MONKEY STORIES
(excerpts from posts)
(If you want to retell any of the stories listed below, be sure to obtain permission from the copyright holder if the material is not in the public domain)

1) I thought I'd share some of the in-between things that come in handy when telling to really young kids. I started with a monkey puppet to grab their attention, having them copy the monkey's actions.
Monkey see, monkey do, can you do what monkey does?
Clap your hands.
Monkey see, monkey do, can you do what monkey does?
Scratch your ear.
Monkey see, monkey do, can you do what monkey does?
Nod your head.
Monkey see, monkey do, can you do what monkey does?
Hide your eyes.
I've used this one before and it is always a hit and gets attention focused on the teller very quickly.

I told Monkey Face next, using a dry erase board to illustrate the outrageous drawing on monkey's mother. Next was a song, sung to the tunes of The Wheels on the Bus. I mentioned at my workshop in Madison that if you know 3 basic songs and aren't ashamed to sing loudly with preschoolers, you can change the words to fit many circumstances and be a huge hit. Next was a song, sung to the tunes of The Wheels on the Bus. It's called "If you want to be a ..." and I've known it for ages and don't remember where I first heard it.
If you want to be a monkey, jump up high.
If you want to be a monkey, jump up high.
If you want to be a monkey, if you want to be a monkey,
If you want to be a monkey, jump up high.
If you want to be an elephant, swing your trunk.
If you want to be a lion, roar out loud.
If you want to be a giraffe, stand up tall.
If you want to be a parrot, flap your wings.

2) Hanuman and Sovann Macha (The Monkey and The Mermaid) Cambodian Folktale
http://www.einaudi.cornell.edu/SoutheastAsia/outreach/resources/CambodiaWebUnit/Folktales.html#Hanuman and Sovann Macha (The M

3) The Monkey King's Bridge - a Buddhist tale
[adapted by Amy Friedman and illustrated by Jillian Gilliland]
Excerpt:
Long ago, in a quiet bamboo forest, hundreds of monkeys lived in peace. They had a king who, like the most virtuous, took great care of his tribe.

The monkeys lived on the mangoes that grew in abundance in their forest, but the Monkey King understood they faced dangers from those who might envy their treasures. "Take care," he warned the monkeys, "not to let our fruit fall into the river."

The monkeys took care to pick every mango that grew on the branches overhanging the river, but one day they happened to miss one piece of fruit hidden behind a bird's nest.

After a while, that hidden mango ripened, its stalk grew heavy, and it dropped into the river and floated downstream.

A group of women bathing in the river suddenly smelled a most enchanting scent, and when they discovered the floating fruit, they longed to taste it. They knew, though, that they must take this new discovery to their king.

When the king saw and smelled the mango, he too was curious. He wanted to taste the fruit, but first he called his physician to examine it. And when the doctor announced the mango fit to eat, the king commanded his servants to taste it first. You see, the human king, unlike the Monkey King, worried first about himself.

When at last the servants had proved the mango to be safe, the king took a bite. "That is the best thing I have ever tasted," the king said. "We must find the source of this delicacy."

And so the king led his army to search for more mangoes.

As the army moved upriver, they entered the forest, where they had never traveled. Here they discovered astonishing beauty; they heard sounds they had never before heard and saw herds of roaming elephants and gentle deer living in peace.

When the expedition suddenly smelled that glorious scent, they knew the mango trees were near.

"Look," they cried, staring up into the fruit-filled trees. That's when they spotted hundreds of monkeys.

And those monkeys were eating mangos.

"They're stealing my fruit," the king cried. "Destroy them!"
(click below for the rest of the story)
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The rest of this story may be found at:
http://www.uexpress.com/tellmeastory/
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4) The Day That Went Away
Story:
There are times like other times and there are times like no time at all. There are days like other days and there are days that are not. One morning that started a day unlike any other day, Monkey awoke with water dripping onto his big nose—drip dro; drip drop—at first Monkey thought it was a bad dream, but no, when Monkey opened his eyes he saw another drop of water forming on the ceiling of his nest and as he watched, the drop separated from the ceiling and fell PLZIZZZ PLOP! right onto his big nose and then it splashed in a million directions.

