THE MONKEY’S PLAINT

-author unknown- 

Three monkeys sat in a coconut tree

     Discussing the things that are said to be,

Said one to another, now listen you two

     There’s a certain rumor, but it can’t be true;

That man descended from our noble race –

     Why, the very idea; it is a disgrace.

No monkey ever deserted his wife,

     Starved her babies and ruined her life.

Nor did you ever know a mother monk

     To leave her babies with others to bunk,

Or pass them on from one to another

     “Til they scarcely knew who was their mother.

And another thing you’ll never see

     A monk build a fence around a coconut tree,

And let the coconuts go to waste

     Forbidding all other monks to have a taste.

Why if I build a fence around a coconut tree

     Starving would cause you to steal from me.

Here’s another thing a monk won’t do:

     Go out at night and get on a stew

Or use a gun, a club, or a knife

     To take another monkey’s life.

Yes, Man descended, the ornery cuss

     But Brother, he didn’t descend from us.