Fortune-teller

The monkey was the fortune-teller. But no one believed him. Everyone made fun of him.

The bear was his true friend. “I know they make fun of you. They think that no one can tell the future. But I know you can. Why don’t you predict the future of our beloved king?”

“No, I can’t do that.”

“Why?”

“If I tell him that on the full-moon night he will be captured by two-legged animals, he will kill me.”

“Are you certain?”

“Yes, I am certain. I have read his future. Some men will catch him and put him in a cage.”

“Then I think I we should surely tell the lion.”

They went to the lion’s den. He was asleep; after many days he had eaten a hearty meal.

They were scared to disturb him; they waited for him to wake up.

Suddenly one elephant came that way and trumpeted loudly. The lion woke up with a start.

He looked at the elephant, yawned and he slowly moved away. The bear and the monkey approached him timidly.

The bear said, “Sir, I think some men are coming to the forest to capture some animals.”

“How do know?”

“My friend, this monkey, is a fortune-teller. He is certain that on the full-moon night some men will come and lay traps. Some may may get trapped.”

“No one can come to our forest. And if anyone dares to come, I will tear him apart.”

“That you can do, no doubt. But I think it would be wiser if we took some precautions.”

“Well, that makes sense. Warn everyone. Everyone must remain alert on the full-moon night.”

On the full-moon night some men entered the forest silently, like ghosts. They laid traps at many places. The monkey was sitting near the lion. He whispered, “Sir, do you see those men? I had foretold that people will come to capture you.”

The lion glared at the monkey. He growled. The monkey fell silent

That night, not one animal got trapped. Everyone was alert and watchful.

In the morning everyone thanked the monkey.

“You are truly a good fortune-teller,” the lion patted the monkey.

The monkey was very happy. He knew that his reputation as a good fortune-teller had finally been established.

As the monkey entered his home, he was taken aback. A distant cousin was lying on his bed. The cousin smiled, “You must be feeling great, my fake fortune-teller?”

The monkey looked angrily at his cousin.

“If I had not heard those men talking about their plan to trap the lion and if I had not shared that information with you, what could you have done, my dear cousin?” the cousin asked.

The fortune-teller monkey was smiled, but he was terrified of his cousin.