For more days than Monkey cared to count, it had been raining. Sometimes it rained big drops, sometimes it rained small drops and sometimes it just drizzled, like the very air itself was made of rain. It had been raining outside so long that the rain was soaking through the roof of Monkey's nest, and now it was raining inside—PLZIZZZ PLOP! right on Monkey's nose.

"Oh, what a terrible day!" thought Monkey, and Monkey said, "Oh, what a terrible day," but there was no one else to hear him so then Monkey stuck his head out of his nest and in his loudest voice, he said, "Oh, what a terrible day! I wish that this day would go away and leave me alone."

Now Owl, who was flying by at that time, heard what Monkey had said and Owl called back to Monkey, "Good Day! Any day at all is better than no day at all!"

"Oh, what a silly thing for that silly old Owl to say," thought Monkey, but before Monkey had a chance to tell Owl how silly he was, Owl had flown on by on his way to the old hollow tree in which Owl lived. Oh boy, oh boy, it made Monkey mad not to be able to tell Owl how silly he was being and how terrible the day really was, and Owl was not going to have the last word this time. Monkey was going to prove that this was the worst day that there ever was and that would show that silly old Owl just how silly he was being.

With that idea in mind, Monkey climbed down the trunk of the big banyan tree and walked out on the root that stuck out from the base of the tree, and when Monkey stepped off that root he sank over his ankles into the cold sticky mud that his play yard had been turned into by the rain.

"Oh, what a terrible day," thought Monkey, "when you can't even go for a little walk without sinking up to your neck in cold, slimy mud. Just wait until I tell Owl about this. He will have to admit that this is a terrible day and a day that should go away!"

Off to Owl's tree went Monkey, a-splishing and a-splashing along the trail and when he met Hyena, he said, "This is a terrible day, isn't it? Don't you wish it would just go away?" and Hyena replied, "Hee hee, haa haa, yup, it's a terrible day!" When Monkey told Hyena about Owl saying it was a good day, Hyena agreed to go along to Owl's tree and make Owl admit that it was a terrible day and a day that should go away.

So off to Owl's tree they went, a-splishing and a-splashing along the trail. When they met Baboon, Monkey said, "What a terrible day this is. Wouldn't it be nice if this day just went away?" and Baboon replied, "What a baaaaaaad day, what a baaaad day!" and Monkey and Hyena asked Baboon if he would go with them to Owl's tree to make Owl admit that it was a terrible day and a day that should go away. Baboon agreed.

So off they went to Owl's tree, just a-splishing and a-splashing along the trail. At one point, Baboon jumped with both feet into a puddle to see how big of a splash he could make. Hyena started laughing at him, but Monkey made them stop before it became any real fun. And when Parrot flew down to see what was happening, Monkey got her to agree about how terrible the day was and to get all of her friends to fly through the jungle and announce to everyone what a terrible day it was and to invite everyone to Owl's tree so that Owl would know how silly he was to be going around saying "Good Day!" when everybody else knew it was a terrible day.

So off flew Parrot a-singing, "It's a terrible day and we're all going to meet at Owl's tree—it's a terrible day and we're all going to meet at Owl's tree," and by the time Monkey and Hyena and Baboon got to the clearing where Owl's old hollow tree was located, there was quite a crowd who were all a-mumbling and a-grumbling about what a terrible day it was to be having a meeting and what was the meeting about, anyway? Well, when Monkey explained about how Owl had been flying around shouting out that it was a good day when it was really a terrible day and how maybe it was time for Owl to find out that he wasn't so wise after all and that maybe they were all smarter than Owl because they knew when it was a terrible day, even when Owl didn't, and that they would be better off, even if there was no day at all.

