A LETTER TO MY LITTLE ONE
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My Dearest Nala,

I don't know if your mother has yet summoned up the courage to tell
you that I am your father, but I must not delay in writing this letter
to you. I know that you cannot read it, so I have sent along a messenger
to read it for you.

I know you probably think that I am dead and that I was the definition
of evil itself. Neither one of these suppositions is true. Please do
not turn your ears away from my words - they will be neither harsh
nor long-winded.

I will not go into the tribulations of my life. Perhaps someone there
has spoken of them. Sarabi will tell you more if your heart wishes to
hear.

Your mother was in love with Mufasa and I with Sarabi. It was assumed
that your mother would join with Mufasa and become Queen of Pride Rock.

My father ended that belief one day when he quite suddenly and without
warning, announced that he had chosen Sarabi to be Mufasa's queen. 

All of us were devastated, but Mufasa did not have the courage to 
disobey father and eventually consented. Your mother was devastated. 

One day, I found her laying in the tall grass, crying. Her fondest
wish was to have many cubs, but all of those dreams seemed gone.

She was in heat that day and asked me to give her cubs. I tried to
convince her of the difficulty that this would cause for her cubs
since I was the laughingstock of the pride. She was adamant that
she would defend her cubs from ridicule.

Seeing how determined she was, I agreed.

I was gentle with her and tried to give her a few days of comfort.
When we lay down to rest, she buried her head in my mane and her
tears turned to purrs. 

Four months later, you were born. Your mother decided to keep my
identity a secret from you and as far as I am aware, from everyone
else. I do not know in whom she confided, probably Sarabi, but not
many others.

I know you must think I am evil. I cannot bear to go over all of the
details of the truth, but if I was evil, I am no longer. I have lived
a hard life and have felt as much pain as I have caused. I cannot hate,
I can only love and care for others now.

I have a wife and 3 little ones, Keisha, Jeremy and Jacob. They are
your siblings. (I don't like the word "half", as in "half-siblings" -
it implies that you need only love them half as much). I have told
them all about their sister, the beautiful Queen of Pride Rock with
the creamy gold fur and beautiful blue-green eyes. I am sure you are
aware that you have two other sibling, Ngwame's twin boys, Justinian
and Kisasian. Please do not hate your brother Kisasian - he hurts so
much inside. I try to help him cope, but his pain will never entirely
vanish. He saw too much suffering in his young life, especially after
what he, his mother and brother suffered during their exile. He is 
learning what love is. This will heal him, as much as is possible.

When your mother told me that I was to have nothing to do with you, it
broke my heart. You deserved a father's love as much as a mother's. 
Both she and Mufasa threatened me with death if I made a scene about
it, so I promised your mother that I would stay away as long as she
revealed the secret to you by the time you reached adulthood. My hope
was that somehow, some way, you would find out and I would be able to
show you my love and give you guidance as you grew up. It was not to
be.

I want you to know that I love you with all my heart and always have.
Every night I pray that you will be kept safe. I know Simba cares for
you and will protect you. Please keep an open mind and do not hate me.
When you look up at the stars, know that I am also looking at those same
stars and praying for you. 

I love you, my daughter Nala.

Your Father,
Taka