There once lived a rich and strong monarch called Oba in a lively Nigerian hamlet. Oba was a wise and giving king noted for his compassion. Treasures abound in his palace, and his people were rich and content. Oba was constantly looking for methods to assist his people and make his realm more joyful, despite his riches.
Oba stumbled across an elderly guy seated beneath a tree one day while he was meandering over the jungle. The most mouthwatering meal seemed to be there in front of the guy as he was playing a gorgeous drum. Fresh veggies, tender meats, rice in sizzling bowls, and sweet fruits abound. Nothing like this Oba has seen before.
Intrigued, Oba went up to the elderly guy. “Good day, elder,” he said. “You have a really good drum. It gives forth food in every rhythm. Are you ready to tell me your secret?”
Glancing up at the king, the elderly man grinned. “Your Majesty, this is no typical drum. This is a miraculous drum; it feeds those who play it with noble intentions. Still, be advised: this drum is not suited for the avaricious. Should it be utilized with self-serving intentions, it will bring about disaster.”
Always kind and kind, Oba vowed to utilize the drum only for his people’s benefit. The elderly guy consented to give the king the magic drum after seeing his genuineness. Grateful, Oba went back to the palace ready to show his people this amazing gift.
Word of the mystical drum rapidly got all around the kingdom. Every day Oba would drum in the royal courtyard, and the most delectable feasts would show there. Gathering to savor the feast, the people would chant praises for their giving monarch. Nobody went hungry; the kingdom grew.
Not everyone, however, was happy with the status quo. Oba’s younger brother Esu was infamous for his avarice and jealously. Esu yearned for Oba’s riches and authority; every day his desire to own the magic drum became more intense.
One evening after a great feast, Esu went up to his brother. “Oba,” he grinned, “you are a fantastic monarch, and your giving is unbounded. But I have been thinking; wouldn’t it be better if the magic drum were within my custody? In this manner, I might help you feed the people while you care to other affairs of the kingdom.”
Oba felt it logical as he trusted his brother. “Very well, Esu,” he said. “I will entrust the drum to you; but, remember the old man’s warning: use it with a pure heart, or it will bring misfortune.”
Esu grabbed the drum excitedly, pledging to use it sensibly. But his actual personality was out as soon as he had the drum. Esu started sating his own avarice with the drum rather than distributing the food to the villagers. He would hide the food for himself and refuse to distribute it to others, thereby playing the drum in secret.
Days stretched into weeks, and the villagers started to see that the magic drum’s food was no longer being distributed. Growing hungry and anxious, they sought to understand what had occurred. Esu’s avarice only became worse, and he became even more fixated on the drum.
One day, Esu was playing the drum in his room when the food that showed up wasn’t the typical feast. Rather, from the drum bad and ruined food started to show up. Esu was appalled as the scent was intolerable. He disregarded the warning, however, and carried on drumming, thinking the meal would once again be fresh.
But the food became better less he played. The drum ceased entirely not too long ago. Rather, it started to generate stones and muck, filling Esu’s rooms. Though it was too late, he attempted to stop. The stones and muck kept pouring out, almost buried him alive.
Terrified, Esu raced to tell his brother Oba everything. He wept, “Oba, forgive me!” “I have been conceited and selfish; now the drum has condemned me. Kindly assist me!
Though unhappy with his brother’s behavior, Oba was a compassionate and kind ruler. Choosing to assist Esu, he visited the elderly guy who had handed him the drum.
The elderly guy sighed after listening to Oba’s appeal. “Esu has learnt a tough lesson,” he remarked. “The drum was a gift designed to delight and feed everyone, not to appease one man’s avarice. The curse will be gone, but the drum will not provide food. It has fulfilled its function and needs to be eliminated immediately.”
Oba left the elderly man thanking him and went back to the palace. He and Esu destroyed the drum together so that it could never be used improperly once again. Inspired by his experience, Esu promised to turn around his behavior and develop personally. He stayed with his brother guiding the country honestly and wisely all through his days.
From the story of the magic drum, the inhabitants of the kingdom gained a useful knowledge. They realized that genuine pleasure comes from loving and supporting one another and that avarice may bring one down. Oba kept ruling with compassion and charity, and for many years his realm remained rich.
Thus, the tale of the magic drum was handed down through the years as a warning that riches and power are better utilized for the benefit of everybody and that greed can only bring misery at last.
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