Much worse when drums stop
Stanley and Livingstone, on trek through the jungles of darkest Africa, are awakened one night by the distant, maniacal pulsing of tribal drums. Unable to return to sleep, they leave their tent and make themselves a cup of tea at the campfire. The drums continue for hours, finally stopping at dawn.
At noon that day, while taking a break from hacking a path through the thick vegetation, the two British explorers finally get to ask one of the bearers about the drums. The man becomes extremely agitated. When pressed on the subject, he says only one thing: “Oh no, no. Drums no problem. Much worse when drums stop.”
That night the two explorers are woken again by the drums, and the night after that as well, but no matter how hard they push for an explanation all they hear, again and again, is the same useless reply: “Oh no, no. Much worse when drums stop.”
Finally, exhausted from lack of sleep, unable to go further, they give up and turn the expedition around, returning to their base at the nearest trading outpost. All the way back the bearers seem much relieved.
Immediately on arrival, the explorers seek out the chief from whom they’d hired the bearers and demand an explanation. “Oh no, no,” the old man says, “Drums no problem. Much worse — when drums stop.” “Yes, old bean, we’ve got that part,” snarls Stanley. Meanwhile Livingstone loses it, screaming “But why is it worse when the drums stop!?”
“Bass solo,” says the chief.
