Taron Green was on the verge of joining a gang before he became a member of the drum line.

CNN: Drill team keeps kids off deadly streets

But one day in a Burmese bookstore, he happened upon a book about a pygmy tribe called the Taron.

NPR: An Asian Pygmy and his Pal from Far Rockaway

When he got there, he discovered that instead of 150 families, there were only a handful of Taron left.

NPR: An Asian Pygmy and his Pal from Far Rockaway

The two became, in their way, friends, and as you will hear when you listen to our story, Dawi told Alan the terrible secret that explained why there were so few Taron.

NPR: An Asian Pygmy and his Pal from Far Rockaway