SIDE 1

SIMBA

Isn t this a great place?

NALA

It is beautiful.

SIMBA

And there s lots more you haven t even seen yet.

NALA

Simba, I don t understand. You ve been alive all this time. Why didn t you come back to Pride Rock?

SIMBA

And leave paradise?

NALA

Simba, Scar let the hyenas take over the Pridelands!

SIMBA

What?!?

NALA

Everything s destroyed. There s no food, no water. If we go back together, we can do something about it.

SIMBA

I can t go back.

NALA

Why?

SIMBA

It doesn t matter. Hakuna matata.

NALA

What?

SIMBA

Hakuna matata . It s something I learned out here. Look, sometimes bad things happen and there s nothing you can do about it. So why worry?

NALA

What s happened to you? You re not the Simba I remember.

SIMBA

You re right. I m not. Are you satisfied?!?

NALA

No. Just disappointed.

SIMBA

You know, you re beginning to sound like my father.

NALA

Good! At least one of us does!

SIDE 2

SIMBA

She's wrong. I can't go back. What would it prove, anyway? It won't change anything.

(SIMBA sits. The silence is interrupted by an odd little tune.)

RAFIKI

(offstage)

TAMATISO, A SO, A HELELE MA...

(Dances on and taunts SIMBA)

TAMATISO, A SO, A HELELE MA...

SIMBA

Will ya cut it out?

RAFIKI

Can't cut it out. It'll grow right back!

(SIMBA walks away. RAFIKI follows.)

TAMATISO, A SO, A HELELE MA...

TAMATISO, A SO -

SIMBA

Who are you?

RAFIKI

The question is: Who are you?

SIMBA

I thought I knew. Now I'm not so sure.

RAFIKI

I know who you are. You're Mufasa's boy.

SIMBA

You knew my father?

RAFIKI

Correction. I know your father.

SIMBA

I hate to tell you this, but my father died a long time ago.

RAFIKI

Nope. Wrong again! He's alive! I'll show him to you. Shhhh... Look down there.

(SIMBA anxiously, cautiously approaches a pool of water. He looks in and sees the reflection of a lion.)

SIMBA

That's not my father. It's just my reflection.

RAFIKI

No... Look harder...