Well, I'm sorry to say that to an animal they all agreed and they all started shouting that it was a terrible day and that this day should go away and leave them alone and it was just as Owl stuck his head out of the hole in his big old tree to find out what all the noise was about that Day, who was getting more and more upset about all of the complaining and all of the criticizing and all of the mumbling and all of the grumblinlg—welll, that's when Day left...
Day took all the things that come with a day
Day took the wet and the dry
Day took the clouds and the sky
Day took the sun and the light
Day took the stars and the night
Day took the earth and the moon
Day took the midnight and Day took the noon
Day took the game and Day took the ball
Day took the one and Day took the all

Except for the animals, because Day had had enough of them and their complaints, and Day was just about to promise never to come back when Owl was heard to say, "Good Day! Any day at all is better than no day at all!" And all the other animals joined in saying to one another, "Good Day! Any day at all is better than no day at all! and even Monkey was heard to say, "Good Day! Any day at all is better than no day at all!" and when the animals all promised to find something good about every day, Day came back and the animals all went on their ways and Owl went back inside his tree to get a good day's sleep!
Wayfarer Tomm 10/3/05
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5) Happy Toldstool School
Story:
Some mornings are like other mornings. Other mornings are not. One morning, that was not like this morning. Young monkey awoke and found that he was not feeling well. At first he did not know why. He did not have a headache or a stomachache.
He did not have a cough. He just not feel well. He remembered that today would be the first day at school. There would be no
mommy or family or friends at school. And he did not feel well and he told his mother that.

His mother understood that it was not the thought of school that was making him feel bad. She told him to remember, "That all good endings, do not have good beginnings." She told him to remember, "To have a friend, you must be a friend." She told him to remember, "That it is better to laugh with people, then at people."

Monkey did not know why it was important, but he knew that his mother would not tell him these things, unless they were important When young monkey got to school, there were no monkeys, just boons and hyenas and other animals. And before he even got into school, Boon came running backwards and bumped into him and knocked him on his nose.

He was in that way introduced to Badboon who had good starts and bad finishes So young monkey said "Hello my mother said that."All good endings did not have good beginnings" So I guess that some bad endings have good beginnings. If you would be my friend, there would be a good end to a bad beginning," and they laughed and laughed. And hyena who heard them laughing, laughed with them.

So young monkey said, "My mother said that "It is better to laugh with people, than to laugh at people," so if you will be our friend, we can laugh together," and they laughed together.

And when they saw giraffe, pulling down branches for smaller giraffes to eat. They went over to where he was standing and young monkey said, "My mother said that "To have a friend you must be a friend. I am a monkey and I can climb out on the highest limb and weight it down to where you with your long neck can reach them and pull them down for smaller giraffes. I want to be your friend, I want you to be my friend, let's all be friends to everyone."

Then young owl came to young monkey and said, "I have heard you say such wise things. Let's be friends." To have a friend, you must be a friend. It is better to laugh with people, than at people. Not all good endings have good beginnings.

"Where did you learn such wisdom? Will you share with us?

"They were gifts of my mother. She gave them to me before I came to school and, yes, I will share them with you. She is with me as long as I remember her." said young monkey.

With that memory and the memories of all his new friends he returned home from school that day, which had a morning not like this morning.
Wayfarer Tomm 10/3/05
My version of this story is original,, the story is not. The Sufis have been telling a similar version for about 1000 years.
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6) The Forever Trap
Story:
Sometimes are like other times And other times are like no time at all. One morning that was like no other morning except maybe this morning. Owl was returning from a long night, of exploring and studying and thinking and other types of work, that owl's do in the quiet of the night. As Owl was returning home he saw Hunter sneaking through the low morning mist and the tall grass at the base of the big banyan tree. Owl watched as Hunter tied a shinny glass bottle To the root that stuck out from the base of the big banyan tree.

And Owl thought that that was more than just a little strange. I mean what the heck the shinny glass bottle wasn't going to run away or anything. Well, as soon as Hunter finished tying up the shinny glass bottle he took some things out of his pocket and he put them into the bottle and then Hunter crept carefully and quietly off into the low mist and tall grass. After Hunter had left everything got real quietand nothing happened for a long while and Owl's eyes closed and he took a well earned nap

And Owl was almost dreaming when suddenly he heard a clittering and a clattering a chittering and a chattering from the base of the big banyan tree. Oh me, oh my, oh me, oh my Oh my goodness, oh my goodness I'm trapped, this bottle has me trapped and I'll be trapped forever. EEE I'll never get loose, I'll never get loose and I want to get loose and I want to get loose right now!! Oh me oh my.

