Week 11 Story: The Clever Monkey

 The Clever Monkey 

There once was a monkey who lived near the bank of a river on a tree. He lived a peaceful life and loved the tree he lived on. As the years went on,  the toll of over eating and time took hold of the plantation. The fruits diminished in quantity every passing year, leaving him lonelier as more animals left. He also started to become more worried for his own well-being. He would gaze at the other side of the river and wonder what it was like to live there. The trees looked so full of life and adorned with bright big colors. The sight of the fruit made his stomach rumble. 

He knew he was running out of options and would either have to cross the river or find another home. This saddened him because this tree was all he knew. The tree was his home and the thought of leaving it broke his tiny heart.  The only issue that prevented him from leaving was that he could not swim. He also was weary of the creatures always looming in the waters. They seemed to always look at him with hungry eyes. The days grew closer to  where he knew he would have to make a decision. Something that may as well have been fate appeared to him in the waters. A crocodiles eyes first submerged and then his scaly head.

The crocodile appeared to him and seemed different then the others, oddly friendly. " Hello monkey friend!  Why do you look so sad upon your tree?"

The monkey let out a big sigh and said " It is none of your concern croc.  Just know your swimming skills makes you a very lucky creature and I guess those teeth dont hurt your chances either." 

 

The crocodile raised his eyebrow and grinned at one corner. " What do you mean? Friend, if tell me your dilemma maybe we could find a solution. That's what friends are for after all." 

The monkey so saddened by his predicament and still gazing across the way was too distracted to quetion the odd amiability of the croc and again just let out a sigh. 

The crocodile knew why the monkey was sad and also knew that the food availability was running low for the monkey. The crocodile hid his true intentions with friendship. In reality he was after the monkey's heart to give to his mother, who craved to eat one. The crocodile saw that this was an opportunity and all he had to do was get him out of the tree  and in the water where he truly dominates.

The monkey still in a sad funk and pensive state was started by the crocodile speaking again. 

" Friend! I have a solution just for you! Just cross through the river and then you can feast on all the fruit you could desire." 

The monkey rolled his eyes and said, " well the issue is the lack of swimming abilities I have." 

The crocodile replied, "that is where I can help." The crocodile then suggested to take the monkey on his back to the other side. 

The monkey still looking at the delicious fruit across the way just waiting to be eaten agreed to trust this crocodile. " Okay!Let us do it!"

He jumped off the tree onto the back of the croc and they started the journey to the other side of the river. He could see his own reflection in the water and let his finger tips skim the surface of the water. Then suddenly before he could realize more of his body was being submerged. Before he could say anything his whole head was in the water and he did not know what do but to grip on tighter to the crocodile. Finally he was above water and gasped for air and he heard a distinct laughing coming from someone close. It was the crocodile!

The monkey yelled, " Why are you doing this? Please stop! I can not swim!" 

The crocodile laughed and said, " I am going to kill you! You are going to drown and I am going to give your heart to my mother who craves it!" 

The monkey panicked but thought of something quickly that may save his life. Then he replied, " Oh! Well if I would have known you wanted my heart, I would have brought it with me! I left it back in my tree! I promise you I will give it to you if you take me for some fruit." 

The crocodile pondered this while he kept swimming and finally agreed. He took the monkey to the other side of the river and the monkey quickly jumped off and went to the very top of a tree.

He yelled, " if you want my heart then you have to come here and get it! " 

The crocodile  was very angry himself at being so close to getting his prey and letting him leave. He tried convincing the monkey back to the water but had no luck. He eventually gave up and went back to his mother empty handed.

The monkey then explored the new area and found a tree he came to love as his home. After a couple of months he found a another monkey that he created a family with and lived a very happy life. He passed on his story of the crocodile that tried to steal his heart and it was told for many generations. 

The Monkey and the Crocodile

Authors Note: I kept the story pretty much the same as the original, The Monkey and the Crocodile, I just did it in my own words! The original story is about a crocodile who is after a monkey's heart to give to his mother who really wants to eat one. He tries to trick the monkey the same way by luring it into the waters with the promise of taking him to the other side of the river for fruit. The monkey tricks him to take him back to his original tree and gets away. I did do some minor changes and let the story be in mostly the monkeys perspective. I also changed the ending to keep the monkey on the other side of river and gave him a new happy life! Thank you for stopping by and reading my story!

Bibliography: source

Title: Jataka Tales
Author: Ellen C. Babbitt

Illustrator: Ellsworth Young

Year: 1912