 It is based upon the 1995 book "Lion of Oz and the Badge of Courage" by Roger S. Baum (great-grandson of L. Frank Baum, the original author of the Oz books).The Lion simply called "Lion" is a circus lion, displayed in a cage where everyone is afraid of him.His only friend is Oscar Diggs, an eccentric and just balloonist, who lets Lion out of his cage and takes him up on his balloon.