the father of the house trying to wake his son to chop some wood. The son would not listen to him. " It is early yet," he said, "there's plenty of time."
And he heard the mother near the stove say, "Do go, my son. Your father's bones ache; surely you wouldn't let him go? Get up."
The son only smacked his lips and went to sleep again. He had no sooner fallen asleep than there was a banging and a rumbling in the street. The son jumped up, dressed and ran out. Emelian ran out after him to see what it was that a son obeyed more than father or mother. When Emelian got outside he saw a man coming up the street carrying some round object on his belly that he was beating with sticks. It was this thing that had made the noise and that the son had obeyed. Emelian approached and examined it. The thing was round like a small tub with skin drawn tightly on either side of it.
"What is this thing called?" he asked.
"A drum," they said.