inside could not help making a noise.
This the Monkey heard; and
he was surprised, for he could not determine whence the sound
came. At last he lifted his stool, and there found his foe the Turtle.
"Ha! Here you are!" he cried. "Pray now, for it is the end of your
life."
He picked up the Turtle by the neck and carried him near the
riverbank, where he meant to kill him. He took a mortar and
pestle, and built a big fire, intending to pound him to powder or
burn him to death. When everything was ready, he told the Turtle
to choose whether he should die in the fire or be "grounded" in
the mortar. The Turtle begged for his life; but when he found it The
was in vain, he prayed to be thrown into the fire or ground in the Monkey
mortar,--anything except be thrown into the water. On hearing and the
this, the Monkey picked the Turtle up in his bleeding fingers, and
with all his might threw him into the middle of the stream. Turtle
Then the Turtle was very glad. He chuckled at his own wit, and
laughed at the foolishness of the Monkey. He came up to the
surface of the water and mocked at the Monkey, saying, "This is
my home. The water is my home."
This made the Monkey so angry that he lost his self-possession
entirely. He jumped into the middle of the river after the Turtle,
and was drowned.
Since that day monkeys and turtles have been bitter enemies.
One day a Monkey met a Turtle on the road, and asked, "Where peelings, and refused to drop a bit to his friend, who was patiently
are you going?" begging under the tree.
"I am going to find something to eat, for I have had no food for At last the Turtle became angry, very angry indeed: "so he thought
three whole days," said the Turtle. he would revenge" (as my informant puts it). While the Monkey
was having a good time, and filling his stomach, the Turtle
"I too am hungry," said the Monkey; "and since we are both gathered sharp, broken pieces of glass, and stuck them, one by
hungry, let us go together and hunt food for our stomachs' sake." one, all around the banana-tree. Then he hid himself under a
cocoanut-shell not far away. This shell had a hole in the top to
They soon became good friends and chatted along the way, so allow the air to enter. That was why the Turtle chose it for his
that the time passed quickly. Before they had gone far, the hiding-place.
Monkey saw a large bunch of yellow bananas on a tree at a
distance. The Monkey could not eat all the bananas, for there were enough
to last a good-sized family several days; "but he ate all what he
"Oh, what a good sight that is!" cried he. "Don't you see the can," and by and by came down the tree with great difficulty, for
bananas hanging on that banana-tree? [pointing with his first the glass was so sharp that it cut even the tough hand of the
finger toward the tree]. They are fine! I can taste them already." Monkey. He had a hard time, and his hands were cut in many
places. The Turtle thought he had his revenge, and was not so
But the Turtle was short-sighted and could not see them. By and angry as before.
by they came near the tree, and then he saw them. The two
friends were very glad. The mere sight of the ripe, yellow fruit But the Monkey was now very angry at the trick that had been
seemed to assuage their hunger. played upon him, and began looking for the Turtle, intending to kill
him. For some time he could not find his foe, and, being very tired,
But the Turtle could not climb the tree, so he agreed that the he sat down on the cocoanut-shell near by. His weariness
Monkey should go up alone and should throw some of the fruit increased his anger at the Turtle very much.
down to him. The Monkey was up in a flash; and, seating himself
comfortably, he began to eat the finest of the fruit, and forgot to He sat on the shell for a long time, suffering from his wounds, and
drop any down to the Turtle waiting below. The Turtle called for wondering where to find the Turtle,--his former friend, but now
some, but the Monkey pretended not to hear. He ate even the his enemy. Because of the disturbance of the shell, the Turtle
