Bigcats the drummer

One summer in Jamaa it was very hot. The sun burnt like a giant furnace. 

There wasn't a single rain cloud in the sky, Bigcats grew all the food that fed the entire half of Jamaa!

But as July, August, September, and October went by without a single drop of rain it took its toll.

The streams dried up and the water slides in Crystal sands were closed and there was a terrible famine!

There was nothing in Bigcats cupboards so he went into Sarepia forest to look for food.

It was cooler and shady in the forest, He looked on bushes for berries and in trees for fruit. 

But Bigcats didn't find anything. Then he saw a Umbrella mushroom nut. 

But when he got closer he saw there were only three nuts.

"Only three Umbrella mushroom nuts will not feed all of Jamaa

 but it may give me strength to help me find food"

So Bigcats picked the nuts from under the mushroom, and found a stone to crack the shells.

He crouched down on the ground, and brought down the stone --CRACK -- on the first nut.

It bounced down a large hole "Oh bother!" He said.

He brought the stone down on --CRACK -- on the second nut.

It bounced down the hole too! "For howling out loud!" He yelled.

"If this last nut jumps down that hole, I'll jump down after it and get it back!" 

And -- CRACK -- the third nut whizzed down the hole!

At that, Bigcats peered into the hole. It was so dark he couldn't see the bottom.

But he took a deep breath and jumped. It was a long way down. 

A very long way down. He fell through a starry sky, he fell past the moon past leaves and trough branches.

He tumbled into a sunny day, and landed on soft golden sand.

Bigcats had fallen into Jamaa Wonderworld!

He rubbed his eyes, and saw a a turquoise ocean and a small bamboo hut.

Beside the hut sat a Black and Blue bunny cracking nuts with his teeth.

Bigcats thought the nuts looked just like the ones he'd lost. But he said nothing.

"Are you hungry?" asked the bunny.

"A little" Bigcats said, all at once his stomach gave a loud rumble.

"Well there are lots of potatoes growing in the field," the bunny replied.

"The big potatoes will be calling 'Eat me!' and the little poatoes will be calling 'Don't eat me!' 

Take this spade, dig up the little potatoes and bring them to me."

Bigcats took the spade, and went into the field. He saw huge, juicy potatoes calling out "Eat me, eat me!" 

He was starving and they looked so tasty. 

Then he saw tiny, withered potatoes calling out "Don't eat me, don't eat me!" They did not look tasty at all. 

But Bigcats remembered what the bunny had said, and dug up the little potatoes.

"Now Bigcats," said the bunny. "Peel the potatoes, put the peel in the pot, and throw away the insides."

Bigcats had never heard of a recipe like that before. 

He also wondered how the bunny had known his name, but he peeled the potatoes, 

threw away the wizened insides and put the peel in the pot.

The pot began to boil then Bigcats poured the peelings into two red clay bowls, and they sat down to eat.

The bunny started eating the brown soupy peelings. Bigcats thought the peelings looked very dirty.

But he was polite, and said nothing. He picked up his spoon, 

and wondered what potato peelings would taste like.

"Mmmm hmmm, delicious!" He said happily!

They were the tastiest thing they had ever eaten! 

"Thank you Bigcats" said the bunny. "I would like to give you something in return." 

He showed Bigcats a wooden door at the back of the hut.

"Go inside and choose the smallest drum."

Bigcats opened the door. Inside was a room full of drums. 

Drums of every size and shape! Huge drums decorated with carvings, 

medium-sized drums with curved sticks and colorful skins, and little drums covered in beads and tinkling bells.

Then he saw the smallest drum. It was old, and worn, and plain. 

Bigcats badly wanted one of the big gaudy drums, but he remembered what the bunny had said,

and chose the smallest drum. Bigcats also noticed his glove had changed color strangely.

"Take the drum home, play it, and shout SQUISHY PHANTOMS!" The bunny told him.

He then showed him a path that led into the forest. 

Bigcats had hardly taken three steps along the path, when he found himself back in Jamaa.

He saw his pet, Rudolph ran over and said "I have amazing news!"

All at once a cold voice froze Bigcats in his tracks. "What is amazing news?" 

Bigcats gasped in surprise and shock as he stared at his evil landlord, Barzel.