On and on went the chittering and the chattering on and on when the clittering and the clattering and as owl looked down to the base of the big banyan tree He saw Monkey just a pulling and a tugging and a jumping up and a jumping down and a running back and a running forth with his hand stuck inside the shinny glass bottle that was tied to the root that stuck out from the bottom of the big banyan tree.

Owl quickly flew down to get a closer look at the situation and as he looked through the clear sides of the shinny glass bottle he could see right away what was causing Monkey to have his hand stuck in the shinny glass bottle.

Inside the bottle was a whole mess of nuts which was Monkey's favorite food And Monkey had his hands wrapped around three or four of those nuts. Which was why Monkey could not pull his hand back through the small opening at the top of the shinny glass bottle

You have your hand filled with nuts said Owl to Monkey And Monkey said back I found them, I found them and they're my nuts, they're my nuts and I want to eat them right now! But you have your hand stuck in the bottle said Owl to Monkey. And Monkey said back, Oh me, oh my, oh me, oh my, oh my goodness this bottle has me trapped I'm trapped and I'll be trapped forever EEEK! I want to get loose and I'll never get loose I want to get loose and I want to get loose right now!

Well, let loose of the nuts and you can take your hand out of the bottle said Owl to Monkey And Monkey said back they're my nuts, they're my nuts I found them, they're mine, I found them I want and I want them right now!

Owl told Monkey If you drop the nuts they will still be in the shinny glass bottle and you will be able to get your hand out of the bottle and you can decide what to do next while the nuts are still safe in the bottle which you will still be holding.

Well, Monkey looked around to be sure there was no one else near him and Monkey open his hand and he dropped the nuts and slowly withdrew his hand from the bottle. And when his hand was out of the bottle Monkey started to jump up and down Shouting joyfully, I'm free, I'm free Thank you Owl, oh thank you owl. I don't know how to thank you enough.

And with those words Monkey went running up the big banyan tree until he got to the end of the rope. Which was tied to the shinny glass bottle and which was tied to the root that stuck out of the base of the big banyan tree. Well, the rope snapped tight And it pulled Monkey off of balance and he fell to the ground with a big thump and a bounce and a little thump

And monkey started yelling at Owl You tricked me, you tricked me. They're my nuts, they're my nuts and I want them and I want them right now! Owl waited until Monkey calmed down and then told him If you turn the bottle upside down all those nuts will fall out and you will have then to eat and to take some with you.

So Monkey slowly turned the shinny glass bottle upside down and out of that bottle flowed more nuts than any one monkey could eat ate at any one sitting and Monkey was so happy that he started to jump up and down shouting joyfully My nuts, my nuts, oh thank you Owl, thank you I don't know how to thank you enough

Well, said Owl Those nuts look awfully good and there are more than you can eat maybe you will share a few of those nuts with me And Monkey said back They're my nuts, they're my nuts I found them, they're mine, I found them and I want them and I want all of them right now!

And he tried to pick up all the nuts at one time and to run off with them but there were more nuts then any one monkey could carry and the more nuts that Monkey tried to pick up the more nuts that he dropped until out of complete frustration Monkey stopped and asked What am I going to do? What am I going to do? Oh Owl what am I going to do?

Well Owl cocked his head to one side and he looked at Monkey and then Owl cocked his head to the other side and he looked at Monkey some more.

Then Owl said Monkey if you put all the nuts back in the bottle there will not be any left on the ground Monkey grabbed at the nuts and quickly put them all back in the bottle And then Owl said, "Those nuts look good enough to eat!"

And Monkey said, "And I want to eat them right now!" and Monkey reached his hand into the bottle and rapped his greedy little fingers around three or four nuts and when he found that he couldn't pull his hand back out of the bottle he said, "Oh me, oh my, oh me, oh my, oh my goodness, oh my goodness, I'm trapped. This bottle has me trapped and I'll be trapped forever. I'll never get loose and I want to get loose and I want to get loose right now! Oh my, oh my, this bottle has me trapped and I'll be trapped forever."

