Once there lived a drummer with his son near Varanasi. Hearing that a festival was being celebrated in the city of Varanasi, they both went there to play drums before the crowd. Thus, he earned a great amount of money.
While they were on their way back to their home, they had to cross a dense forest fully inhabited with robbers. His son, however, was happy and was excited with his earnings kept on playing the drum continually. The father, however, warned him against the possible attraction of the robbers by the continually drumming. He instead advised his father for the occasional drumming, which could keep the robbers away by thinking that some local chieftain was on a journey along with his armed men.
The son did not listen to the advice of his father and kept on drumming in his joyous mood. Soon the robbers heard the sound and caught them. They then beat them and robbed them off whatever they were having.
Thus what was gained by the skilful drumming, Was lost by the excessive drumming.
It is therefore said that excessiveness is bad; and restraint is a virtue.