Sami, the Lion Who Couldn't Roar

In the savannah lived a young lion named Sami.

Sami had a big mane, big paws, a long tail, and sharp teeth.

He really looked like a lion.

But Sami had a little problem.

Well...

For a lion, it was rather a BIG problem.

Sami didn't know how to roar.

Every morning, he tried.

He puffed out his chest, he lifted his head, he opened his mouth wide, and...

"Meow!"

Sami quickly closed his mouth.

"Oh no... Not again!"

A lion that went "meow"?

What a disaster!

That morning, Sami decided that had to change.

"Today, I'm going to learn to roar!"

He went to find someone to help him.

Malo the Monkey Has an Idea

A little further, Sami met Malo the monkey.

Malo was hanging from a branch, upside down.

"Hello Sami! Why the long face?"

"I can't manage to roar. Listen."

Sami puffed out his chest, he lifted his head, he opened his mouth wide.

"Meow!"

Malo fell from his branch.

"Ha ha ha! You roar like a little cat!"

Sami frowned.

"That's not funny."

Malo got up.

"Don't worry, I know exactly what you need."

"Really?"

"Of course! To make a lot of noise, you have to move a lot! Watch me!"

Malo started jumping, left, right, onto a branch, under a branch, then he spun around three times.

"Now, your turn!"

Sami wasn't very convinced, but he tried.

He jumped left, then right.

He spun once.

Twice.

Three times.

His head was spinning in all directions.

"Now, roar!" shouted Malo.

Sami took a deep breath.

"MEEEEOOOW!"

Then he fell into a bush.

Malo burst out laughing.

"Maybe we should try something else."

"Yes... I think so too."

Baya the Elephant Teaches Him to Breathe

Sami continued on his way.

Near the river, he met Baya the elephant.

"Salam alaikum Sami. What are you looking for?"

"I'm trying to learn to roar."

Baya thought.

"To make a big noise, you need to take a huge breath. Watch."

She breathed in deeply, then she raised her trunk.

"PAAAAAAW!"

The birds flew off from the trees.

Sami's eyes widened.

"Wow! I want to do that!"

He breathed in.

Again.

A bit more.

His belly swelled.

"Careful..." said Baya.

But Sami kept going.

His belly became all round.

"I think that's enough, Sami."

Sami opened his mouth.

"Rooo..."

Baya waited.

"Rooo..."

Sami turned all red.

And suddenly...

"HIC!"

Sami got the hiccups.

"HIC!"

Baya tried not to laugh.

"HIC!"

"Maybe you took in a bit too much air."

"HIC! I think so too. HIC!"

Jojo the Hippo Knows the Solution

Sami left again.

He walked to a big tree.

Under this tree rested Jojo the hippo.

"Jojo! I need your help!"

Jojo opened one eye.

"What's the matter?"

"I can't manage to roar."

Jojo thought for a long time.

A very long time.

So long that Sami thought he had fallen back asleep.

Then Jojo opened his eyes.

"I've got it!"

Sami came closer.

"To make an impressive noise... you have to look impressive."

"How?"

"Get on that rock."

Sami climbed onto the rock.

"Higher!"

Sami stood on the tips of his paws.

"Fluff up your mane!"

Sami shook his head in all directions.

"Now, make big eyes!"

Sami opened his eyes as wide as he could.

Jojo stepped back.

"Perfect! Now... ROAR!"

Sami breathed in.

He opened his mouth.

And...

"Quack-quack!"

Silence.

Sami looked at Jojo.

Jojo looked at Sami.

A duck passing by stopped.

"Quack-quack?"

Sami lowered his head.

"Even the duck is making fun of me now..."

Sami Gives Up

Sami went home.

He had tried jumping like a monkey.

Breathing like an elephant.

Striking an impressive pose on a rock.

And now, instead of roaring...

he knew how to meow, have the hiccups, and go "quack-quack".

"I'll never be a real lion," he whispered.

Suddenly...

"HELP!"

Sami lifted his head.

It was Malo!

Malo Is in Danger

The little monkey was at the very top of a tree.

A huge branch had gotten stuck just above him.

"Sami! Do something!"

Sami ran to the tree.

He looked at Malo.

He looked at the big branch.

He didn't know what to do.

Then the branch moved.

"CRAAAACK!"

Sami was very scared for his friend.

Without thinking, he lifted his head.

He opened his mouth wide.

And...

"RRRROOOOOAAAAAAR!"

A huge roar went through the whole savannah.

The birds flew off.

Baya raised her trunk in surprise.

Jojo opened both eyes at the same time.

And Malo stood there with his mouth open.

Sami too.

"Was that... me?"

Malo quickly came down from the tree.

"DO IT AGAIN!"

Sami's Roar

Sami stood up straight.

He puffed out his chest.

He lifted his head.

"Rooo..."

"Meow!"

Malo burst out laughing.

Sami looked at him.

Then he started laughing too.

"Well... I think I still need practice."

And since that day, every morning, you could hear in the savannah...

"Roooar!"

Sometimes.

"Meow"