The Song of the Veld

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Each creature has to find its own way of doing things – as Cricket did.

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The Song of the Veld is a story from the Rafiki Remembers magazine collection. It was published in the 1990s as part of The Lion King: A Nature Fun and Learn Series.

Synopsis

A cricket listens to the sounds of the other savanna animals and craves to make music of his own. He attempts to sing, but no sound comes out. At that moment, a beautiful bird lands next to him and begins to sing, causing Cricket to envy its beautiful exterior and stunning voice. The bird departs, and Cricket asks a nearby impala if he can sing. The impala wonders why he should want to sing, and Cricket explains that singing makes a lovely sound. Despite this, the impala asserts that he would rather frighten other animals, to which Cricket disagrees.

Canary overhears Cricket's distress and assures him that every animal is made to do different things. He then breaks into a song so beautiful that Cricket begs him to do it again. Canary admits that he cannot repeat himself, for he sings out of instinct, and Cricket comments that he is lucky. Cricket then rubs his wings together, emitting a chirp, and Canary asks him to do it again. To Cricket's surprise, he finds he can make a song by rubbing his wings together, and Canary reminds him that he had just needed to be patient in order to discover his gift.

As Cricket sings, other crickets gather and mimic his song until their voices blend with the other songs of the savanna.

Appearances

Characters

Rafiki

Species

Locations

Africa

Gallery

Rafiki Remembers

The Leopard and the Baboon • The Crocodile's Tears • The Giraffe and the Oxpecker • How the Birds got their Colours • Sun and Moon • The Tortoise's Punishment • The Greedy Guest • The Toad And The Rat • Why Stories Are Told About Anansi • How Baboon Lost his Tail • Fire Against Rain • How Anansi Learnt to Weave • The Dove and the Hen • Why Monkeys Keep Out of the Way • A King for the Frogs • Tables Turned • Anansi Know-all • Proud Fish • A Witch Doctor for the Hyenas • Why Dog Chases Animals • The Lion's House • Why the Warthog Is Ugly • The Coming of Darkness • The Bees' Drum • The Flying Lion • The Shark and the Monkey • The Bearded Stone • The Friends • The Selfish Hare • The Stupid Ass • How Squirrel got his Tail • Up in the Sky • Snail Tricks Squirrel • How Anansi Shamed Himself • The House that Built Itself • Leopard and Little Cat • Wooing Ways • Fox and Crow • Test of Strength • Why Flies Buzz • Why Hippo Has No Coat • Why the Monkeys Have no House • The Dancing Elephant • When Fowls Were Lords • Thunder and Lightning • We All Need Friends • The Song of the Veld • The Ostriches' Chicks • Why the Hyena Smells • The Greedy Buffalo • The Pig's Tale • The Long Wait • Finding Is Keeping • The Bean Feast • Choosing Friends • How Lion was Tricked • Tears of the Hartebeest • The Quarrel • Hyena's New Coat • The Honey Guide • Revenge of the Tortoise • How Crab Lost His Head • The Foolish Spider • Why Wild Dog Hunts • Why Rock Rabbit Has No Tail • The Greedy Baboon • Why Leopard Hates Dogs • Anansi and Squirrel • Guinea Fowl and Crab • Toktokkie the Beetle • Up in the Clouds • How Wasp got his Waist • Cruel Chameleon • Who Stole Duiker's Eggs? • Hare and Hyena • Anansi and Lizard • Bushbuck's Husband • How Zebra Got His Stripes • Goat's Escape

The Song of the Veld

Synopsis

Appearances

Gallery

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