The Monkey and the Tortoise (A Tagalog Tale)
Written in English by Dr. Jose Rizal
The tortoise and the monkey found
once a banana tree floating amidst the
waves of a river.
It was a very fine tree, with large green
leaves, and with roots just as if it had
been pulled off by a storm. They took it
ashore.
“Let us divide it,” said the tortoise,
“and plant each its portion.” They cut
it in the middle, and the monkey, as the
stronger, took for himself the upper
part of the tree, thinking that it would
grow quicker for it had leaves.
The tortoise, as the weaker, had the
lower part, that looked ugly, although it
had roots.
After some days, they met.
“Hello, Mr. Monkey,” said the tortoise,
“how are you getting on with your
banana tree?”
“Alas,” said the monkey, “it has been
dead a long time. And yours, Miss
Tortoise?”
“Very nice indeed, with leaves and
fruits. I Cannot Climb up to gather
them.”
“Never mind,” said the malicious monkey,
“I Will Climb up and pick them for you.”
“Do, Mr. Monkey,” replied the tortoise
gratefully.
And so they walked toward the tortoise’s
house.
As soon as the monkey saw the bright yellow
fruits hanging between the large green leaves,
he climbed up and began munching and
gobbling, as quick as he could.
“But give me some, too,” said the
tortoise, seeing that the monkey did
not take the slightest notice
Of her.
“Not even a bit of skin, if it is eatable,”
rejoined the monkey, both his cheeks
Crammed with bananas.
The tortoise meditated revenge. She
went to the river, picked up some
pointed shells, planted them around the
banana tree, and hid herself under a
coconut shell.
When the monkey came down, he hurt
himself and began to bleed.
After a long search he found the
tortoise.
“You wretched Creature, here you are,”
said he.
“You must pay now for your wickedness.
You must die.”
“But as I am very generous I will leave to
you the choice of your death.”
“Shall I pound you in a mortar or Shall I
throw you into the water? Which do you
prefer?”
“The mortar, the mortar,” answered the
tortoise; “I am so afraid of getting
drowned.”
“O no!” laughed the monkey; “indeed!
You are afraid of getting drowned!
Now I will drown you.”
And going to the shore, he slung the
tortoise and threw it in the water.
But soon the tortoise reappeared
swimming and laughing at the deceived,
artful monkey.
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