The Wand-Waver and the Blame

Once upon a time there was a wand-waver, a choir, and a pianist.  The wand-waver and her singers did not like to work, even though a festival was fast approaching.  When the festival gathering occurred, the wand-waver would leave a small folded note on the judges desk, requesting the selection of one particular song due to the “inability of the pianist to perform the other pieces”.  The judges nodded and gave indulgent smiles to the poorly skilled pianist, and requested the one particular song.  The choir sang the one song it knew beautifully, and happily joined the festival.  This occurred two years in a row.  

Then one year, a judge did not see a folded up note on his table, and requested another song, one that the choir did not know.  The wand-waver smiled and asked if he had “read her note”, but the judge did not smile.  He slowly opened the note, then reluctantly called for the requested song. The wand-waver smiled because she had gotten away with her plan, yet again.  

The next day, the judge requested that the choir sing again - this time with a pianist of his choosing.  Several of the choir member’ eyes widened in alarm.  Courageously, the wand-waver whispered “Follow me!” - and she led them onstage, proceeding to wave and point her wand, mouthing the words with determination, willing them to succeed.  But her effort was for naught, for the choir could not remember what they did not know.  One by one, the singers dropped out until no one was singing anymore and only the lone pianist was heard playing.  The singers heads drooped in shame, and they were excluded from the festival with a stern warning.  The wand-waver was required to hand in her wand at the end of the year. 

The moral:

NEVER blame the pianist  

The Throat and the Tempo

Once upon a time there was a singing princess who had difficulty keeping a steady rhythm, who often would get slower and slower when she sang with any kind of accompaniment.  Occasionally she found tempos too fast for her liking, but was unable to indicate the tempo she preferred. In an attempt to help with this problem, a wise man gave her an Enchanted Box that provided a steady ticking sound.  The princess was shocked at this Enchanted Box, and was amazed at its ability to keep her music going forward at a steady pace.  She was the only one among her singing companions to carry one.  “Why”,  she asked, “are these not more common?”  Shrugs and blank looks met her query.  She lost it shortly thereafter and did not bother to replace it.

The moral:  
. . . singers.

Modern Music Fable #1: The Talented Shepherd

The Talented Shepherd

A fair maiden disliked seeing the village shepherd’s skinny frame, ragged clothing and lumpy skin, and avoided him whenever possible. Then one day, she walked by his house and heard music of such beauty she was enchanted. She followed the music only to discover the shepherd, hunched at a piano and eliciting gorgeous sounds with confident strength, showing a mastery and skill that struck her to her core. From then on, no longer was he beneath her attention - she fairly threw herself at him, finding herself oddly attracted to what she had first spurned.


Talent is sexy.