The Cunning Monkey
The Cunning Monkey (Senegal): Teaches the lesson of wit and cleverness in overcoming challenges.
Once upon a time, in the heart of the Senegalese jungle, there lived a clever monkey. This monkey was known throughout the jungle for his wit and cunning, and he was always up for a challenge.
One day, a group of animals in the jungle were faced with a problem. A nearby river had flooded, and the only way to cross it was by using a long, thin log that stretched across the water. However, the log was slippery and dangerous, and many animals had fallen into the river while trying to cross it.
The monkey saw this as an opportunity to show off his cleverness. He approached the group of animals and offered to help them cross the river safely. The animals were skeptical at first, but the monkey assured them that he had a plan.
The monkey instructed the animals to gather as many large, heavy stones as they could find. He then tied the stones to the log, creating a makeshift bridge that was stable and secure.
The animals were amazed at the monkey’s ingenuity and thanked him for his help. From that day on, the monkey was known as the cleverest animal in the jungle.
The lesson of this story is that with wit and cleverness, even the most difficult challenges can be overcome. The monkey’s quick thinking and resourcefulness allowed him to solve a problem that seemed impossible at first.
Moral
The story of the Cunning Monkey teaches us the following morals or lessons:
1. Wit and cleverness can help us overcome challenges: The monkey in the story was able to outsmart the crocodile by using his wit and cleverness. This shows us that sometimes, intelligence and quick thinking can help us overcome difficult situations.
2. Beware of flattery and false promises: The crocodile in the story used flattery and false promises to trick the monkey. This teaches us to be cautious of people who try to manipulate us with sweet words and promises.
3. Trust your instincts: The monkey had a feeling that something was not right when the crocodile invited him for a ride. He trusted his instincts and refused to go. This teaches us to trust our gut feelings and intuition, even if we cannot explain why we feel a certain way.
4. Friendship is valuable: The monkey and the crocodile were friends, and their friendship was put to the test when the crocodile tried to betray the monkey. This teaches us that true friendship is valuable and should be cherished, but we should also be careful not to blindly trust others.
5. Be careful what you wish for: The crocodile wanted the monkey’s heart because he believed it would make him immortal. However, his greed and desire for immortality led to his downfall. This teaches us to be careful what we wish for and to consider the consequences of our actions.
Origin of the Story: The story of The Cunning Monkey originated from Senegal.