “Can I help?” asked the wonderful little cub. She was a lovely, helping, magnificent cub, who loved Simba. She seemed powder-puffed and was a beautiful cub. “I guess you can pretend to be a pride lander who needs the king’s help,” said Simba. Nala thanked him and ran further away. Soon Simba saw her coming towards him. “King, I have bad news!” she said as she came. “What is it?” Simba said. “I saw that Zazu is coming!” “The best thing I can tell you to do is to run!” Simba went running away with Nala. The screaming cubs ran to the top of another hill and started down, but they saw Zazu starting to land a bit further in front of them! The cubs ran back the other way and ran in some long grass. “We got away before he saw us!” said Simba. They were scared. When Zazu was with them, he would talk about what other animals were doing and how he was feeling and ask them silly questions. He was really annoying to them. “I think he’s gone,” said Simba. They started coming out, but Simba found Zazu pointing him in the face. “Master Simba! Why were you hiding?” he asked. Simba didn’t say anything. “Well, it’s time to tell you cubs the morning report.” Simba turned his head to Nala. She was sighing. “Hey, Nala, what’s wrong?” Simba asked while and after he was coming over to her. “Simba, you didn’t save us from Zazu,” Nala said, “I think a king would try to do better.” Simba felt not too happy. “But,” Nala said, “thanks for trying. And that can help you practice.” Simba smiled at her. “Excuse me!” Zazu pushed past, “let me tell you the morning report!” The cubs followed him. They strolled along the hills, the sun shining down, but not too hot. Then Simba had an idea. “Zazu!” Zazu flew down. “Master Simba! I was telling about those ostriches having these races!” Then Zazu smiled. He was sorry. “Just stay here,” said Simba, “you are scratching the ground!” Zazu saw that he was. He smiled shamefully. “I like it. Do you want to?” At that Simba started another song.

We don’t need advice from little hornbills for a start!
You can get advice on me, and I say play!

“Now that’s very bossy,” said Zazu.

See, do the things my way!

Simba went running off. Nala and Zazu looked at each other. Then they started following him. 

Nala-Hey, wait Simba!  

Zazu- Yes, master Simba!

Nala-Wait for me!

Zazu-We need to get to you!

Nala-So I can join!

Zazu-I need to tell you the morning report you see-ee!

Simba-It’ll be great to be king!

Nala and Zazu looked up at Simba. He was high up in some trees, leaping about! Then he started doing stunts! “We’ve got to do something, Zazu!” said Nala. 

Simba-Now they’re trying to get me down,

Zazu-Yes we are

Simba-But I’ll just go higher!
He climbed higher
Look, guys! Hey, don’t be a sigher!

Zazu-Of course we are because of you!

Nala-Simba stop, come down to me and Zazu!

Simba started swinging on vines. 

Simba-It’ll be great being king!

Nala and Zazu watched worriedly, and turned round to see other animals singing along!

Simba-Oh, it’ll be great being king!

Then he leapt into the air!

Simba-It’ll just be great being king!

Then Zazu and Nala saw him heading for them! They were going to move, but it was too late! Simba crashed into them! They were muddled up. “I’ve changed my mind about being king,” said Simba. Then the cubs ran off before Zazu got up.