Well, Owl just looked at Monkey and Owl said. "Monkey, that bottle is not what will keep you trapped forever." And then Owl unfolded his wings and flew off to his home where he got a good days sleep.
Wayfarer Tomm 10//05
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7) Monkey and the Elephant Who Didn't Know
Story:
Some time is like other time and some time is like no time at all. One day like no other day except maybe perhaps it was exactly like today. Monkey and his friends were playing games at the base of the big banyan tree. They were a running back and running forth, they were a jumping up and a jumping down, they were a climbing and they were a falling, they were a leading one another around and they were a following one another around. They were a laughing and a giggling and chittering and a chattering when right into the middle of their fun walked Lion. Just as proud as you please, Lion walked right over to Monkey and picked Monkey up by the skin of his neck. And he asked Monkey straight out, "Who is the king of the jungle?" To which Monkey replied, "I never hear of a king before. What's a king?"

Well, then Lion took Monkey and threw him on the ground and then Lion jumped up and down all over Monkey's body. And then Lion picked Monkey up and threw him as far as he could. And than Lion ran over to where Monkey had landed and picked him up and then Lion gently brushed the dust and dirt off Monkey's fur and then in a calm and quiet and almost a royal voice Lion said, "That was the wrong answer Would you like to try again? Who is the king of the jungle?"

Monkey replied, "Oh, thank you, Your Highness, for giving me a second chance. And thank you also for your most gentle hints as to the correct answer and most of all thank you for granting to me, your lowly and humble and most unworthy servant, this glorious opportunity to proclaim to the world that you, oh Lion, great and kind and wonderful in more ways than the spoken word can tell are the king of the jungle." Monkey, after saying those words, bowed so low that his nose touched the ground.

Lion was so impressed with the accuracy of Monkey's answer that right there in the shade of the big banyan tree, right there in the middle of Monkey's play yard, he appointed Monkey to the high and important office of public relations animal and then Lion directed Monkey to go forth into the world and spread the word as to who was king of the jungle.

And so Monkey set forth from his home in the big banyan tree and Monkey told everyone that he met that the land now had a king and that the king was Lion. And to anyone who did not accept that Lion was king, Monkey explained the educational process by which he had become enlightened.

And throughout the land Lion followed behind Monkey to the cheers and acclaim of those who chose to accept Monkey's word that Lion was king of the jungle rather than be subjected to the king's educational process and where it was necessary to contribute to the education of some of the citizens, Lion did so with kingly grace and royal strength.

In one meadow it was necessary for Lion to catch up with a herd of antelope who had been playfully dancing and prancing and ignoring Monkey's attempt to communicate with them, but Lion taught their leader a lesson that she will remember as long as she lives. And the rest of the herd joined in the cheering and acclaiming of the fact that they now had a king and that Lion was the best king that they had ever had.

In another meadow, Lion paused long enough to instruct a herd of zebras that they now had a king and just who that king was and exactly what it meant to have a king. This was hard work for Lion because zebras are as stubborn as mules. But after caught and ate the head zebra, the rest of the herd proved quite open to learning new things and they joined in the celebration of Lion becoming their king.

There are those who think it is easy work to be cheered and acclaimed, but as Lion will tell you it is not easy especially when you add in the extra work of teaching and educating animals into new knowledge. All this hard work caused Lion to develop a tremendous thirst which caused Lion to head off to the nearest water hole. And when he reached the water, he found that Elephant was already there getting a drink of the cool clear water that bubbled up from the ever flowing stream.

Lion thought that kings should not have to wait for anyone else and tried to push Elephant out of the way. But Lion found out that elephants don't push real easy and Elephant just ignored Lion and continued to drink his drink of cool clear water. So Lion roared as loudly and as royally as he could that he was the king and that he was thirsty, and that Elephant had better move or he would be taught a lesson that he would never forget. But Elephant just stood quietly and continued to drink his drink of cool clear water.

