Kirikou and the thorn

Sometimes we need to be reminded of how Kirikou defeated the witch Karaba.

The feared sorceress, Karaba, has cast a shadow over everything:

• she has dried up the village's water source
• men mysteriously disappear
• fear controls daily life

A tiny but brave hero

But Kirikou, a child smaller than anyone else, refuses to accept things as they are.

He finds a way to restore water to the village.

He outsmarts Karaba's magical guards.

His strength is not physical. It's his intelligence and determination.

A quest for understanding

Unlike everyone else, Kirikou doesn't believe Karaba is simply "evil."

He wants to understand why she became this way.

So he sets out on a dangerous journey to meet his grandfather, a wise man who lives beyond the forbidden mountain.

The truth about Karaba

His grandfather reveals the secret:

Karaba is suffering from a poisoned thorn lodged in her back.

A constant pain, that turned her bitter and cruel.

Closer to the danger

Kirikou returns to Karaba and, with courage, removes the thorn.

Freed from her pain, she becomes calm and human again.

The missing men return. Peace is restored to the village.

So what?

Someone is acting like Karaba right now.

Everyone has already decided who they are — and stopped there.

Dare to question beyond judgment

The obvious judgment blinds you.

Ask what thorn they're carrying.

Get closer to the problem

The solution to a conflict is never found at a safe distance.

It sits inside — in the wound that started everything.