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Here’s the story of Thorn, with his tail making the first beat!
In the sunny desert town of Sunny Scales, lived a little bearded dragon named Thorn. Thorn wasn’t like the other bearded dragons who loved basking on warm rocks and chasing juicy crickets. Thorn had a different passion: drumming. Oh, how he loved the rhythm and the beat! He would tap his little claws on anything he could find — empty snail shells, smooth pebbles, even the desert sand!
But in Sunny Scales, drumming wasn’t considered a proper hobby for a bearded dragon. “Why waste your time on such nonsense, Thorn?” his Aunt Sandy would scold. “A good bearded dragon basks and hunts, not bangs on things!” The other young bearded dragons would snicker and flick their tongues dismissively when Thorn proudly showed off a new beat he had learned.
Thorn’s heart would sink every time. It was his biggest dream to play the drums, to make music that filled the desert air. He imagined himself on a big stage surrounded by other creatures tapping their feet to his amazing rhythms. But everyone around him just seemed to think it was silly.
One day, a traveling music festival came to the edge of Sunny Scales. Colorful flags fluttered in the hot desert breeze; strange and wonderful sounds drifted through the air. Thorn’s scales tingled with excitement. He knew he had to go.
Sneaking away from his family, Thorn scurried towards the music. He saw all sorts of animals playing instruments he had never seen before. There were singing birds, strumming beetles, and even a family of frogs playing harmonicas! Thorn watched in amazement, his little feet itching to join in.
Then, he saw it. A small stage with a collection of wooden drums. No one was playing them. Thorn took a deep breath and, despite his wobbly legs, he climbed onto the stage. He looked around nervously, but the music from the other stages was loud enough to cover any sounds he might make at first.
He tentatively tapped a drum with his tail. It made a wonderful sound!
Then, encouraged, Thorn started to tap with his little claws, playing the rhythms he had practiced on his pebble collection. He played with all his heart, his tail still thumping softly in time with the beat.
At first, no one noticed. But as Thorn’s confidence grew, his drumming became louder and more intricate. The music from the other stages seemed to fade as the unique and captivating beat of the little bearded dragon’s drums echoed through the festival grounds.
Animals started to wander over, curious about the new sound. They stopped and stared, then their heads began to bob, and their feet began to tap. A little desert lizard started to clap his tiny hands. A wise old tortoise swayed back and forth.
Even some of the bearded dragons from Sunny Scales, who had come to see what all the commotion was about, stopped their snickering and listened in surprise.
Thorn played on, lost in the joy of the music. He played fast beats and slow beats, loud beats and soft beats. He poured all his dreams and all his frustrations into the drumming.
When he finally finished, a hush fell over the crowd, followed by a roar of applause. The animals cheered and whistled. The bearded dragons from Sunny Scales looked at Thorn with newfound respect in their eyes.
A big, friendly badger who was organizing the festival hopped onto the stage. “That was amazing!” he exclaimed. “I’ve never heard drumming quite like it! Where did you learn to play like that?”
Thorn, his chest puffed out with pride, replied, “I taught myself. It’s my dream to be a drummer.”
The badger smiled. “Well, Thorn,” he said, “it looks like your dream has come true. How would you like to play in the grand finale tonight?”
Thorn’s eyes widened. This was more than he could have ever hoped for! He spent the rest of the day practicing and getting ready.
That evening, under the starry desert sky, Thorn the bearded dragon played his drums for the entire festival. The crowd went wild! Even his Aunt Sandy and the other young bearded dragons were there, tapping their feet and cheering him on.From that day on, Thorn was no longer just a little bearded dragon who liked to bang on things.
He was Thorn the Drummer, the pride of Sunny Scales.
He taught other young creatures how to find their own rhythm, no matter what anyone else said. And he learned that the most important thing was to follow your dreams, even if they seem a little different to everyone else.
This story was created by combining the creative thoughts and love of animals that can only come from my amazing 10 year old, Madelyn! She also wants me to make sure everyone knows we did this together.