So Lion ran to the edge of the clearing and back again and threw himself at Elephant's side just as hard as he could and Lion bounced off Elephant's side and into a patch of thorn bushes. Elephant just stood quietly and continued to drink his drink of cool clear water.

As Lion felt the thorns scratching at his skin, he became so angry that he tore himself loose from the thorn bushes leaving large patches of fur stuck on the thorn bushes and Lion ran over and jumped onto Elephant's back and started to sink his claws into Elephant's back.

And then Elephant stopped drinking just long enough to reach up with his trunk and to grab Lion and throw Lion on the ground and then to jump onto Lion with all four of his elephant feet and to stand on top of Lion until he finished his drink of cool clear water.

And when he had finished his drink, Elephant quietly walked off into the jungle looking for some tender leaves to snack on. And from out of the jungle came Monkey who had been watching everything that had happened. And Monkey said to Lion, "But you are the king. How could he do this to the king?"

Lion raised his head out of the mud and said, "He just didn't know. He just didn't know."

And even though we all know that elephants never laugh, there are those who claim that from out of the jungle that day they heard what sounded like an elephant laughing and laughing and laughing.
Wayfarer Tomm 10/3/05
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8) Monkey and the Ssecrets of Wealth and Power
Story:
Some times are like other times and other times are like no time at all. One morning that was like no other morning, except maybe this morning, Owl was returning home from a long night of exploring and studying and thinking and other types of work that owls do in the quiet of the night.

Owl reached the old hollow tree that stood at the edge of the great meadow. He sat for a few moments and watched the heat lightning brighten the horizon and listened to the low roar of thunder as it rolled over the nearby forest. Owl thought about how glad he was not to have to be flying in the humid heat of the turbulent summer day.

And then he entered the cool semi-darkness of his nest and slowly allowed his eyes to close as he drifted off to sleep. Owl was not disturbed as the lightning and the thunder left the horizon and flowed over the forest and the meadow and then a bolt of lightning flashed out of the summer sky and split Owl's old hollow tree, blowing him out of his nest. Owl was so stunned that he never even heard the clap of thunder that roared off toward the distant horizon.

It was that clap of thunder, more than the reflection of the lightning flash, that attracted the attention of Monkey, who had been sheltering beneath a lemon tree at the edge of the great meadow. When Monkey looked around, he saw the old hollow tree splitting in two and Owl's feathered body being flug clear of the smoke and debris.

Monkey believed that Owl had been magically born out of that explosion of light and the roar of thunder. Monkey ran over to where Owl lay fluttering on the ground and captured Owl and threw Owl into his carrying sack. Then Monkey ran back to the shelter of the lemon tree.

Once Monkey was back under the lemon tree again, he started to think of all the stories that he had heard about magical creatures and the treasures that people had received for releasing those magical creatures that they had captured.

He thought:
• of diamonds and of emeralds
• of kingdoms and of castles
• of pork chops and of lamb chops
• of wine and of whiskey

• of never being poor again
• of never being cold again
• of never being hungry again
• of never being a monkey again

And he waited for Owl to awaken again and when Owl awoke and started to flutter about inside of Monkey's sack, Monday said to him, "Oh, magical bird, born of thunder and of lightning, do not waste your energy trying to escape, but instead give to me what I wish for and I will release you."

And when Owl asked Monkey what his wishes were, Monkey replied, "I want always to have more than what I want to have and I want the wisdom to use what I have wisely."

Owl understood that he would never be able to convince Monkey that he was not a magical bird, so Owl agreed that he would fulfill Monkey's wishes. And that he would fulfill those wishes by sharing with Monkey those things that Monkey would need to know in order for Monkey to be able to fulfill his own wishes.

Furthermore, Owl agreed that he would share the first secret of wealth and power while he was still in Monkey's sack and the second secret of power and wealth after he had been released but was still close enough to be recaptured, and that after he was completely free, he would share one more secret upon request.

And when Monkey agreed, Owl shared with him the first secret of wealth and power, which is "Do not waste any of your life regretting or bemoaning the loss of anything of less value than your life itself."

