Long ago in the land of the Grebo people, nestled in the thick forests of Liberia where rivers shone silver under the moonlight, there stood a village known for its courage and unity. At the center of this village was not only a marketplace and the chief’s compound but also a sacred drum. This drum was no ordinary instrument. It was carved from the trunk of an ancient tree and stretched with animal hide blessed by the elders. For generations, the people had believed the drum carried the voice of the spirits, for it could beat by itself whenever danger approached.
The villagers honored the drum with offerings of kola nuts and palm wine. At festivals, they danced around it, their feet rising and falling like waves upon the earth. Children were told that the drum was the guardian of the people, a gift left by the ancestors so that no enemy could ever take them by surprise. For many years, this belief kept the village strong.
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One dark night, long after the fires had died down and the people were asleep, the drum began to beat. Boom. Boom. Boom. Its voice rolled like thunder through the village, waking everyone in fear. The chief ran from his hut, followed by the elders and the warriors. They gathered in the square and listened as the drum thundered louder. At once, they armed themselves with spears and shields. Not long after, an enemy army crept from the forest, hoping to burn the village. But because the drum had warned them, the warriors met the invaders at the gates and drove them back. From that night onward, the villagers trusted the drum with all their hearts.
Years passed, and the drum continued to beat whenever danger came. Each time, the people honored it with more gifts, singing songs of gratitude. But as the seasons turned and younger generations grew, their respect began to fade. The children laughed and said the drum was nothing more than wood and hide. The young men claimed it was the warriors, not the drum, who saved the village. Even some elders forgot to offer thanks. Festivals were held without the drum at the center, and its once-sacred place in the square grew dusty and quiet.
One fateful night, when the moon was hidden behind dark clouds, the drum remained silent. The villagers slept soundly, unaware that a great enemy army marched upon them. The drum, neglected and dishonored, no longer spoke. When the soldiers attacked, fire consumed the huts, and many lives were lost. The survivors fled into the forest, their cries echoing in the night. Only the broken drum remained in the square, its silence heavier than a thousand voices.
From that day forward, the story of the drum was told as a warning. The Grebo elders reminded their children that traditions are not mere customs but bonds that tie people to their ancestors and to one another. A community that forgets its sacred gifts loses its protection and unity. The drum had spoken for generations, but when the people stopped listening, it fell silent forever.
Moral Lesson: The Drum That Spoke at Midnight teaches that traditions carry wisdom that protects and unites communities. When people neglect or dismiss what their ancestors left behind, they risk losing the blessings and guidance that sustain them. Respect for sacred things ensures survival, while forgetfulness brings ruin.
Knowledge Check
What made the drum in The Drum That Spoke at Midnight special?
Answer: It was a sacred drum that could beat by itself to warn the village of approaching danger.How did the villagers first respond when they heard the drum at night?
Answer: They armed themselves quickly and drove back an enemy army.Why did the villagers begin to lose respect for the drum over time?
Answer: Younger generations dismissed it as ordinary wood and hide and stopped honoring it with offerings.What happened when the drum fell silent?
Answer: The enemy attacked the village at night, and without warning, many huts were burned and lives lost.What lesson did the elders teach after the village was destroyed?
Answer: They taught that neglecting traditions and sacred gifts leads to disaster.What is the main moral lesson of The Drum That Spoke at Midnight?
Answer: The story teaches respect for traditions and the importance of unity through honoring ancestral wisdom.
Source: Grebo folktale, Liberia. Recorded in African Voices: An Anthology of Native Stories (1959).
