Soon day darkened; and they all went to go to sleep. And soon another day began to break. At day-break, Tortoise started to go off to the place where was the Drum. Arrived there, he went to the tree, and said to the Drum, “Ngâmâ! do as they said!” The Drum came rapidly down to the ground, and put out the table all covered with food. Tortoise took a part, and ate, and was satisfied. Then he also filled the bag. Then said he to the Drum, “Do as you did!” And Drum took back the things, and went up the tree. On another day, at day-break, he went to the tree and did the same way.
On another day, as he was going, his eldest son, curious to find out where his father obtained so much food, secretly followed him. Tortoise went to where the Drum was. The child hid himself, and stood still. He heard his father say to the tree, “Bend!” And its top bent down. The child saw the whole process, as Tortoise took the Drum, stood it up, and with the palm of his hand, struck it, vĕ! saying, “Do as you have been told to do!” At once a table stood prepared, at which Tortoise sat down and ate. And then, when he had finished, saying, “Tree! bend down,” it bent over for Drum to be tied to it. He returned Drum to the branch; and the tree stood erect.
On other days, Tortoise came to the tree, and did the same way, eating; and returning to his house; on all such occasions, bringing food for his family. One day, the son, who had seen how to do all those things, came to the tree, and said to it, “Bow down.” It bowed; and he did as his father had done. So Drum spread the table. The child ate, and finished eating. Then said he to Drum, “Put them away!” And the table disappeared. Then he took up the Drum, instead of fastening it to the tree, and secretly carried it to town to his own house. He went to call privately his brothers, and his father’s women, and other members of the family. When they had come together in his house, at his command, the Drum did as usual; and they ate. And when he said to the Drum, “Put away the things!” it put them away.
Tortoise came that day from the forest where he had been searching for the loved mushrooms for his family. He said to himself, “Before going into the town, I will first go to the tree to eat.” As he approached the tree, when only a short distance from it, the tree was standing as usual, but the Drum was not there! He exclaimed, “Truly, now, what is this joke of the tree?” As he neared the foot of the tree, still there was no Drum to be seen! He said to the tree, “Bow down!” There was no response! He passed on to the town, took his axe, and returned at once to the tree, in anger saying, “Lest I cut you down, bend!” The tree stood still. Tortoise began at once with his axe chopping, Ko! ko! The tree fell, toppling to the ground, tomu! He said to it, “You! produce the Drum, lest I cut you in pieces!” He split the tree all into pieces; but he did not see the Drum. He returned to the town; and, as he went, he walked anxiously saying to himself, “Who has done this thing?” When he reached his house, he was so displeased that he declined to speak. Then his eldest son came to him, and said, “O! my father! why is it that you are silent and do not speak? What have you done in the forest? What is it?” He replied, “I don’t want to talk.” The son said, “Ah! my father! you were satisfied when you used to come and eat, and you brought us mushrooms. I am the one who took the Drum.” Tortoise said to him, “My child, now bring out to us the Drum.” He brought it out of an inner room. Then Tortoise and the son called together all their people privately, and assembled them in the house. They commanded the Drum. It did as it usually did. They ate. Their little children took their scraps of potatoes and meat of wild-animals, and, in their excitement, forgot orders, and went out eating their food in the open street. Other children saw them, and begged of them. They gave to them. Among them were children of Leopard, who went and showed the meat to their father.
All suddenly, Leopard came to the house of Tortoise, and found him and his family feasting. Leopard said, “Ah! Chum! you have done me evil. You are eating; and I and my family are dying with hunger!” Tortoise replied, “Yes, not today, but tomorrow you shall eat.” So, Leopard returned to his house.
After that, the day darkened. And they all went to lie down in sleep. Then, the next day broke.
Early in the morning, Tortoise, out in the street, announced, “From my house to Njâ’s there will be no strolling into the forest today. Today, only food.”
Tortoise then went off by himself to the coco tree (whither he had secretly during the night carried the Drum). Arrived at the foot of the tree, he desired to test whether its power had been lost by the use of it in his town. So, he gave the usual orders; and they were, as usually obeyed. Tortoise then went off with the Drum, carrying it openly on his shoulder, into the town, and directly to the house of Leopard, and said to him, “Call all your people! Let them come!” They all came into the house; and the people of Tortoise also. He gave the usual commands. At once, Drum produced abundance of food, and a table for it. So, they all ate, and were satisfied. And Drum took back the table to itself. Drum remained in the house of Leopard for about two weeks. It ended its supply of food, being displeased at Leopard’s rough usage of itself; and there was no more food. Leopard went to Tortoise, and told him, “Drum has no more food. Go, and get another.” Tortoise was provoked at the abuse of his Drum, but he took it, and hung it up in his house.
At this time, the watchmen heard of the supply of food at Leopard’s house, and they asked him about it. He denied having any. They asked him, “Where then did you get this food which we saw your children eating?” He said, “From the children of Kudu.” The officers went at once to King Maseni, and reported, “We saw a person who has food.” He inquired, “Who is he?” They replied, “Kudu.” The King ordered “Go ye, and summon Kudu.” They went and told Tortoise, “The King summons you.” Tortoise asked, “What have I done to the King? Since the King and I have been living in this country, he has not summoned me.” Nevertheless, he obeyed and journeyed to the King’s house. The King said to him, “You are keeping food, while all the Tribes are dying of hunger? You! bring all those foods!” Tortoise replied, “Please excuse me! I will not come again today with them. But, tomorrow, you must call for all the tribes.”
The next morning, the King had his bell rung, and an order announced, “Any person whatever, old or young, come to eat!” The whole community assembled at the King’s house. Tortoise also came from his town, holding his Drum in his hand. The distant members of that Tribe, (not knowing and not having heard what that Drum had been doing) twitted him, “Is it for a dance?”