They thought they had lost Zazu. “Quick, Nala,” said Simba, “just in case, let’s go back to where we were hiding earlier.” They ran back to the long grass. They watched through the grass, but didn’t see Zazu. Nala kept watching, though. Simba turned, after he had yawned from bored ness, and saw a jungle. Nala was still watching for Zazu. Simba decided to go in the jungle. He looked around. He walked in a bit more. He looked around, again. “Nala!” he called. “Simba?” Nala’s faint voice called back. Nala started coming, too. Then she met up with Simba. “Come on, Nala,” he said, “let’s explore more!” They walked on. “Zazu will never find us!” said Simba. “Yeah!” said Nala, “we can hide from him in here!” They came to a part where the ground was covered in moss. The cubs smiled at each other. “We are going to have fun!” Simba leaped on the moss and then Nala came, too. The laughing cubs wrestled, rolled around and just lay on it. But the wall of plants there were a bit see through. “Zazu could be able to see us if we are here,” said Simba, “Let’s go somewhere else.” The cubs walked through the mysterious place. Nala looked around. She was scared. “Nala,” said Simba, “that moss place can be the soft-play room. Let’s find somewhere else to be a room.” A bit later, they came to another spot. But it looked to neat, except for the old eaten fruit. Nala was scared. Then, they heard what sounded like someone saying, “Come on, Pumbaa.” Nala screamed and started running the way they came. Simba was trying to go with her. Nala and he kept running ahead, until Simba thought they were lost. Nala looked around franticly, then started running through a part. “Nala!” said Simba, “wait!” He looked around, and saw the way she went, but it looked like a dead end! Simba was full of fear. He saw another passage, and he knew that that wasn’t the way they’d come, but he’d go there anyway. He kept running. He didn’t see Nala. Then he came to a wall of plants. It seemed like a dead end, but Simba went through anyway, but slowed down. It was hard going through the plants. Then he came to another passage. He started running again. He kept running but tripped on some rocks! He got up. He looked around. “I must have lost them,” he said. He walked forward. He was terribly lost. The fun hiding spot had led to far away, away from the pride lands! He had run so much, and he and Nala had walked a long way by the time they heard the sound. Simba was tired, so he lay down. Tears were streaming down his face. “What’s wrong, kid?” Simba lifted his head. He was scared. He didn’t turn his head. Therefore, the animals came to the front of him. Simba was relieved. It was just a warthog and meerkat. “Oh,” Simba said gloomily, “I’m lost!” The warthog wanted to help. “My name is Pumbaa,” he said, “This is my buddy, Timon.” “I’m Simba.” Then Simba remembered something. “Pumbaa?” he said, “I heard someone saying something like ‘come Pumbaa’ or something. You-Timon, say something.” “Hello, kid,” Timon said. 
“That’s the voice we heard,” said Simba. 
“We?” asked Timon, puzzled.
“I was with my best friend, Nala. We heard Timon, and we got scared. Nala disappeared. I came here. I must be very lost. And, do you have some place with old eaten fruit?”
“Yes,” said Pumbaa, “I sometimes sleep there. When Timon is still awake, making noise.” 
Timon and Pumbaa saw that Simba was sad. “Hey,” said Timon, “we’ll help you survive.” Simba turned his head. “I guess I’ll have to stay here for a long time,” he said, “I hope not too long.” 
Timon and Pumbaa brought him to their home. It was quite neat. Pumbaa went off to collect some leaves and stuff to make a spot for Simba. Simba and Timon waited. Simba was starting to think that he may stay here forever, or at least a long time. Timon decided to try and find something to cheer Simba up. Now Simba was alone. He decided to rest, and maybe sleep. 
Timon was looking at some sticks. “Gee,” he said, “Maybe Simba would like to play with these.” He picked one up. “Naa.” He dropped it and went to look for something else. He started thinking. Suddenly, he screamed and ran off. He hit into Pumbaa. “Timon?” said Pumbaa, “What’s wrong?” “Pumbaa!” Timon yelled in his ears, “That cub is going to stay with us forever!” Pumbaa was puzzled. “He is going to rely on us to help him survive!” yelled Timon, “He will never leave!” 
“Oh, come on, Timon,” said Pumbaa, “He will remember the way back, soon.”

  * * * 
Pumbaa and Timon didn’t know that Simba would stay with them this long. Simba was now an adult! He decided that he’d try and find the way back. “Bye guys,” he said. Timon and Pumbaa said good-bye, and Simba leaped onto the rocks and went off. 
Simba would miss Timon and Pumbaa, but he had relied on them, and now he was going to try and help himself find his home. He then remembered that when he got home, that he’d be king! And he’d get to see Nala again! He laughed at the thought of Zazu. When he was king, whenever Zazu wanted to tell of the morning report, he could just tell Zazu to stop or he could say no. But he would miss Pumbaa and Timon. And now how was he going to survive? He had been relying on Timon and Pumbaa for so long. He sighed and jumped down a rock. He walked on. All this time, he had been moving more away from that place he had found when he was a cub. He wanted to try and find it. Then, he heard a noise. He looked back the way he had come. Then he looked to the one side where it was more forest like. He looked ahead. He saw something move! He turned his head to the other side and saw a young giraffe! He was at first scared, then just started carrying on. “Wait!” the giraffe called. 
Simba turned. The giraffe was juvenile. “Me and my parents heard about you,” she said, “I’m a friend of Pumbaa. We wanted to help you. And since you were friends with Timon and Pumbaa, you shouldn’t be dangerous.” 
“What’s your name?” asked Simba.
“Eleganca,” replied the giraffe.
“Can you help me find a place like tunnels, and very mossy?”
“I will try and help you find it! My parents know that I would probably help you, so they don’t have to worry. Pumbaa actually told us about you!” Simba smiled. But Simba didn’t know how this giraffe could help him. The tunnel place was far away. “Please let me help,” said Eleganca, “I know some mossy places.”
Simba followed her. She galloped through the grass land. Simba thought that wherever they were going, that it wouldn’t be the same place, because they were going even further away. “Stop!” he said, “It can’t be that way. Follow me!” Now Simba went running, back into the more forest like place. Eleganca followed him. Simba went onto a slope, and down below was Timon and Pumbaa. “What are you doing back?” asked Pumbaa. “Well, I wasn’t going to go back to you,” said Simba, “but maybe you can help. Do you remember where that mossy place was?” “Simba,” said Timon, “we’ve moved on since then. It’s far away now.” 
“Well, I’m still going to try and find it,” Simba said.
Simba started leaping away. “Hey, wait!” said Timon. 
“He wants to go home,” said Eleganca.
Then she followed Simba. Soon, Simba sat down to rest. “I have to go home and become king,” he said, “I have to find the Pride Lands!” He and Eleganca started going off again. But, in the bushes, was another lion, named Scar. “I have to stop that lion,” he said, “so that I can become king!”

