Show Made the First Banjo At the beginning of the Nineteenth century a native on the island of Java wanted a musical instrument of his own but having no money to buy it decided to make one for himself And so according to Fact Digest he took a cheese box wrapped a goat skin around one end attached a handle added violin strings tuned to the first third fifth and eighth notes of an octave and christened it banjo after the first two syllables of the islands island's name The idea caught on among the natives and the instrument instrument ment eventually arrived in Ameri Amerl- America ca where it had a great success It has achieved international popular popular- popularity ity but when it was first introduced in conventional England it was treated with th scorn |