Одна из моих самых любимых глав
Бедный Така.....он так хотел быть счастливым
SCENE: A SIGN OF POWER
Six moons had passed since Muffy's chat with Rafiki. He and
Taka had grown in strength and size. This miracle was made all
the more evident by its speed. There was no difference from day
to day, but a clear, sharp memory of passing under a low branch
was no insurance against a bump on the head. The brothers, the
sons of the King, were attracting the attention of the others with
their strong, comely appearance.
Mufasa's pride was all out of proportion to the straggly
pioneering hairs that made his head and throat look somewhat
shaggier than the rest of his body. But that was matched by the
pride of his parents Ahadi and Akase. Ahadi insisted that he was
equally proud of Taka, and Taka wanted desperately to believe it.
Taka had a dark mane, something most lionesses consider very
attractive. Often his mother Akase told him that happiness was
more important than power, and if he had to choose one, go with
happiness. Taka saw the sense in this. He was often unhappy, but
he believed in his mother and in her love. And to a degree, he
believed Sarabi loved him though they were more prone to more
arguments than talks in recent days.
The Mantlement Ceremony is all that Ahadi and Akase seemed
to talk about--all everyone seemed to talk about. That first
trace of mane is for many male cubs a sign that they are about to
venture out into The Big World, and brings as many fears as it
does hopes. It is the wakening of their interest in lionesses as
more than playmates. For Mufasa, it was a step closer to the
kingship--the Prince was growing up. No one expected the brother
of Mufasa to go out into The Big World, and he, like Mufasa, would
be honored by all subjects in the Pride Lands as Prince Consort.
And yet there was no doubt that everyone of every species
would be staring at the future King. Taka's Mantlement was the
last big step that the public would take interest in, and he had
to endure it in the huge shadow of his brother.
Immersed in this thought, Taka sat alone on the point of
Pride Rock and looked down on the wide savanna below, now occupied
by a few wildebeests, but soon alive with bowing and scraping
subjects looking on their King-to-be. And that what's-his-name
brother of his--the one with the scar. Only recently had the
other lions begun to talk to him without staring at the eye. He'd
long passed the stage where those who were dying to know more
about it could ask, "How are you feeling?" or "Can I help?" Now
it was as healed as it would ever be, and they had gotten used to
it. But along with the familiarity came the rumors--mostly true--
about how he was marked, and the nickname Scar. Oddly enough, no
one blamed Mufasa in the least for what had happened to Taka's
eye. Instead they wondered who would be stupid enough to go into
a badger's hole in the first place. Everyone knew how badgers
act--that is, everyone with common sense.
"Hey, Taka!" said Mufasa, sitting alongside. "Thinking
about the big day tomorrow?"
"Yeah, sure."
"Well, you don't look too happy about it."
"I'm just fine," Taka said firmly. "I can't help the way I
look."
"Yeah, right." Mufasa hopped up lithely and sat on the
other side of Taka to look him in the eyes. "What's your problem?
I mean, it's your big day too. Everyone who's anyone will be
there to look at your new mane. Besides, the babes dig it! I
mean, without a mane you're just another kitten."
"You must think I'm really stupid," Taka said. "Who's going
to care about me? Half of them don't even know who I am. I'm
just that kid with the funny-looking eye."
"You help protect the Pride Lands," Mufasa said. "That's
important. And hey, if something happened to me, you'd have to be
King." He made a sweeping gesture with his paw over the empty
savanna. "They all know that. And they know they better treat
you with respect, or they'll have to answer to me."
Taka stared at Mufasa right in the eyes, something that made
his brother feel uncomfortable. Mufasa could almost feel Taka
looking right through him, examining his bones and sinews. He was
looking for something he could remember from long ago, from days
when friendship could be taken for granted in the innocence of
early cubhood. "Would you miss me if I died?"
"Of course I would," Mufasa said, a little irritated. "What
kind of stupid question is that?"
"Don't call me stupid! I hate it when people call me that!"
"I didn't call you stupid," Mufasa said, backing back.
"What is your problem, anyway? Go ahead and sulk--that's all you
ever do now. But you watch yourself tomorrow. You're the son of
the King, and you act like it. I don't want you spoiling my
Mantlement, understand?"
"I understand clearly. I won't spoil YOUR
Читать далее...