The Mountain series - Part 8

Story 8: Drakensberg’s Secret Echo

Characters:

• Drakensberg (South Africa – wise, rhythmic, and full of old stories)

• Zina the Zebra (curious and full of questions)

• Pip the Weaver Bird (loves to build things)

• Etna (enthusiastic and easily startled)

• Andes (loves music, visits from afar)

Story: Drakensberg’s Secret Echo

High above the grasslands of Africa, Drakensberg sat quietly, listening to the wind.

His cliffs held secrets. His caves whispered songs. And deep inside, he had… an echo.

Zina the Zebra trotted up one day.

“Excuse me, great mountain,” she said politely. “Is it true your voice comes back to you?”

Drakensberg smiled. “Would you like to hear it?”

He gave a gentle thump with his rocky foot.

“BOOM… boom… boom…”

The sound bounced off the cliffs, flying like a drumbeat through the sky.

Zina gasped. “Your echo is like… a talking mountain!”

Pip fluttered down. “Can it say my name?”

“Only if you say it first,” chuckled Drakensberg.

So Pip chirped: “PIP!”

From deep inside the mountain came: “Pip… pip… pip…”

Etna burst out laughing from across the sea, “It sounds like a musical hiccup!”

Andes arrived with his flute. “Let’s make music with the echo!”

Together, they clapped, stomped, chirped, and sang into the caves.

The echoes bounced back like a joyful song.

And deep within, Drakensberg chuckled.

“My echo is a mirror. What you send in… comes back.”

Moral:

The world reflects what we send into it — kindness, music, and joy always return.