Download File - Black Books For Kids

The Monkey's Heart
At first the monkey did not like going on the shark's back because he
swam very quickly. But soon he liked it and looked at the new places and
at the fish in the water. It was so interesting!
"Do you like the sea?" asked the shark. "Is the sea better than your
forest?"
"Yes, it is. How far must we go?" asked the monkey.
"It is not very far," the shark answered. "And now I must tell you
something. Our chief, the biggest shark in the sea is very ill. Our doctor
said to him: "You must eat a monkey's heart. Then you will be well again.
So I am taking you to him, and I am telling it to you because you are my
friend.
The poor monkey was ready to cry, but he did not cry. The monkey
thought of a plan to save himself. Then he said: "How silly you are! Why
did you not tell me that before? I have no heart with me. It is at home in
the branches of a big tree. We monkeys always hide our hearts in the
branches of big trees in the daytime. We take our hearts only at night.
What will you do if your chief finds that I have no heart? How angry he will
be! I am ready to give my heart to your chief because I am your friend. But
how can I do that when I have no heart with me?"
The shark asked the monkey: "If I take you back to your tree, will you go
and get your heart?"
"Of course I will, and let us go quickly. Your dear chief must not wait!"
The shark with the monkey swam back very quickly. They came again to
the big tree. The monkey climbed up the tree saying: "Wait for me! Wait
for me! I will take my heart!"
But the monkey did not come back. The shark was swimming and
swimming in the water under the tree. Then he shouted: "Friend Monkey,
http://www.africawithin.com/tour/ghana/monkey.htm (2 of 3) [5/22/2003 3:10:20 AM]