And after Monkey opened his sack, Owl flew up to a branch of the lemon tree and from there shared the second secret of wealth and power, which is "If something seems too good to be true or is contrary to your senses, do not believe it until you have proof."

And after Monkey thanked Owl for sharing the second secret, Owl flew off, but before he got past the top of the lemon tree, Monkey called and demanded that Owl give him the third secret. Owl flew to the top of the lemon tree and from the topmost branch, he looked down on Monkey.

Owl cocked his head to one side and looked at Monkey and then Owl cocked his head to the other side and looked at Monkey, and then Owl said to Monkey, "You are a fool...because I have inside of me two very large solid gold eggs and you have released me, whereas if you had kept me until I had laid them, you would be as rich as a king."

When Monkey heard what Owl had said, he began to cry and lament. He pulled out his hair and tore his clothes. He banged his head against the lemon tree, and he slammed his fist into a stone. He said he could no longer live with himself and that he was going to throw himself off of the nearest cliff.

Owl cocked his head to one side and looked at Monkey and then Owl cocked his head to the other side and looked at Monkey, and then Owl said to Monkey: "You are three times a fool. You threaten to throw away your life because of the loss of two golden eggs that never existed. You have held me in your hand and by the evidence of your own senses, you should know that I was not heavy enough to have inside of me two very large golden eggs. So now I will share with you this last great secret: "Do not waste your time seeking more secrets until you have learned the full value of the first two."

And with these words left hanging in the hot summer air, Owl unfolded his wings and flew off in search of a new old hollow tree in which he could get a good day's sleep.
Wayfarer Tomm 10/3/05
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9) Monkey and the Baby Bird
Story:
Some time is like other time and some time is like no time at all. One morning unlike any other morning when Monkey was young enough not to question his own invincibility, but old enough to have followers, he gathered his followers and headed to Owl's tree. Monkey could accept that Owl would never be a follower, but Monkey could not accept that Owl was better in any way. With his followers around him, Monkey was going to demonstrate that he was smarter than Owl was.

Monkey approached Owl's nest with his hands behind his back. In his hands he held a baby bird. He asked owl if the bird that he held in his hands was alive or dead. Owl replied that he did not know whether the bird was alive or dead, but he
knew that its fate was in Monkey's hands.

When Monkey brought his hands to his front they were empty. Owl said thank you and returned to his nest for a good day's sleep.
Wayfarer Tomm 10/5/05
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10) The Forever Trap
Sometimes are like other times And other times are like no time at all. One morning that was like no other morning except maybe this morning. Owl was returning from a long night of exploring and studying and thinking and other types of work that owls do in the quiet of the night. As Owl was returning home he saw Hunter sneaking through the low morning mist and the tall grass at the base of the big banyan tree. Owl watched as Hunter tied a shiny glass bottle to the root that stuck out from the base of the big banyan tree.

And Owl thought that that was more than just a little strange. I mean, what the heck, the shiny glass bottle wasn’t going to run away or anything. Well, as soon as Hunter finished tying up the shiny glass bottle he took some things out of his pocket and he put them into the bottle and then Hunter crept carefully and quietly off into the low mist and tall grass. After Hunter had left, everything got real quiet and nothing happened for a long while and Owl’s eyes closed and he took a well earned nap.

And Owl was almost dreaming when suddenly he heard a clittering and a clattering, a chittering and a chattering from the base of the big banyan tree. "Oh me, oh my, oh me, oh my, oh my goodness, oh my goodness, I’m trapped, this bottle has me trapped and I’ll be trapped forever. EEEK, I’ll never get loose, I’ll never get loose and I want to get loose and I want to get loose right now!! Oh me oh my."

On and on went the chittering and the chattering and as Owl looked down at the base of the big banyan tree he saw Monkey just a pulling and a tugging and a jumping up and a jumping down and a running back and a running forth with his hand stuck inside the shinny glass bottle that was tied to the root that stuck out from the bottom of the big banyan tree.