“I have to get back to become king!” said Simba. Eleganca frowned. They walked on. Simba was getting impatient. “I need to become king!” he said. Eleganca frowned, then lifted her heard. “Don’t you care about seeing your mother and father?” she asked, “or seeing your best friend that Pumbaa told me about? You just care about becoming king!” Simba didn’t know what to say. “If you just care about being king,” said Eleganca, “then I won’t help you!” Simba didn’t say anything. Eleganca started going away. When she was gone, Simba said to himself, “I do care about my father and mother, and Nala. I just also want to be king.”

Eleganca was walking through some green grass. “He just cares about being king!” she said to herself, “I would care about my mother and father.” 

I don’t want to help someone who just cares for himself,
I won’t help someone who’s mean,
I only help those who are kind,
Like those nice cheetahs I’ve seen

Eleganca went to some cheetahs that were lost. She helped them find their parents.

I like to help nice ones!
They deserve it more!
I like helping them,
I’ve done it now, and before!
I only want to help those who are kind,
I love helping those who are sweet,
They deserve it,
I’ll try and help them, if they’re in the heat.

She burst out of flower bushes. 

I like to help nice ones!
They deserve it more!
I have to help them,
I did it when I was young, and now I do it more!
I only want to help those who are kind,
I love helping those who are unselfish,
I only help those who are kind,
Helping them is my wish!
I like to help nice ones!

She sighed and started walking away, but Scar came in front of her! “Giraffe,” he said, “where is that lion?” 
“Simba?” Eleganca asked.
“Probably,” said Scar, “can you take me to him?”
“What do you want?” asked Eleganca.
“Take me to him!” Scar was angry. Eleganca backed away. Then she started running away. “Simba!” she called. Scar was running after her. “I need to get to the Pride lands first,” said Scar, “so that I can become king!” Eleganca found Simba. Simba saw Scar coming. “Hide!” he told Eleganca. Eleganca ran off. She passed Timon and Pumbaa. “Timon,” said Pumbaa, “what’s happening?” “I don’t know,” said Timon, “but let’s find out! Come on, pig boy!” Timon jumped onto Pumbaa and they started going off. 
Scar had come to Simba. “What do you want?” asked Simba. 
“I want to go to the Pride Lands first,” said Scar, “so that I can be king.” 
“I don’t really need to be king,” said Simba, “but my parents want me to be. So I have to take my place!” 
“I’ve never been king,” said Scar, “let’s have a fight and whoever wins, gets to be king! Of course we won’t kill each other, but whoever gives up first, is the loser.” 
Scar leaped at Simba. The fight began. Timon and Pumbaa showed up. Scar swiped one of his claws over one of Simba’s leg. “My father!” said Simba. Mufasa had shown up! He leaped onto Scar. Simba and his father worked together, and they won. Scar ran off. Eleganca came out. “Simba,” she said, “I heard what you said. That you don’t have to be king.” Simba smiled. “Simba,” said Mufasa, “we were quite worried about you. I’ll show you the way back.” Simba went to Timon and Pumbaa. “Come on guys,” he said, “come live in the Pride Lands.” Timon and Pumbaa were happy to. Simba said good-bye to Eleganca, and after she said good-bye to him, she went to her parents who had come. 

  * * *
Simba came home. Sarabi rubbed up against her son. Timon and Pumbaa were having fun in the grass. Simba then saw Nala come out of Pride Rock. “Simba!” She ran over to him. She rubbed up against him. “How did you get out of the tunnels?” Simba asked for fun and curiosity. “Jumped over the plants,” she said, “and what was the noise we heard?”
“That was Timon and Pumbaa down there,” Simba said. 
Simba was king. And he was with his parents and best friend, who became his wife.