Tale of Kame, the Clever hare, (Episode 3)

The match to the Eldara for the Name Day celebrations.

Tale of Kame, the Clever hare. 

Episode 3 – Name Day 

Time had passed since Kame had been discovered. It was three years now since the floating basket, since the mysterious little creature drifting down River Leni. Back then, he was just a baby, helpless and unable to speak.  

He had been accepted into the Baboon clan in a meeting with the chief. In that meeting, the creature had been welcomed into the clan and along came the name, Kame. Seasons came, seasons passed. The Baboon clan had at this point celebrated three gathering festivals. 

Kame, in Mono and Kuya’s household, had grown. They raised him just as their own child, a fourth child, a younger brother to Rugo, Ram and Amal. He could now talk, he could now walk, he could now play. He noticed he looked different from the rest of his baboon family and clan but had been reassured by Kuya and Mono that he was their child, a part of them. 

This particular day was special. They called it, Name Day in the Animal Kingdom. Every year, each Animal Clan celebrated a Name Day. The Name Day signified recognition. It was the day young ones, from three to five years old, would be initiated into the ways of the clan and have their names entered into the ancient book of the clan.  

Each animal clan had an ancient book that kept the names of all clan members. This book was kept in the Library and looked after by the Library Clan. It was the role of the Library Keeper to attend each Name Day, recording the names of those being named and initiated. 

Name Day was very important, marked with a lot of festivity and jubilation in the Baboon clan. This year’s celebrations brought not only the festivity and jubilation in the Baboon village but also the visit of the King of the Animal Kingdom.  

Yes, the King from the Lion clan, the ruler of the whole kingdom, was attending. This would be the first time in so many years for the King to grace the event himself, given his busy schedule with kingdom matters. The Baboon Village buzzed with excitement and anticipation. 

Rugo and Ram had had their Name Day the previous year. This time it was Kame and Amal who were to be officially named. Amal had refused to be named alongside Rugo and Ram, choosing instead to wait for Kame. She did not want him to be named alone.  

She wanted him to feel included. She was ecstatic that it was finally happening—Kame and her were going to be named. 

At breakfast, the whole family gathered around a low wooden table, as always. Kuya sat with the children to make sure they ate to their fullest. Kame was restless; he had dreamt of this day and he had looked forward to it ever since he had been informed the previous year that he’d be named this year. He jumped around the table and Kuya struggled to feed him. 

“Is it true the King is coming?” he had asked over and over again and Kuya had patiently affirmed and reaffirmed the King’s promised presence. Each time, he’d ask what the King was like.  

“Okay, one more time: the King is big, with a golden mane and he is very gracious,” Kuya had replied to Kame the last time. The children were burning with curiosity to meet the King. None of them had ever met him, actually. He seldom visited the clan and when he did, it was always a reason for jubilation in the village. Every activity would come to a halt to honor the King. 

After the sumptuous breakfast, Mono went to put the final touches on the decorations, while Kuya prepared the children’s clothes for the day. Amal, Rugo, Kame and Ram ran about the house excitedly—playing, jumping. 

Soon Kuya emerged from the children’s bedroom with their clothes. “Hey children, has anyone of you seen Kame’s bow tie? It was with his coat when I placed it in your room.” 

“No,” Ram replied, unbothered, while continuing his game with Rugo, “we haven’t seen it, Mum.” 

Kame , at this point, stopped, looking anxious; he looked around at his siblings. 

“You’re sure you can’t find it?” Mono asked, pausing from his decoration touches. He had climbed onto a stool to organize the drapery on the wall. 

“I can’t find it,” she replied while placing the clothes on the dining table. She started to check the clothes again to see if it was misplaced among them. Mono climbed down from the stool. Kame walked to the dining table with Amal. Rugo and Ram, unfazed, just carried on playing around the house, running after each other. 

“I remember placing it in one of the coat pockets,” Mono said to Kuya. 

“Yah, I do,” Kuya replied as she started to recheck the pockets again. She was getting agitated. Mono stood watching her go through all the pockets. “It is not there,” she said to Mono as she finished checking the last one. 

Mono scratched his head. Kame’s eyes started to well with tears. Mono looked at Kame and said, “Oh no, Kame, don’t cry. We will find it,” he said to him while patting his shoulder. Kuya and Mono began looking around, checking under the cushions and on the table. But the bow tie was nowhere to be seen. Kame’s heart sank a little. He liked the bow tie—it made him feel like he belonged. 

After a pause, Mono said, “Kuya, let’s go check the room again; perhaps it’s fallen somewhere.” Kuya followed him to the room, leaving Kame and Amal at the dining table. 