"SHOW ME WHAT IS YOUR AMAZING NEWS!?" Barzel shouted!

Bigcats had no choice he started playing the drum. 

Ta te, ta te te, ta ta taa. 

Faster and faster and faster!

Ta te, ta te te, ta ta TAA!

"SQUISHY PHANTOMS!" He yelled.

Suddenly whole floor was covered with food! 

When the Barzel saw the food he thought to himself "Where did he get such a wonderful drum?" 

The next day Barzel came up to Bigcats and demanded how he got the drum.

Bigcats told him the whole story. All about the nuts, and the hole and...

...But before he had time to finish, Barzel had run off to Sarepia Forest.

He found the mushrooms, and sure enough there were three nuts on them.

He picked the nuts, took a stone and brought it down -- CRACK -- on the first nut.

The first nut jumped down the hole, and Barzel left the other two nuts and jumped down the hole.

He went past a starry sky, past the moon, past leaves and through branches. 

He dropped into a sunny day, and landed on a mossy bank.

There sat the bunny next to the bamboo hut, cracking the nut.

"Mmmm hmmm," he said. "Are you hungry?" 

"Yes," said Barzel. "Well, there are lots of potatoes growing in the field," said the bunny.

"The big potatoes are calling 'Eat me!' and the little potatoes are calling 'Don't eat me!' 

Dig up the little poatoes and bring them to me."

Barzel grabbed the spade and went into the field.

The huge, juicy potatoes were calling "Eat me, eat me!" 

The tiny shrivelled potatoes were calling "Don't eat me! Don't eat me!"

"I am not eating those dried-up things!" he complained.

So Barzel dug the big juicy potatoes up.

"Now peel the potatoes," said the bunny. "Put the peel in the pot and throw away the insides."

Barzel had never heard anything so ridiculous. 

So he peeled the potatoes, threw away the peels and put the juicy insides into the pot.

The pot began to bubble. Barzel served up the potatoes, making sure he had the biggest portion.

Then they sat down to eat.

The bunny started to eat the golden brown juicy potatoes.

Barzel picked up his spoon. "Yuck!" he spluttered. "That tastes revolting!" 

He pushed the bowl off the table -- it was the worst thing he had ever eaten.

"Thank you Barzel," said the bunny. "I would like to give you something in return."

He showed him the door in the back of the hut. 

"Go inside, choose the smallest drum, take it home, play it and shout SQUISHY PHANTOMS!" He told him.

Barzel opened the door. He stared at the biggest drum and thought,

 "If the little drum gives food, what will the big drum give?"

He snatched up the biggest drum and raced back to the hole.

 The bunny didn't even have time to show him the path out of Jamaa Wonderworld.

"Hehe!" laughed Barzel, "This drum will give me ten times more food, and probably gems as well!"

Barzel climbed up a vine that lead up to the hole, carrying the drum.

He climbed all the way up. 

Panting and groaning Barzel pulled the drum through branches, past leaves, 

past the moon, through the starry sky and back into Jamaa.

Then he carried the drum back home (Which was also the house Bigcats lived in)

When he arrived Bigcats was asleep. "Good!" He said in a loud whisper. 

"I won't have to share my drum with anyone!" He sat down and, very quietly started to play.

Ta te, ta te te, ta ta taa.

Faster and faster and faster!

Ta te, ta te te, ta ta TAA!

"SQUISHY PHANTOMS!" he cried.

Suddenly Barzel was covered in spots. Covered in huge blue and red and green spots!

" AHHHHHHH!" he screamed.

He was covered in spots from head to toe! "Help!" he screamed.

Everyone in Jamaa heard it and woke up and rushed outside to see what the matter was.

Barzel was rolling on the ground, covered in spots.

Everyone began to laugh. Bigcats shook his head. 

"Oh my Barzel you must be very ill! Very ill indeed! 

You must go to bed right now and stay there until the spots have gone.

And with spots those colors you must not eat anything!"

So Barzel lay in bed for a whole week.

 He listened to Bigcats playing the drum and shouting "SQUISHY PHANTOMS!" , 

and everyone feasting and having a good time. And after the feast something wonderful happened!

Thunder Clan recovered their rain drums and started the rain song! 

Ta te, ta te te, ta ta taa.

Faster and faster and faster.

Ta te, ta te te, ta ta TAA!