Why Tiger Logs Hum — By the fern ravine, a young tiger named Nilo scraped a flat stone over bark, shhrrk, shhrrk, making a paw-drum for the moon parade. Read the full story →
By the fern ravine, a young tiger named Nilo scraped a flat stone over bark, shhrrk, shhrrk, making a paw-drum for the moon parade. He wanted its sound to roll farther than the crickets, but the fallen log only gave dull thuds and smelled of damp wood and green moss. Nilo pressed his ear to a knot. Something inside answered: tap-tap... tap.
He worked his claw carefully around the knot until a round wooden plug popped free. Tucked in the hollow was a tiny seedpod rattle, dry as paper, with silver beetle wings folded around it. “Nobody looks inside a log,” whispered a voice no louder than fern dust. Nilo tied the rattle into the hollow with vine he twisted himself, then struck the bark again.
Bummmm. The whole ravine trembled softly. Leaves quivered. Grass leaned close. Nilo lifted his chin and roared, proud of the drum his own paws had finished. Ever since that night, fallen jungle logs hum when tigers run over them—and if you spot Nilo’s open mouth and forward paw, you may know the first hum is just beginning.