“Don’t cry, Kame. They will find it,” Amal said to Kame. Seeing that their parents had gone to look for the bow tie, Rugo and Ram came to the table and joined Amal and Kame. 

“Now, are you going to cry because of a bow tie?” Rugo said to Kame mockingly. He turned to Ram, they laughed. 

“I’m not going to look smart without my bow tie,” Kame burst out. Rugo and Ram laughed loudly. 

“Look at him cry,” Ram said to Rugo, then imitated Kame’s contorted lips. They laughed louder. Kame began crying even louder. Amal moved and hugged him, looking sad because Rugo and Ram were teasing him. 

“Don’t mind them,” she said to Kame. “Please leave him alone; he is our brother,” Amal said to the boys. 

“Don’t call him our brother! He is not, he is not!” Rugo said to Amal while he continued laughing with Ram. 

“Look, look,” Ram said as he drew closer, leaning into Kame’s face, “see the sound he makes when he cries; that is not how we cry. He is not one of us,” he pointed out to Amal. Then he and Rugo carried on laughing. 

Mono and Kuya came back from the children’s room. 

“Kame, please don’t cry; we will find the bow tie,” Kuya said. Kame cried on inconsolably. 

“Rugo and Ram are laughing at him and calling him names again, Mom,” Amal reported to Kuya. 

“Boys, we talked about this,” Mono said, “no one is supposed to mock Kame for looking different. You are his big brothers; you should be the ones to protect him.” Rugo and Ram stared down at the floor, quietly. 

“Now where could that bow tie be?” Mono moved about, checking everywhere he could think of, as did Kuya. 

Rugo and Ram exchanged glances, stifling their giggles. They watched Kame’s worried expression with a secretive smile. “Look at him,” whispered Rugo, nudging his brother, “he’s different and he knows it.” 

Ram chuckled, “maybe he doesn’t even need a bow tie. He’s not a baboon like us, after all.” 

Kuya noticed the quiet glances between the boys, her brow furrowing with suspicion. “Rugo, Ram,” she called, crossing her arms, “do you know something about this missing bow tie?” She looked at them intently with a serious gaze. 

“Okay, you know what, boys,” she continued, “if you don’t find that bow tie, it is only Kame and Amal that we are going with to the Name Day while you remain here and will not be able to see the King.” 

The two boys shifted uncomfortably. Rugo hesitated, then pulled the bow tie from his pocket fearfully. “We were just playing,” he mumbled, not meeting her eyes. 

“Boys, look at me,” Kuya called to Rugo and Ram. 

“We were going to give it back to him, we were just playing around,” Rugo pleaded. 

“Playing with him?” she asked, “do you see him laughing or smiling now? He is crying; no one plays by crying and you ought not to do things that make your friends cry. Are you listening?” Rugo and Ram nodded in agreement. 

Kuya sighed as she took the bow tie, giving Rugo and Ram a look that softened slightly. “Kame is part of this family. You both must learn that kindness is as much a part of being in this house as anything else.” 

Mono nodded. He picked up the bow tie from Kuya. 

“Boy,” he said, smiling at Kame, trying to cheer him up, “look what we just found! Let’s get you ready. Are you ready to meet the King and be entered into the book of the Baboon clan?” Kame nodded, clearing his eyes. 

“Are you sure you’re ready? I want to hear you say it—say it!” Mono prompted him further with a smile. 

“I’m ready,” Kame said quietly. 

“No, no, I’m not hearing you, boy! I’m not hearing you. Where is Kame?” he asked, turning around as if looking for him. “Amal, have you seen Kame?” Amal pointed at him, giggling. 

“I’m ready,” Kame said, forcing a smile and louder than the first time. 

“Kame, are you the one?” Kuya and Amal laughed. Rugo and Ram remained quiet, still feeling guilty for hiding the bow tie. “I’m not hearing you,” Mono went on. 

“Yes, I’m ready,” Kame this time shouted at the top of his voice with a smile. Kuya and Amal cheered him on. 

“Ready for what?” Mono asked, jumping around him. 

“Ready for the Name Day ceremony,” Kame replied excitedly. 

“Now that is my boy—ready for Name Day and what else?” Mono prodded further. 

“And to meet the King!” Kame shouted, jumping. 

“Yeeeeeeeeeeeee…” Kuya and Amal shouted, cheering in unison, while Mono picked him up and swung him around the room. 

“And boys,” Mono paused, still carrying the animated Kame, “don’t ever do what you did today again. That is not how to treat friends and siblings. Don’t play games that make others sad, okay?” Rugo and Ram nodded. 

“Good,” he replied. “Well, let’s get the party started, shall we?” Everyone nodded with a smile. 

