Monkey Business
Al-Ahmadiyya, May 1980 Issue (Vol. 2, No. 5, p. 2)
A greedy and hungry monkey found a glass bottle with cherries in it. Passing his hand into the neck of the bottle he grabbed a few cherries and closed his fist. When he wanted to take the cherries out, he could not withdraw his hand.
The hunter who had set the trap stood at a distance.
A mouse was also watching the whole scene. When he saw the hunter, he came near the monkey and whispered,
“You better run for your life; the hunter is going to catch you soon.”
The monkey replied:
“Shut up, you little stupid mouse. Mind your own business. I have got the cherries in my hand.”
The mouse left the monkey to his fate. It was no use giving advice to the monkey when he was so stubborn and sure what he was doing was the right thing.
The monkey was trying hard to get the cherries and his hand out of the bottle at the same time. Never mind about the hunter, he said to himself, at least I have cherries in my hand.
At that moment the hunter gave him a sharp tap on the elbow. The monkey’s hand opened and came out of the bottle. The hunter now had the cherries, the bottle and the monkey.