story STORY – How the Monkey looked for trouble

One day, while walking to market, the old lady stubbed her toe on a stone and dropped her gourd to the ground. The gourd split open and her coconut cakes spilled everywhere.

“Oh look at this trouble here,” she said. “I can’t believe what trouble I’ve got. Now I’ll have to go right back home!”Monkey was sitting in a tree above the road and saw and heard everything. As the old woman left he began to grow curious about her trouble.

He scurried down the tree and went to the trouble sprawled across the road. He tasted one of the coconut cakes and exclaimed, “This trouble is most delicious! I shall go buy some more for myself!” Monkey marched right into town and went to the nearest merchant. “I’d like to buy some trouble,” he said. The merchant looked strangely at the little creature and asked, “Do you know what trouble is?”

“Yes, yes,” Monkey said impatiently. “Give me all you have and be quick about it.”The shopkeeper shook his head with a little smile and soon brought out a large bag. Monkey paid for it and left. As he dragged the bag down the road, he began to grow tired.“My my, but this trouble is heavy. And what strange sounds it makes.” He eventually came to a clearing and decided to open the bag and enjoy his treat.Licking his lips, he loosened the top of the bag. Suddenly three fierce dogs burst from the bag, barking and flashing their sharp teeth.

Poor Monkey ran up the nearest tree and sat on a high branch, shaking with fear as the dogs below barked and yapped at him.He grew hungrier and hungrier and eventually picked a strange fruit from above his head. He stuffed it in his mouth, not knowing that he was in a pepper tree. Oh! How that pepper burned his poor little mouth. And he could not go get water until the dogs left the tree.

Eventually they did leave and Monkey was able to run to a nearby pond to cool his burning tongue.And to this day Monkey stays high up in the treetops, far away from trouble.