By: Chioma Madonna Ndukwu
Africa’s Talking Drum: When the Leopard Guarded the Goats
In the hill kingdom of Zubari, the goats were the lifeblood of the land.
They fed families, settled disputes, paid dowries, and sustained the markets. Because of their importance, the people built a great pen at the center of the kingdom and appointed guards to protect it.
For many seasons, the system worked.
But one year, theft began to rise. Goats disappeared in the night. Panic spread through the villages.
“We need a stronger protector,” the council declared.
That was when Leopard stepped forward.
“I am feared across the hills,” Leopard said proudly. “No thief would dare approach if I guard the pen.”
The people hesitated. Some feared Leopard’s nature. But others were desperate for security.
And so, Leopard was appointed Chief Guardian of the Goats.
At first, peace returned.
No raids.
No noise in the night.
No footprints near the pen.
The people praised Leopard endlessly.
“Finally,” they said, “we have safety.”
But slowly, strange things began to happen.
The number of goats in the pen kept shrinking.
When villagers asked questions, Leopard blamed sickness.
When elders demanded explanations, Leopard spoke of “outside enemies.”
And whenever anyone doubted him, he roared loudly about loyalty and sacrifice.
Fear silenced many.
Then one dry season, a young Herdsboy climbed the hill behind the pen and saw something shocking.
Under the cover of darkness, Leopard himself carried goats out of the enclosure.
The same protector the people trusted most was the one feeding on them.
By sunrise, the truth had spread across Zubari.
The people were furious.
Leopard tried to defend himself.
“I only took a few,” he argued. “And without me, thieves would have taken more.”
But the elders were no longer listening.
That evening, the old Hyrax spoke before the council:
“The danger to a people is greatest when the predator becomes the protector.”
Silence covered the kingdom.
For the people of Zubari had learned too late that fear can make a community hand power to those best positioned to exploit it.
Moral: Never give unchecked power to those who benefit most from fear.
Why do societies sometimes trust powerful people more than trustworthy ones?
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