Jerra was dead.  The wind blew sand from the desert into the ruins.  At night the owl hoots there before catching a desert mouse.  There are no houses.  No one remembers where the town has been.  Wagadu sleeps!

Oh Jerra! Oh Agada, Ganna, Silla! Oh Fasa!

The young prince Lagarre rediscovers the city

There was once a king whose name was Mama Dinga, who had lost Tabele, the royal drum that every African king must possess.  He had seven sons and one old faithful footman.  Whenever the king sent his footman to call one of the princes, they would receive him with kicks on the shins, or throw dirty water over him and have a good laugh.  Only the youngest, Prince Lagarre, treated him decently and always said “Good morning” to him.

One day the king was dying.  He was already blind, but he could distinguish people by their smell.  The king told his footman: “Bring my eldest son.” The footman went to the eldest son, saying: “Your father the king wants you,” but the prince laughed mockingly and said: “Get out! I’ll come later perhaps, when it suits me.”

Disguised in animal skins as his elder brother, the faithful young Prince Lagarre receives his father's blessing.

The footman went to the next son and the next, but they all behaved equally ignobly.  Only Lagarre asked him why his father was calling.   When the footman told him that the king was dying, the young prince was very concerned and wanted to go at once, but the footman told him: “First, wrap this goatskin round your arm, for your eldest brother has hairy arms.  And here is your eldest brother’s old jacket, which he threw away yesterday.  I kept it, and if you put it on, your father will perceive his smell and think you are the oldest prince.”

Thus it happened! The old, blind king accepted this faithful footman’s word that he had his eldest son before him.  So the king whispered to his son: “My son, go down to the left bank of the river where there is a forest.  There you will find four Jalla trees.  At the foot of these trees you will find nine jars.  Wash yourself carefully with the water from eight of them, then roll around in the mud of the river.  That will cause all the people of all your lands to obey you willingly.