In the continuation of the epic of Do Kamissa, Sogolon, (11-12th century) the daughter of the Fearless Buffalo, fled the crumbling Kingdom of Do with the help of two hunter brothers who were aware of her destiny as the mother of the Lion King who would bring unity and prosperity to Mali. The spirit of the Fearless Buffalo had now entrenched Sogolon and would guide her to the precise man that possessed the totem of the lion. Walking for days through the savanna land, the trio crossed into Niani, the capital of Mande, to meet the king. The majestic King Magan Kon Fatta the Handsome, was seated under a great silk cotton tree surrounded by his royal entourage, with griots playing praise songs. The king and his people were stunned to see the precise trio that had been foretold by a spiritual hunter many years earlier who had offered his vision of two young men with a hunchbacked woman who would enter his kingdom. The visionary hunter said the king must marry this woman, as she is the future mother of a son to make the name of Mali eternal. Magan Kon Fatta’s wife, the Beautiful Sasuma Bereté, sent a serious look to the king, showing jealous eyes as a warning. However, despite her anger, the King was convinced by the praise words of his trustful advisor and griot to marry Sogolon.

After the wedding, Sogolon carried a child in her belly who refused to be born. When the time was finally upon her to give birth to this obstinate child, she struggled throughout the night into the following day. The skies mysteriously turned gray and lightening flashed. The winds howled and the clouds quickly gathered in the shapes of buffalo and lion, which thundered across the skies of Niani. Rain fell in torrents and then, as suddenly as it began, it ended.

In this moment of silence, the sound of a new-born infant child could be heard followed by the joyful shout of a song, “A ye bo, a ye bo! The great son of Mande is born!”  Men, women and children swarmed out to celebrate the new prince.

Despite the great efforts of Sogolon, her newborn son would not walk or talk for many, many years.  The son who possessed the spirit of the Lion and the Buffalo was named Sunjata, the Buffalo Lion.  Sunjata would have a difficult life, but to him would also be granted a great legacy.