Once, in a land where the grass was as yellow as a lion’s mane, there was a Great Hunger. The rain had forgotten to fall, and the animals were very, very hungry.
In the middle of the dry plains stood a magnificent tree. It was the tallest tree anyone had ever seen. Its branches were heavy with a fruit that looked like a mix between a juicy mango and a sweet purple grape. The smell of the fruit was so delicious that it made the elephants’ trunks wiggle and the zebras’ tummies rumble.
But there was a problem. The fruit grew very high up, and the trunk was as smooth as glass. No one could climb it. More importantly, the tree was a Magic Tree. It would only drop its fruit if someone called it by its secret, true name.
“I will go find the name!” boasted Lion. He was the King, after all. He trotted across the dusty ground to the mountains where the Ancient Turtle lived. The Ancient Turtle was the only one who remembered everything.
When Lion arrived, the Turtle whispered, “The name of the tree is… Oung-ga-la-ba.”
Lion nodded. “Oung-ga-la-ba! Easy!” he roared. He raced back toward the tree. But as he ran, he began to think about how brave and fast he was. He got so distracted by his own greatness that by the time he reached the animals, he yelled, “The name is… Oon-ga-boom-ba!“
Nothing happened. Not a single fruit fell.
Next went the Cheetah. She was the fastest. She flew across the plains, got the name from the Turtle—Oung-ga-la-ba—and sprinted back. But she was running so fast that she tripped over a hidden root. Thump! She hit her head gently, and the name flew right out of her mind. “The name is… Oon-ga-la-ga!” she cried.
Still, the tree stood silent.
All the big, strong animals tried and failed. Finally, a tiny, slow Tortoise named Toto stepped forward. Step… pause… step… pause. The other animals laughed. “It will take you a year to get there!” they teased.
But Toto didn’t listen. He walked for two days until he reached the Ancient Turtle. He listened to the name: Oung-ga-la-ba.
To make sure he didn’t forget, Toto turned it into a song. As he walked back, his little feet hitting the dust—tap, tap, tap—he sang:
“Oung-ga-la-ba, the fruit is sweet, Oung-ga-la-ba, we need to eat!”
He didn’t look at the birds. He didn’t look at his own reflection in a puddle. He just kept singing his song. Even when he got tired, even when his legs ached, his heart kept the rhythm.
When he finally reached the magic tree, the animals gathered around. Toto took a deep breath and sang one last time, loud and clear: “OUNG-GA-LA-BA!”
CRACK! The branches began to shake. RUMBLE! The fruit began to fall. Hundreds and thousands of juicy, sweet fruits tumbled onto the grass. There was enough for the elephants, the giraffes, the tiny mice, and even the mean lions.
The animals realized that it wasn’t the strongest or the fastest who saved them—it was the one who was patient and kept the right song in his heart. And from that day on, whenever the animals are hungry, they look for Toto, the keeper of the Magic Name.
Review The Magic Passport – Story 2: The Tree of Treats (A Story from the African Savanna).