Once upon a time, in a faraway kingdom, there lived a wise and prosperous king who possessed a magical drum. This drum was no ordinary instrument—it was enchanted. Each time the king beat the drum, it produced bountiful food, jewels, and gold, enough to feed and enrich his entire kingdom. The people admired their king’s generosity, for he often shared his abundance with the poor and needy.
Among the subjects of the kingdom was a cunning and greedy tortoise, known for his sly ways and insatiable hunger for wealth. Tortoise, upon hearing of the king’s miraculous drum, became consumed with envy. “Why should the king alone enjoy such riches?” he muttered to himself. “I must have that drum for myself, no matter what it takes.”
The Scheme
Tortoise devised a plan to trick the king into parting with his prized possession. Observing the palace carefully, he noticed that the king’s wife frequently went to the river to bathe. One day, the tortoise set a trap along her path, laying thorny vines and sharp spikes beneath the soft leaves near the riverbank. As expected, the queen stepped on the concealed trap and injured her feet.
Pretending to be a concerned bystander, the tortoise emerged and helped the queen back to the palace. She was grateful for his assistance and promised to reward him for his kindness. When the king heard of Tortoise’s good deed, he asked him what he desired as a reward.
“Oh mighty king,” Tortoise said humbly, “I am but a poor creature with little need for riches. All I ask is for your drum, so that I may feed my hungry children.”
The king hesitated. He knew the drum was enchanted and bound by juju. However, he could not deny the supposed savior of his beloved queen. Reluctantly, he agreed and handed the drum to Tortoise, warning him, “This drum is no ordinary instrument. It is bound by powerful juju, and its gifts come with conditions. Use it wisely.”
Tortoise nodded eagerly, barely listening. His eyes gleamed with greed as he clutched the drum and hurried home.
Breaking the Juju
At home, Tortoise wasted no time. He beat the drum, and just as he had seen at the palace, a feast of steaming food and golden treasures appeared before him. He and his children devoured the food and hoarded the riches. But soon, the conditions tied to the drum began to reveal themselves. The drum required that its user share the abundance it produced with the needy. This was something the greedy Tortoise refused to do.
As days passed, Tortoise noticed that the drum began to produce less and less. Frustrated, he decided to tamper with the juju. “If I can break the spell,” he thought, “I can use this drum however I please.”
Ignoring the warnings of the king, Tortoise and his children pried open the drum, breaking the enchantment that bound it. When they beat the drum again, it no longer produced food or wealth. Instead, fierce-looking men emerged from the drum, armed with whips. They chased Tortoise and his children around the house, whipping them mercilessly.
Tortoise beat the drum again in desperation, hoping to undo the damage, but more men emerged, whipping him and his children even harder.
The Prickly Tie-Tie Palm
Bruised and defeated, Tortoise realized he had made a grave mistake. With no food and no wealth, he and his family were left to fend for themselves. Desperate for shelter and safety from the men who appeared each time the drum was beaten, they fled to the forest and took refuge beneath the prickly tie-tie palm.
The sharp thorns of the tree provided protection from predators, but it was an uncomfortable and miserable existence. From that day on, tortoises were said to live under the prickly tree, constantly reminded of Tortoise’s greed and folly.
The Moral
The story of the king’s drum serves as a cautionary tale, teaching the values of contentment, generosity, and the dangers of greed. It reminds us that wealth and abundance are best enjoyed when shared, and that attempting to take shortcuts often leads to ruin. To this day, when people see tortoises hiding under thorny trees, they say, “They are still running from the men in the drum.”