Long ago in the land of the Ewe people, near the whispering trees of the Atiga Forest, there lived an old drum maker named Mawunyo. He was not a wealthy man, but his hands created wonders. People traveled from faraway villages just to hear the sounds his drums could make. Among all his creations, one stood apart. It was carved from the heart of a sacred tree that had been struck by lightning and bound with cords made from wild silkworm threads. When Mawunyo played it, the drum did not thunder. Instead, it chirped and trilled like a bird, echoing the melody of the forest canopy. People called it the drum that sang like a bird.
The Prince and the Temptation of Song
One moonlit night, Prince Korsi of the nearby kingdom visited Mawunyo’s hut. Word of the magical drum had reached his palace. The prince was known for his love of fine things and his hunger for power. When he heard the drum sing, he became obsessed. He offered Mawunyo gold, cattle, and even farmland, but the old man refused. “This drum was not made for kings,” Mawunyo said gently. “It sings only for those with a pure heart.” Korsi’s pride burned. No one had ever denied him anything. “If it will not be sold,” he said coldly, “then I shall take it.” That very night, he sent two guards to steal the drum from the drum maker’s home.
A Curse of Song
Korsi took the drum to his royal chamber and struck it with excitement. But the sound it made was not music. Instead, it let out a sharp, screeching wail. It was a cry so loud that it shattered the mirrors and sent birds flying into the night sky. The drum had been cursed by Mawunyo the moment it was stolen. That night, the sky turned red. Thunder rolled without rain, and the air grew hot and restless. The land trembled, and the riverbanks cracked. The palace priests declared that the drum had offended the spirits of the forest. They begged the prince to return it, but he refused. His pride was greater than his fear.
Transformation in the Firelight
The burning sky stayed for seven days. Crops withered. Animals vanished. Even the king, who was Korsi’s father, fell into sickness. Then one night, the drum began to play on its own. Its birdlike song rose from the prince’s chamber, soft at first, then louder, more urgent. Korsi stepped forward, shaken, and reached out to silence it. But the moment his fingers touched the drum, a great light burst from its surface and pulled him inside. The guards rushed in, only to find the prince gone. In his place stood a small gray bird with eyes full of sorrow. It flapped its wings and sang a low, mournful tune, a song of regret and longing. The drum had not just sung. It had transformed.
The Return of Balance
The bird flew from the palace and into the forest. Rain began to fall, soaking the dry earth. The sky cleared. The rivers rose gently again. The elders declared it a sign that the spirits had been appeased. Mawunyo arrived at the palace gates the following morning. Though he walked slowly, his spirit was strong. He entered the prince’s chamber and retrieved his drum. As he walked back through the village, it sang again. This time, the song was not one of sorrow, but of healing and renewal. No one saw the gray bird again. Yet elders say it lives in the tallest tree in the Atiga Forest. On certain evenings, when the sun sets just right, the bird can be heard singing. Its melody reminds listeners of humility and the power of nature. They also say Mawunyo’s drum never sang again. For it had already told its final story.
Moral Lesson
The folktale The Drum That Sang Like a Bird teaches us that greed and pride can silence beauty and harmony. When someone tries to claim what they do not understand or take what does not belong to them, the world answers with consequence. Peace and balance come from respect, not possession. The story reminds us that the purest gifts of nature sing only for those who listen with humility.
Knowledge Check
- What moral does the story The Drum That Sang Like a Bird reveal about greed?
Greed leads to destruction, and trying to own what is sacred or natural can bring about personal and communal loss. - What happens to Prince Korsi in The Drum That Sang Like a Bird?
He is transformed into a gray bird after trying to silence the magical drum he stole from Mawunyo. - Why did Mawunyo refuse to sell the drum?
Mawunyo believed the drum was only for someone with a pure heart, not someone driven by power and pride. - How did the land react after the prince stole the drum?
The sky turned red, the land became dry, crops failed, and the people feared the wrath of the forest spirits. - What role does the forest play in The Drum That Sang Like a Bird?
The forest is the source of the drum’s magic and a symbol of nature’s balance and spirit. - What message about humility does The Drum That Sang Like a Bird offer readers today?
It reminds readers that humility and respect for nature are necessary for peace and that selfishness leads to ruin.
