The Lion and the leaves

Once upon a time, in a small landlocked region lived a greedy king and his three daughters, Ca, Hai and Ba.

On the King's 50th birthday, his daughters bought him a tree with gold leaves. The King loved the tree and the tree loved the King.

But after a week had passed, the King noticed that the tree was missing a few leaves.

The King huffed and puffed so he gathered his daughters around him. "I want those leaves returned!" he bellowed. "Whichever one of you finds them will rule this kingdom once I am gone."

Ba, being the wisest of the daughters, successfully traced the thiefs whereabouts to the royal court of the Dank Flatlands.

On the third day of her trip, she came across a lion trapped in a snare and freed him. The lion was so grateful for being released that it promised to help Ba whenever she needed assistance. The lion plucked three whiskers from its face and told Ba to burn a whisker every time she needed help.

The Dank Flatlands was ruled by a grisly king who had it in for Ba, for she was the known daughter of his oldest adversary. Upon entering the citadel, Ba was immediately set upon and thrown in gaol. Ba pleaded her case to the King and said, she knew he had her father's leaves and demanded them back. The King promised to release her and hand over the leaves if she brought him the leggendary horse that could travel many moons in a single day, known in those parts as Thien Ly Ma.

So, with the word out to all his men to keep and watch over Ba, the King sent Ba into the forest near his castle to find the horse.

Ba was worried sick at the task. But her despair traced turned to joy when she stumbled upon her lion friend out strolling through the forest.

"Don't worry," the lion told her. "I'll help you find that old blaggard friend of mine, Thien Ly Ma!"

With that the lion started leading her back to the castle.

As they neared the King's lair and still had no sign of the horse Ba's worries rose again.

But suddenly the lion turned himself into Thien Ly Ma and said: "Here's your horse. Present me to the King."

The King was surprised to see that Ba had actually found the horse and readily accepted the gift. He also made good on his promise, gave Ba the leaves and released her on the spot.

But suddenly the horse changed back into a lion and roared through the court which scared the pants off the King and his men.

The lion then ran out of the court and into the forest without struggle.

With that Ba started off for home. The next day she met up with her sisters along the road, and they swapped stories of their travels.

Realizing Ba had the throne well locked up, her sisters became extremely jealous and hatched a plot to take the leaves.

When Ba wasn't looking, Ca and Hai jumped her and beat her up, stealing her leaves and leaving her dazed by the side of the road.

By nightfall Ba could barely move, and she feared she'd freeze to death without food or shelter. Just as her despair was at its highest, she remembered the whiskers.

After scrounging in her pockets and finding one last match, she lit fire to a whisker. In a minute the lion appeared.

The lion used his magic to heal Ba's wounds and supply her with a quick passage home so she arrived at the palace before her sisters. Ba and the lion explained what happened to the King.

When Ca and Hai arrived, their father informed them they'd each be spending a month in their rooms and that Ba had been appointed Queen-in-waiting.

Ba appointed the lion to the post of special advisor; the kingdom lived in peace, and the golden tree glimmered brighter..