Orden 7774/2002, de 23 de diciembre, del Consejero de Educación, por la que se

Episode 2 begins with a high camera angle. The children are seen playing in front of Gogo’s house. The three girls are seated while the two boys are playing soccer. When children of different genders play together, there is an implicit lesson of gender ‘equality’. That is, children are encouraged to play together with each other irrespective of their gender. This will help to prevent them from developing sexist attitudes.

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The girls walk away from Marcus after he hurts Josh while they are playing soccer, as a way of expressing disapproval of his rough manner of playing. In the cellar Marcus is still being blamed for what he did to Josh. In a South African nation where violence is endemic, there is a need to educate children to shun a culture of violence. This sequence is in accord with one of the Editorial Policies of the SABC on children’s programming that discourages depictions of violent behaviour or requires that they be appropriately “framed” (15).

There is an important health lesson for children when Navitha offers jaw-breakers to Pula and

Navitha. When Pula complains about her teeth not ‘liking’ the sweets, Navitha advises her to suck the sweets and brush her teeth afterwards. This seemingly unimportant statement from Navitha

references both a major cause of dental problems and standard dental care behaviour. Children need to be educated on the need for dental care at an early age as this will save them a lot of trouble when they are older. Pula cautions Marcus not to play so roughly, a lesson every little child needs to learn, as unnecessary falls and bruises that can lead to hospitalization should be avoided. The theme continues in the scene in the cellar, where GG wants to fight with Marcus for playing roughly with Josh, but Mr. Zee’s timely intervention prevents this. He gives them a little lecture on avoiding violence as it is not the answer to problems. It is ironic and humorous that it takes an insect, Mr. Zee, to point out that the human race should learn that brains are better than force, an idea that would make the world a much better place if children could all grow into adults with it in mind. The story of the Tortoise and the Elephant that follows helps to emphasize the point of using one’s brains to win life’s battles as opposed to using physical force. When the Elephant uses his strength to take

Tortoise’s morula fruits, this is typical of bullies (like thieves, hijackers and bullies in schools) who wait for others to toil and acquire possessions, just for them (the bullies) to come and appropriate

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what they never worked for. The calm and friendly tone adapted by Tortoise as he argues with Elephant over the fruits further illustrates the need to not meet violence with violence, the eye-for- an-eye principle. This is an important lesson for children: to always maintain self-control when confronted by a bully (as happens all too often in our primary schools). Navitha emphasizes after the story that any problem can be solved without fighting, with which they all agree. An important lesson on the use of the mind to solve problems emerges. A guilty Marcus also makes peace with Josh, demonstrating that people do not necessarily have to become enemies when they have a

disagreement, and can apologize for doing wrong and expect the ones they wronged to forgive them, as Josh forgives Marcus.

4.5 Episode 3 - Shakutara

Episode 3 begins with a sad Pula waiting for her father to come and take her out. Mr. Zee has to comfort her by reading another story. The beginning of the story describes Shakutara as a kind, beautiful girl. That kindness is immediately shown when a stranger shows up on horseback and Shakutara offers a drink of water to the stranger and his horse. Her behaviour here models hospitality for the young viewers of the program. Her marriage soon afterwards to the “stranger” (whom she only later discovers to be a king) has the implication that people only get married when they love each other, and not for selfish reasons like greed for material wealth, which is common in 21st century society. King Bashutara gives Sahkutara an expensive ring as a sign of his love for her, implying that we can give good gifts to people we love. Shakutara’s father comforts her when King Bashutara leaves, making obvious the role of a parent figure in the life of a child. This has a message for young children to always turn to their elders for comfort. The comforting elder can be seen as a real source of solace, for which drugs and other forms of destructive habit that children have been

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known to turn to when they are broken-hearted are a substitute. As the King’s advisers tie him up with a lot of work, the King is unaware of the evil plan of his chief adviser to destroy his marriage with Shakutara. In this wise, children are being taught to understand that not all those who are close to you and pretend to be loyal friends are necessarily honest and genuine, even though the episode appears to focus more on marriage then this underlying lesson. The love-at-first-sight encounter between the King and Shakutara that ends in a quick marriage ceremony does not portray well to the young viewers issues of courtship and other important points to consider before marriage.