The Monkey and the Turtle

I

Once upon a time there were two friends, the monkey and the turtle.

One day the turtle dropped in at the monkey's house and said, "Friend Monkey, if you're not busy, why don't we go out and take a stroll together?"

Since the monkey was not doing nothing at the time, he readily accepted his friend's suggestion. The two friends had barely walked a short distance when they found a young banana plant lying along the road.

"What shall we do with this banana plant?" the turyle asked. Let's divide it between the two of us," replied the monkey." We shall cut it into two equal parts. I will get the upper half, and you will get the lower half."

"Agreed," said the turtle.

So the two friends cut the banana plant into two parts. The turtle got the lower half, and the monkey got the upper half. Then each went on his way home. Upon arriving home, the monkey planted his part of the banana plant in his garden. The turtle did the dame as soon as he reached home.

After a few days the monkey's banana plant died. The monkey felt sad, knowing that he will not be able to eat the sweet ripe bananas he always thought of about, and even dreamed about sometimes.

The turtle's banana plant, on the other hand, grew stout and fast. In a few weeks it bore fruit which soon ripened, ready to be eaten.

"I wonder what has happened to the monkey's banana plant," said the turtle one morning. "I will visit my friend and find out."

Away the turtle went to see his friend.

When the trutle arrived at the monkey's place, he saw his friend looking very sad. The turtle said, "Friend Monkey, why are you looking very said this bright morning? You look as the end of the world has come!"

"My banana plant died," replied the monkey, pointing to the dead plant in the garden. "What about your bvanana plant my friend?"

"It is now bearing fruit and the fruit has already ripened," the turtle said.

"Is that so? Will you let me see it?" said the monkey.

Being the unselfish type, the turtle said yes. Off they went to see the ripe bananas.

II

Upon reaching the turtle's place, the monkey saw with his own eyes the banana plant and its ripe fruits.

"Who will gather the ripe bananas?" asked the monkey.

"My grandfather of course!" said the turtle.

"But your grandfather is lame!" the monkey pointed out.

"Then my brother will do it," replied the turtle.

"But your brother is blind!" replied the monkey.

After a while, the monkey said,"Friend Turtle, suppose you allow me to climb the banana plant and gather the ripe fruit. Agreed?"

"Agreed," the turtle answered.

So the monkey climbed the banana plant. In two seconds flat he reached the top. Without a moment's delay he picked one ripe banana, peeled it, and ate the fruit. He picked another banana and did the same. In a few minutes, one half of the ripe bananas had been eaten by the monkey.

The turtle got disgusted with what his friend was doing. THe turtle said, "Friend Monkey, what about me? Please give me some bananas too."

The monkey just laughed, then threw a couple of banana peelings at the turtle.

"I'll teach him a lesson," the turtle said to himself.

The turtle then left and went to a nearby thicket where he found a lot of thorns. He gathered two big armfuls of the thorns and put them around the trunk of the banana plant.

Then the turtle looked up and said, "Friend Monkey, it's not healthy to stay up there all day. I have a piece of good advice for you. When you hear the xbarking of the dog, that's the signal for you to come down." And he left.

Just then a neighbor's dog barked. THe monkey heard the sound. By this time he was so full of ripe bananas that he could hardly move. But mindful of his friend's advice, he started to climb down. All of a sudden he lost his grip and fell heavily on the thorns which surrounded the trunk of the banana plant. The thorns pricked his body, his legs, and his arms. With a mighty effort, he managed to leave the place and return home.

III

The next day the monkey woke up early. "I'll make that foolish turtle pay for what he did to me yesterday," he said.

Off he went, looking for the turtle.

Soon he came to a clearing in a farm. Feeling tired, he sat on a coconut shell. It so happened that his tail went through the hole in the shell. He did not know that inside the shell was his friend, the turtle.

Immediately after the monkey had sat down, the turtle pulled the former's tail. Quickly, the monkey jumped. THen he kicked the coconut shell. THe shell turned over, revealing the turtle.

"So it's you!" cried the monkey. I've been looking for you all morning, do you know that?

The monkey picked the turtle up and saud, "Now I'm going to punish you."

"What will you do with me?" asked the turtle.

"I will roast you over live charcoals!" said the monkey.

"If you do that my friend, I will become red," said the turtle. "Red happens to be my favorite color."

"Then I will chop you to pieces!" said the monkey.

"If you do that my friend, there will be a great number of turtles crawling around," said the turtle.

"Then I will throw you into the river!" the monkey shouted in glee.

Of course this is what the turtle has been waiting for all the time, for he liked nothing in the world better than to be in the river where he could swim sto his heart's content.

But the turtle pretended that he did not like being thrown into the river.

"Please, Friend Monkey, don't do that," the turtle said in a pleading voice. "I will surely drown. Have puty on me!"

"Have pity on you?" cried the monkey. "After what you did to me, you expect me to have pity on you? You must be out of your mind. I'm sorry, Friend Turtle, but I will throw you into the river - now!"

"Wait a minute! Listen, Friend Monkey!" cried the turtle. "It will be better if you roast mr over live charcoals. Or, if you wish, you can chop me to pieces. But, please don't throw me into the river!"

But the monkey did not listen to the turtle's pleas. With a big heave, he threw the turtle into the river.

The turtle went down, down into the river for awhile. And then he came up the surface, his front legs holding a big fish.

"Friend Monkey, look! I've caught a big fish!" the turtle shouted.

The monkey was taken aback for sometime.

"Will you give it to me, Friend Turtle?" he managed to say at last.

"Why don't you jump into the river and catch one for yourself?" said the turtle. I didn't know you're that lazy."

The monkey did not like being called lazy. Right away he jumped into the river and, because he did not know how to swim, he drowned.

And the turtle laughed all day long.