Be Smart!

In a forest, few woodcutters were cutting trees and some were working with axes and chisel. A group of monkeys in the nearby tree got worried by the cutting and decided to move away from that place. 

So the leader of the group, an old monkey sent a warning signal, requesting all the monkeys to leave that tree immediately. In spite of the mandatory call that the group must follow the leader’s instruction, a little monkey got curious with the woodcutter and failed to join the group.

After moving some way away, the mother of the little monkey noticed her son was missing. Worried mother monkey started to scream and ran from tree to tree. Seeing her, other monkeys also joined the commotion. The leader monkey took control of the situation and asked the group not to panic. He took few older monkeys along with him to the tree where they were before. The distressed mother ran before the leader and others followed her.

When they reached the tree, to their surprise the little monkey was sitting in the same place where he was before, completely lost in the woodcutter’s action. The mother ran angrily and slapped him once saying, “Leave the tree right now”. Confused and frightened, the little monkey ran away from there at once unaware of what had happened. After a while, the little monkey followed the group quietly. No one uttered a word, even the mother didn’t talk.

Sad little curious monkey asked his mother, "Mamma, Why are you not talking to me? Why everyone is angry with me?"

The Mother said, "Chup! Don’t say a word."

The little monkey along with the elders joined the rest of the group. The group started moving towards the stream.

When the monkeys reached the stream, the leader called for a meeting. The little monkey was made to stand in the middle while the leader sat on a rock. "What were you doing little fellow? Why you didn't respond to my warning? Don’t you know the rules of the group?” the leader asked.



Little monkey said, “Sir! I got lost observing the woodcutter. I’m sorry my leader".

The leader spoke, "It’s very important to respond when you hear any distress call or warning, whatever you may be doing, your hearing senses must be always alert. If you get lost like that looking at the woodcutter, you may put yourself and the group in great danger."

The little monkey replied, "Sorry Sir! Never, I will repeat.... hereafter I will be alert."

Happy with his humble and polite reply, the leader decided to announce the punishment. The leader said, “Since this little fellow is sorry for his actions, I’m grounding him for the next 48 hrs. During this period, he is not allowed to eat his favorite jack fruit. That's the punishment. Now we all will move to the mango grove.”

All the monkeys looked at him with a murmur. "Good Punishment". But the mother was sad. She hugged him and said, "My little fellow don't get upset. It is only 48 hrs." Hearing this, the little monkey whispered in his mother’s ears, "Mamma, why are you sad? We are actually going to the mango grove, how will I miss my favorite jack fruit where there won’t be any???" Hearing the little monkey's answer, the mother monkey for the first time realized he is smart.

While the leader was talking with others, the group started moving slowly. In a few minutes, there was a distress call from the stream. The group ran towards the stream, where the leader slipped and his hind leg was caught between rocks. While the panicked group started screaming and shouting not knowing how to save the leader, the little monkey jumped and went to him. 

He said, "Sir, I know what to do.” Hearing the little monkey, the leader ordered the group, "Quiet. Listen to the little fellow." 

The little monkey answered, “I need a wood that can be like a wedge”.

Everyone screamed, “What is a wedge? What is a wedge?”

Little fellow said, “A thick wood with a thin tapering edge”. 

The older monkey ordered the group to look for a wedge. Someone picked a wood. Some broke a stick, a tree branch but everyone brought something or other.

The little fellow started talking, "While I was sitting in the tree, this is what I was observing. The woodcutter used a wedge to widen the gap between the wood. But that wedge was made by iron and he was sharpening it by rubbing it on the rock. Same thing, we are also going to do. Everyone sharpen your piece of wood on rock and put it in between the rocks. The wedge will create a space and leader will be able to move his leg”. 

Hearing it, everyone felt happy for they can do something for the leader. In 10 minutes, all wedges were ready. The little fellow gave the wedges one by one to the elders and made them press between the gap in the rock. In a few minutes, it created enough space for the leader to pull his leg out!!!!!!!

Everyone praised the little fellow for his smartness. While the mother monkey was in tears, the leader whispered softly to the other elders, "Here is our next leader!"