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LESSON 8
A SAILOR once went ashore on the coast of South America. He had with him a number of red woollen caps for sale. On his way to a town at some distance from the coast, he had to pass through a forest, in which troops
of monkeys were everywhere seen climbing among the trees.
At noon, as the sun was right overhead, the sailor had to take shelter
from its burning rays. He lay down to rest under the shade of a large tree.
Taking one of the caps out of his bundle, he put it on his head, and soon fell fast asleep.
When he awoke, he found, to his utter amazement, that the caps were all gone! A most unusual
chattering among the dense
branches above him drew his attention. Looking up, he saw the trees alive with troops of monkeys, and on the head of each monkey was a red woollen cap!
The little mimics
had watched his proceeding;
and,having stolen his caps while he slept, had adorned their black pates with their booty.
The monkeys gave no heed to his shouts, but only grinned at his rage.
Finding every attempt
to get back his caps fruitless, he pulled off the one which he had put on his head, and threw it on the ground, crying out, “Here, you little thieving rogues,
if you
will
keep the rest, you may take this one too!”
No sooner had he done this, than, to his great surprise, the little animals at once did the same. Each snatched the cap from his head and threw it on the ground! The sailor regained
all his caps, and marched off in triumph.
Who is that lying on the ground? What is he doing? What do you see on the trees? What have they got on their heads? What is the monkey on the ground doing? Where did the others get their caps? How were they made to give them up again?
A-mer´-i-ca bun´-dle at-ten´-tion climb´-ing fruit´-less
dis´-tance branch´-es a-dorned´ chat´-ter-ing thiev´-ing
