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The Leopard's Drum

"A story is coming, a story is coming! Everybody be still and listen to the story! This is not my story. This is not your story. This is our story. A story of Unity, Love and Sharing".

Listen to the sound of the drum…now here is the story.

Once Tossu the Leopard made a beautiful drum and he played it every day. Animals came from near and far, from the jungle to the savannah, to see it. It was a wonderful drum, the best they had ever seen. They all wished it belonged to them. Tossu played his drum all day long, which caused the other animals to come around and dance. Even Fumu the Lion King came, entraced by the drum's beat.

"Tossu," he said, "that's a wonderful drum you have there. I should have a drum like that. Will you give me your drum?"

"No," said Tossu defiantly.

The Lion King roared and said, "Tossu, I am the Lord of the Jungle, the Lion King, I will ask you again, will you lend me your drum?"

"No," said Tossu bluntly.

Fumu the Lion King roared again and said, " Tossu, I am the King and you should respect me, will you let me try your drum?"

"No," said Tossu, "whoever wants my drum must show me how a good dancer he is."

Then Fumu became very angry. He turned and sped off to the forest, called all the animals and said, "Animals of the forest, listen to me, whoever brings me Tossu's drum will have a huge reward."

Early the next morning the Elephant went to get the drum. The Leopard saw him coming and said, " Looking for me Elephant?"

"Yes, yes, I was … I mean, er, umm, I want your drum for King Fumu, now…um, please?".

"If you want my drum, you have to show me how a good dancer you are," said Tossu. So the Leopard played and the Elephant danced and danced until he got tired.

"That was good Elephant, you are a good dancer but you forgot to shake your ears so I can't give you my drum." The Elephant went back to the Lion without the drum.

"Where's the drum, my drum?" asked Fumu Lion.

"I didn't get it because I didn't shake my ears, "said the Elephant defeatedly.

The Lion roared, and sent the Antelope. " Don't forget to shake your ears," he said.

The Antelope went to the Leopard and said," I want the drum, I need the drum, I must have the drum for the Lion King."

"You know how to get it, right?" said Tossu the Leopard. He began to drum and the Antelope started to dance and dance, shaking his ears until he was so tired that he couldn't move.

"You are a very good dancer Antelope, but you did not cough like antelopes do so you can't have my drum, " amused Tossu.The antelope went back to the Lion without the drum. Fumu Lion bewildered asked, " Why? What? How could you not get the drum?"

"Well, I, umm, I didn't cough." Said Antelope sheepishly. The Lion roared and sent the Monkey.

" Do NOT forget to cough and shake your ears at the same time, " he ordered Monkey. Monkey was determined to get the drum and off he set to approach Tossu for the last time.

"Has the Lion King sent you? For what?" asked Tossu.

"The drum! The drum!" shrieked Monkey, "I must have the drum!"

"Get ready, step your foot, one two, one two three…Dom Dum Dom!" The Monkey shook his ears and coughed and danced, and there was no doubt he was good, but the Leopard said that he forgot to eat a banana and scratch himself.

When Fumu heard what Monkey had to report and the bananas and the scratching thing, the Lion was so angry he nearly bit himself! He sent the Tiger, the Rabbit, the Goat, the Cow and many other animals, but every time the leopard always found something they did not do.

Then the Lion sent all the animals saying, "Go and dance until the Leopard himself becomes tired and falls asleep then bring him and his drum to me!" Tossu was never one to refuse a party of dancing animals, so they all danced and danced and danced without stopping. The Leopard indeed became tired, as the Lion King predicted, and he fell asleep. The animals took Tossu the Leopard and his drum to Fumu the Lion King.

" Leopard wake up," he said, "I've got your drum and you will never have it back unless you do exactly what I say. When you have something, you must share it with your friends and your community. To punish you, you are going to teach everyone how to make a drum and how to play it. Tossu loved to play his drum far too much to disobey and so he taught everyone how to make and play drums and they danced all day long, everyday, always. The animals then voyaged all around the world teaching others how to make and play drums and that is why there are so many different drums and so many different rhythms around the world today!