The Baboon Who Stole the Drum

The Baboons were very jealous of the humans, because the humans had the gift of music from their drums. The Chief of the Baboons decided he would steal a drum. He snuck into the village during a ceremony and stole the master drum, taking it to the forest. He and his troop began to beat it. But they did not understand rhythm or music. They only produced a chaotic, ugly noise. The noise was so terrible that it angered the forest spirits, who came and cursed the baboons. "Because you have stolen the drum but have not understood its heart," the spirits said, "your own voices will now be like your chaotic drumming!" And at that moment, the baboons' throats changed, and they could no longer make simple animal calls, but only a series of loud, barking, and ugly noises. They had stolen the instrument, but the art of music remained with the humans.