Playing in the Crowd

Playing in the Crowd (based on a traditional Chinese story) ong ago in China, there lived a king who was very fond of music. His favourite pastime was listening to his musicians play a Chinese instrument called the Yu. The king often put hundreds of players together to perform grand music. And he treated his musicians very well. A man named Nanguo did not know how to play the instrument. But he really wanted to be treated to the king's grand meals. So he found a way to join the king's band.

Whenever the band played for the king, Nanguo just stood there and pretended to play like the others. No-body knew that he was making no sound at all. After the concerts, he always enjoyed eating and drinking with everyone else Eventually, the king died and his son became the new king. Although the new king also liked music, he wanted something different. He ordered the musicians to play one by one, rather than all together. Upon hearing the news, Nanguo fled the palace immediately.