Mbe and the Dog's Singing Contest

Mbe the Tortoise and the Dog were rivals, each claiming to be the better singer. They agreed to a contest to be judged by the other animals. The Dog, with his loud, boisterous bark, was very confident. Mbe, whose voice was a quiet rasp, knew he could not win a fair contest. Before the contest, Mbe secretly went to a colony of weaver birds and told them, "The Dog has insulted your beautiful songs. He says his barking is superior." The birds were furious. Mbe told them, "When it is my turn to sing, I will simply open my mouth. When you see me do this, you must all sing your most beautiful and complex melody to prove him wrong." On the day of the contest, the Dog barked loudly, but without melody. Then it was Mbe's turn. He stood before the judges, opened his mouth, and said nothing. Instantly, a chorus of a thousand weaver birds erupted from the trees, a beautiful and intricate symphony of song that enchanted all the animals. Mbe was declared the winner. He had won not with his own voice, but by masterfully conducting the voices of those his rival had insulted.