The Drum Exposed the Truth

The Drum Exposed the Truth

A long time ago, in a small kingdom deep within the forests of Nigeria, there ruled a peaceful king named Ephraim. Unlike other rulers, he disliked war and believed in winning over his enemies with kindness. He possessed a magical drum that, when played, would summon an abundance of delicious food. Whenever an enemy kingdom attacked, King Ephraim would invite them to a grand feast, serving them and their armies with utmost respect. The guests, overwhelmed by his hospitality, would abandon their hostility and become his allies. This unique strategy kept peace among all the neighboring kingdoms.

However, the magic drum had a strange condition. If its owner stepped over a fallen tree trunk or a piece of wood on the road before playing it, instead of food, a hundred powerful soldiers would emerge with sticks in hand. These soldiers would mercilessly beat the drums owner and everyone around before vanishing.

Every six months, King Ephraim hosted a grand feast for all his subjects, where a variety of dishes were served. While the people appreciated the kings generosity, many secretly desired to possess the magical drum. However, the drum could not be stolen, as playing it would immediately reveal its location. Moreover, King Ephraim was strict about punishing thieves.

One day, the kings wife, Queen Edem, took her child to bathe near a great waterfall. At the top of the waterfall, a man named Ababa was picking mangoes from a tree. One mango fell from the tree and landed near the queen. She picked it up and gave it to her child, who ate it.

Ababa, known for his cunning nature, climbed down and accused the queen of stealing his mango. I am a poor man, he said. I worked hard to climb the tree and pluck that mango, but you took it for your child. Stealing is a serious crime in King Ephraims kingdom. I will report you to him.

The queen was shocked. I did not steal your mango, she explained. It fell near me, and I gave it to my child. My husband is King Ephraim himself. If you wish to complain, I will take you to him.

When Ababa presented his complaint, the king listened carefully. Then, he said, My queen made a mistake. In return for your mango, you may ask for anything you desire.

Ababa, who had been waiting for this moment, pointed at the magic drum. The king immediately understood Ababas plan but smiled and agreed. You may take the drum, he said, but he did not reveal its secret condition.

Now that Ababa had the drum, he no longer needed to work. Whenever he was hungry, he played the drum, and countless delicious dishes appeared, feeding him and his family. One day, he had an idea—to host a feast, just like King Ephraim, to show everyone that he was no longer poor.

When Ababa invited people to his feast, they laughed at him. A man who struggles to feed his own family wants to serve food to others they mocked. As a result, only a few people attended—except for King Ephraim, who came with his family.

Ababa played the drum, and to everyones amazement, a grand feast appeared. The guests were stunned by the variety and richness of the food. Word of Ababas feast spread across the kingdom, and those who missed it regretted not attending. They eagerly waited for another invitation.

Over time, Ababa became lazy, spending his days showing off his wealth. One evening, as he returned home, a fierce storm arose. Strong winds blew, and lightning flashed in the sky. Frightened, he ran towards his house. In his hurry, he unknowingly stepped over a fallen tree trunk.

The next morning, he called his family for breakfast and confidently played the drum. But instead of food, his house was suddenly filled with soldiers holding sticks. Without warning, they started beating Ababa, his wife, and his children mercilessly. Within moments, they were all left bruised and halfconscious.

Ababa was bewildered. Why did this happen he thought. Angry at the drum, he assumed, This drum serves food to those who eat, but it also punishes them! If I suffered, so should those who ate from my feast.

Determined, Ababa invited the entire kingdom for another feast. This time, almost everyone attended, except for King Ephraim. No one wanted to miss free food. Once all the guests were inside his house, Ababa locked the door and played the drum.

Immediately, the soldiers appeared again and started beating everyone. People screamed and tried to escape, but the doors were shut. They cursed Ababa for tricking them. After thrashing them, the soldiers vanished once more.

The people were furious. They declared a social boycott of Ababa, refusing to interact with him. Many sought revenge for their beating. Scared, Ababa rushed back to King Ephraim, begging to return the drum in exchange for something else. However, the king already knew everything that had happened.

King Ephraim looked at Ababa and said, My queen did not steal your mango. She did not know it belonged to you. But you falsely accused her to take the magic drum. Then, you deliberately invited people just to get them beaten. You deserve a severe punishment, but I will forgive you. Go and work honestly to feed your family. Magic cannot replace hard work.

With his head bowed in shame, Ababa returned home, cursing his own fate.