Moments later, all the Baboons emerged onto the path leading to the Eldara. The path was decorated on either side with all kinds of colourful flowers and drapery. Baboons of every size and age had come together, lining the path on either side while they chanted, sang and drummed. The village was bursting with energy. 

The children that were being named marched onto the path. Kame and Amal took their places at the front, surrounded by laughter, music and the rhythmic drumming of baboons, beating on hollow logs.  

The whole community had come out to witness the procession, chanting and calling out the names of the young ones as they walked along. Kame took Amal’s hand, a feeling of pride welling up inside him. As the children marched, the baboons standing on either side threw flowers on them, flooding the air with colours. 

“They’re all here for us,” Amal whispered to Kame, her eyes wide. 

As they neared the Eldara, the drumming softened and the joyful cheers hushed. It stood before them in all majesty, decorated with colours and flowers for the grand naming event. Inside, it was filled with the scent of fresh garlands and the soft murmur of anticipation. The baboons took their seats on logs arranged in rows and the children sat at the front on a mat, their eyes filled with wonder and ecstasy. 

At the head of the gathering sat His Grace, the Lion King himself, with a beautiful crown on his head. He sat on a huge seat with golden coatings. His mane was golden and full, his eyes kind but exuding an aura of authority, filling the cave with his presence. Beside him sat the Baboon Chief and on a smaller table nearby was the Library Keeper from the Bird Clan with a wide scroll before him. He kept playing with a quill pen in his fingers, rotating it around. 

All the Baboons, their eyes were transfixed on the King. They gazed at him with adoration. It had been a long time since they last saw him and whenever he was around, they never seemed to get over their amazement. 

The children being named had been called out one by one and one by one each had walked forward, received blessings from the King and then had their names entered in the ancient scroll for the Baboon clan. Each time, the Lion King would place a paw on their shoulders and speak a few words. His voice was deep and radiated wisdom. Only Amal and Kame now remained. 

“Our next candidate,” the chief announced, “is Amal from the Mono family. Amal, come forward please.” As she stood from the mat and marched onto the stage, the Baboons erupted with cheering. 

She knelt before the King. “Amal,” His Grace said, his voice warm, “your name means ‘love.’ May you carry this gift always, bringing kindness to those around you.” He placed his paw gently on her shoulder, Amal smiled, beaming with pride.  

The Library Keeper took up his quill, carefully writing her name into the scroll: Amal of the Mono family, blessed to bring love to the kingdom. The Baboons cheered and clapped again for her as she stood up and walked back to the mat to resume her seat with the other children. 

Then, at last, it was Kame’s turn. The chief stood, his gaze proud and solemn. “Your Grace,” he said, “we have a unique soul with us today, gifted to us by River Leni.” His Grace nodded. 

“Kame,” the chief called out, “Kame, you are next. Step forward, please.” Kame rose from the mat and the Baboons cheered and clapped. Kuya’s eyes welled with tears of joy. She could not believe this moment was happening. 

“Your Grace, this is Kame,” the chief addressed the King as Kame stood before them. “He is different but one we hold just as dear to us as any in our clan.” 

The Lion King looked at Kame, his eyes full of gentle curiosity. “So, this is the creature about whom I received a report from the Library Keeper,” he said. “I came here today in part to witness this unusual one.” He paused, as though assessing Kame’s spirit with his gaze. 

The Lion King glanced at the Library Keeper, who nodded respectfully. “Indeed, Your Grace,” the Library Keeper said. “I have continued to search but have found no record of any creature like him. His presence here is still a mystery but look at him, he is grown now.” 

The Lion King leaned closer, his voice deep but kind. “I see,” he said thoughtfully, “Kame, that is an unusual name. Where did it come from?” 

The chief nodded toward Amal. “It was chosen by Amal, Your Grace,” he said with pride. “She gave him the name, believing it suited him.” 

The Lion King raised an eyebrow, a thoughtful smile crossing his face. “Then it is fitting,” he said. “Today, let it be known that Kame will stand to mean ‘Gift of the Unknown.’” He placed his large paw gently on Kame’s head.  

“Kame, may you grow with wisdom and courage and may you teach us as much as we teach you.” 

The whole gathering held their breath as the Library Keeper wrote Kame’s name in the scroll, inscribing him into the Baboon Clan forever: Kame of the Mono family, Gift of the Unknown. 

The Baboons began to murmur in awe. Rugo and Ram glanced at each other, a mix of contempt and something unspoken in their expressions. Amal looked at Kame with pride, her eyes shining. 

And so, with the Lion King’s blessing and the Library Keeper’s careful inscription, Kame, the Gift of the Unknown, was fully welcomed into the Baboon Clan, his name now a part of their history and his future a story yet to unfold. 

 EzroniX Kids.