Owl quickly flew down to get a closer look at the situation and as he looked through the clear sides of the shiny glass bottle he could see right away what was causing Monkey to have his hand stuck in the shiny glass bottle.

Inside the bottle was a whole mess of nuts which were Monkey’s favorite food. And Monkey had his hands wrapped around three or four of those nuts. Which was why Monkey could not pull his hand back through the small opening at the top of the shinny glass bottle

"You have your hand filled with nuts," said Owl to Monkey. And Monkey said back, "I found them, I found them, and they’re my nuts, they’re my nuts, and I want to eat them right now!" "But you have your hand stuck in the bottle." said Owl to Monkey. And Monkey said back, "Oh me, oh my, oh me, oh my, oh my goodness, this bottle has me trapped, I’m trapped and I’ll be trapped forever, EEEK, I want to get loose and I’ll never get loose, I want to get loose and I want to get loose right now!"

"Well, let loose of the nuts and you can take your hand out of the bottle," said Owl to Monkey And Monkey said back, "They’re my nuts, they’re my nuts, I found them, they’re mine, I found them, I want them and I want them right now!"

Owl told Monkey, "If you drop the nuts, they will still be in the shiny glass bottle and you will be able to get your hand out of the bottle and you can decide what to do next while the nuts are still safe in the bottle, which you will still be holding."

Well, Monkey looked around to be sure there was no one else near him and Monkey opened his hand and he dropped the nuts and slowly withdrew his hand from the bottle. And when his hand was out of the bottle Monkey started to jump up and down shouting joyfully, "I’m free, I’m free. Thank you, Owl, oh thank you, Owl. I don’t know how to thank you enough."

And with those words Monkey went running up the big banyan tree until he got to the end of the rope. Which was tied to the shiny glass bottle and which was tied to the root that stuck out of the base of the big banyan tree. Well, the rope snapped tight and it pulled Monkey off balance and he fell to the ground with a big thump and a bounce and a little thump.

And Monkey started yelling at Owl, "You tricked me, you tricked me. They’re my nuts, they’re my nuts, and I want them and I want them right now!" Owl waited until Monkey calmed down and then told him, "If you turn the bottle upside down, all those nuts will fall out and you will have then to eat and to take some with you."

So Monkey slowly turned the shiny glass bottle upside down and out of that bottle flowed more nuts than any one monkey could eat ate at any one sitting, and Monkey was so happy that he started to jump up and down shouting joyfully, "My nuts, my nuts, oh thank you, Owl, thank you. I don’t know how to thank you enough."

"Well," said Owl, "those nuts look awfully good and there are more than you can eat. Maybe you will share a few of those nuts with me." And Monkey said back, "They’re my nuts, they’re my nuts. I found them, they’re mine, I found them and I want them and I want all of them right now!"

And he tried to pick up all the nuts at one time and to run off with them but there were more nuts then any one monkey could carry and the more nuts that Monkey tried to pick up, the more nuts that he dropped until out of complete frustration Monkey stopped and asked, "What am I going to do? What am I going to do? Oh Owl what am I going to do?"

Well, Owl cocked his head to one side and he looked at Monkey, and then Owl cocked his head to the other side and he looked at Monkey some more.

Then Owl said, "Monkey, if you put all the nuts back in the bottle there will not be any left on the ground." Monkey grabbed at the nuts and quickly put them all back in the bottle And then Owl said “Those nuts look good enough to eat.”

And Monkey said “And I want to eat them right now!” and Monkey reached his hand into the bottle and rapped his greedy little fingers around three or four nuts and when he found that he couldn’t pull his hand back out of the bottle. He said, “Oh me, oh my, oh me, oh my, oh my goodness, oh my goodness, I’m trapped. This bottle has me trapped and I’ll be trapped forever. I’ll never get loose and I want to get loose and I want to get loose right now!”

Well, Owl just looked at Monkey and Owl said, “Monkey, that bottle is not what will keep you trapped forever.”

And then Owl unfolded his wings and flew off to his home where he got a good day's sleep.
Wayfarer Tomm 11/19/05
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(This web page updated 11/19/05)