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<h3> THE SAGACIOUS MONKEY AND THE BOAR. </h3>
<p>Long, long ago, there lived in the province of Shinshin in Japan, a
traveling monkey-man, who earned his living by taking round a monkey
and showing off the animal's tricks.</p>
<p>One evening the man came home in a very bad temper and told his wife to
send for the butcher the next morning.</p>
<p>The wife was very bewildered and asked her husband:</p>
<p>"Why do you wish me to send for the butcher?"</p>
<p>"It's no use taking that monkey round any longer, he's too old and
forgets his tricks. I beat him with my stick all I know how, but he
won't dance properly. I must now sell him to the butcher and make what
money out of him I can. There is nothing else to be done."</p>
<p>The woman felt very sorry for the poor little animal, and pleaded for
her husband to spare the monkey, but her pleading was all in vain, the
man was determined to sell him to the butcher.</p>
<p>Now the monkey was in the next room and overheard ever word of the
conversation. He soon understood that he was to be killed, and he said
to himself:</p>
<p>"Barbarous, indeed, is my master! Here I have served him faithfully for
years, and instead of allowing me to end my days comfortably and in
peace, he is going to let me be cut up by the butcher, and my poor body
is to be roasted and stewed and eaten? Woe is me! What am I to do. Ah!
a bright thought has struck me! There is, I know, a wild bear living in
the forest near by. I have often heard tell of his wisdom. Perhaps if I
go to him and tell him the strait I am in he will give me his counsel.
I will go and try."</p>
<p>There was no time to lose. The monkey slipped out of the house and ran
as quickly as he could to the forest to find the boar. The boar was at
home, and the monkey began his tale of woe at once.</p>
<p>"Good Mr. Boar, I have heard of your excellent wisdom. I am in great
trouble, you alone can help me. I have grown old in the service of my
master, and because I cannot dance properly now he intends to sell me
to the butcher. What do you advise me to do? I know how clever you are!"</p>
<p>The boar was pleased at the flattery and determined to help the monkey.
He thought for a little while and then said:</p>
<p>"Hasn't your master a baby?"</p>
<p>"Oh, yes," said the monkey, "he has one infant son."</p>
<p>"Doesn't it lie by the door in the morning when your mistress begins
the work of the day? Well, I will come round early and when I see my
opportunity I will seize the child and run off with it."</p>
<p>"What then?" said the monkey.</p>
<p>"Why the mother will be in a tremendous scare, and before your master
and mistress know what to do, you must run after me and rescue the
child and take it home safely to its parents, and you will see that
when the butcher comes they won't have the heart to sell you."</p>
<p>The monkey thanked the boar many times and then went home. He did not
sleep much that night, as you may imagine, for thinking of the morrow.
His life depended on whether the boar's plan succeeded or not. He was
the first up, waiting anxiously for what was to happen. It seemed to
him a very long time before his master's wife began to move about and
open the shutters to let in the light of day. Then all happened as the
boar had planned. The mother placed her child near the porch as usual
while she tidied up the house and got her breakfast ready.</p>
<p>The child was crooning happily in the morning sunlight, dabbing on the
mats at the play of light and shadow. Suddenly there was a noise in the
porch and a loud cry from the child. The mother ran out from the
kitchen to the spot, only just in time to see the boar disappearing
through the gate with her child in its clutch. She flung out her hands
with a loud cry of despair and rushed into the inner room where her
husband was still sleeping soundly.</p>
<p>He sat up slowly and rubbed his eyes, and crossly demanded what his
wife was making all that noise about. By the time that the man was
alive to what had happened, and they both got outside the gate, the
boar had got well away, but they saw the monkey running after the thief
as hard as his legs would carry him.</p>
<p>Both the man and wife were moved to admiration at the plucky conduct of
the sagacious monkey, and their gratitude knew no bounds when the
faithful monkey brought the child safely back to their arms.</p>
<p>"There!" said the wife. "This is the animal you want to kill—if the
monkey hadn't been here we should have lost our child forever."</p>
<p>"You are right, wife, for once," said the man as he carried the child
into the house. "You may send the butcher back when he comes, and now
give us all a good breakfast and the monkey too."</p>
<p>When the butcher arrived he was sent away with an order for some boar's
meat for the evening dinner, and the monkey was petted and lived the
rest of his days in peace, nor did his master ever strike him again.</p>
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