Set in a Swahili village in Zanzibar, this story is about Bimwili, who is captured by the demon, Zimwi whilst searching for a shell on the beach. He imprisons her in his drum and forces her to sing from within the drum, to entertain the local villages in exchange for food. When they visit Bimwili's own village her voice is recognized and her father rescues her by filling the drum with sand, which of course fails to sing at the command of Zimwi. The demon defeated, returns to the sea. Verna Aardema is an American storyteller of African folktales who won the Caldecott Medal in 1976. She has also written "Bringing The Rain to Kapiti Plain" and "Oh,Kojo! How Could You". Susan Meddaugh has illustrated several picture books.
- ISBN10 0241118832
- ISBN13 9780241118832
- Publish Date 31 December 1986
- Publish Status Out of Print
- Out of Print 22 October 2004
- Publish Country GB
- Publisher Penguin Books Ltd
- Imprint Hamish Hamilton Ltd
- Format Hardcover
- Pages 32
- Language English