SEC-S30W4: Building a Fable | The Loud Drum and the Silent Flute
There was a drum that calls attention in a modest hamlet. Whenever people met, it made the loudest noise possible. Boom. Boom. It just wan people to hear it; it disregarded rhythm and time.
Close by, there was a flute. Simple, unassuming, usually disregarded. It only ran when necessary, and not everyone noticed even then.
One day the drum began bragging. Everyone hears me first, it said. "When I make noise
The drum continued, this time louder. "You are too weak, too small, even when you play people hardly hear."
Finally responding, the flute said, “Not everything loud is important.”
The drum laughed. That sounds like an excuse.
A massive party in the hamlet came a few days later. People emerged ready to dance and have fun wearing bright outfits.
First as usual, the drum commenced. It came quickly and forcefully, generating so much noise that people shielded their ears. Though the rhythm was off, it kept going. It just get high in volume.
People initially gathered, but quickly not pleased. Some went back home, Still others started to leave the gathering. Gradually, the enthusiasm diminished.
Someone then took the flute.
At first, It's noise was mild. Cool. Calm. Still, it was nice. The rhythm was beautiful; slowly, people came around. They listened. They grinned. Then they started to move on rhyme
The entire area felt alive again within short order. Not for its volume, but for its sense.
The drum was silent time, watching as people smile and see what's going on.
It spoke after the party, but not with arrogance again. It said it believe that loud was enough.
"Being heard is not the same as being valued," the flute responded.
The drum did not argue once.
Moral: Noise draws attention, but meaning maintains it.