Turtle and Monkey

A Filipino folk tale told by David Heathfield

Monkey stood at the edge of the river and watched Turtle swimming against the torrent with a
tree that he had caught in the flood: a young tree.
Oh, Monkey, I have caught a banana tree. Monkey, will you help me to drag it to the clearing
and plant it? It will grow and there will be sweet bananas.
Turtle pulled the tree by its heavy end the roots and the trunk across the ground. Monkey
carried just a couple of green fronds from the top end of the tree.
Lazy Monkey.
When Turtle wasnt looking, Monkey jumped onto the fronds.
Monkey nimble, Monkey quick, Monkey play a monkey trick and was pulled along by Turtle to
the clearing.
Turtle made a hole. He pulled the tree down into the hole and pressed the earth down around
it. Soon it will grow, Monkey. We will tend the tree together. We will water it. We will weed
around it. We will share the bananas.
Share the tree, said Monkey. Very well. And Monkey climbed half way up the tree, just below
where the green fronds grew, and with his strong hands he broke off the top of the tree and
ran away with it, laughing.
He pressed his half, the top half, into the damp earth. Soon he would have bananas, he
thought.
Turtle tended the bottom half of the tree. There was no green.
Turtle wisdom, Turtle slow, Turtle knows what turtles know.

Time passed, and the bottom half of the tree began to green up. Fronds appeared and green
bananas began to grow.
Monkey, with the top half of the tree, had green fronds that wilted and died. There was
nothing.
Turtle worked hard around his tree, weeding it and watering it, and now big, long, yellow
bananas were hanging down in bunches.
Oh, Monkey, wont you help me? Climb the tree and pick the bananas. I cannot climb the tree.
Monkey nimble, Monkey quick, Monkey play a monkey trick up the tree he went to the top,
and there he picked one banana and peeled it and ate the delicious fruit. He tossed down the
skin so it struck Turtle upon his shell.
Monkey took another banana and ate it, tossing the skin down upon the shell of Turtle. Banana
after banana...
Monkey nimble, Monkey quick, Monkey play a monkey trick.
But Turtle, without Monkey noticing, went and fetched thorns and placed them around the
trunk of the banana tree...
Turtle wisdom, Turtle slow, Turtle knows what turtles know.
When Monkey had finished and was fat, had eaten all of the yellow bananas, he jumped down
from the tree... Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow!
The thorns stuck in the bottom of his feet as he ran. He sat down and he pulled the thorns from
his feet and he was full of anger. He ran and quickly, quickly caught Turtle.
I am going to carry you to the cliffs and dash you down upon the rocks so your shell breaks! Im
going to take you to the top of the mountain of fire and throw you into the flames!
Yes, yes, said Turtle, throw me into the flames! Yes, dash me from the cliff onto the rocks! But
whatever you do, Monkey, dont throw me into the torrent of the river.
Ah, thats what youre afraid of, said Monkey.
Monkey ran, carrying Turtle to the edge of the river, and tossed him high into the air. Turtle
landed with a splash in the deep waters and sank down... and then rose to the surface. Oh,
Monkey, dont you know that Turtles love to swim in the river.
Turtle wisdom, Turtle slow, Turtle knows what turtles know.
But what of the banana tree?
The Turtle and the Monkey did not work together, and the tree was grown over with weeds.
No more bananas.

The Turtle and the Monkey (3 versions)

The Turtle and the Monkey.
Narrated by Eutiquiano Garcia of Mexico, Pampanga.
It was mid-day. The blinding heat of the sun forced all the water-loving animalssuch as pigs,
carabaos, and turtlesto go to the river-banks and there seek to cool themselves in the water.
On that part of the bank where a big shady tree stood, a monkey and a turtle were having a
good time, discussing the past, present, and future. Just then they saw a banana-stalk floating
by.
Dont you think that it would be a wise thing for us to get that banana-stalk and plant it? said
the monkey.
Can you swim? replied the turtle.
No, I cant, but you can, said the monkey.
I will get the banana-tree, said the turtle, on condition that we divide it. You must allow me
to have the upper part, where the leaves are. The monkey agreed; but when the stalk was
brought to shore, the monkey took the leaves himself, and gave the turtle only the roots. As the
humble turtle was unable to fight the monkey, all he could do was to pick up his share and take
it to the woods and plant it. It was not strange that the monkeys part died, while that of the
turtle brought forth clusters of ripe bananas in time.
When the monkey learned that the bananas were ripe, he went to visit his friend the turtle. I
will give you half the bananas, said the turtle, if you will only climb the stalk and get the fruit
for me.
With great pleasure, replied the monkey. In less than a minute he was at the top of the tree.
There he took his time, eating all he could, and stopping now and then to throw a banana-
peeling down to his friend below. What could the poor turtle do? It was impossible for him to
climb.
I know what Ill do! he said to himself. He gathered pointed sticks, and set them all around
the base of the tree. Then he cried out to the monkey, saying, The hunters are coming! The
hunters are coming! The monkey was very much frightened, so he jumped down in the hope
of escaping; [367]but he was pierced by the sharp sticks, and in a few hours he died. Thus the
turtle got his revenge on the selfish monkey.
When the monkey was dead, the turtle skinned him, dried his meat, and sold it to the other
monkeys in the neighborhood. But, in taking off the skin, the turtle was very careless: he left
here and there parts of the fur sticking to the meat; and from this fact the monkeys which had
bought the meat judged the turtle guilty of murder of one of their brethren. So they took the
turtle before their chief, and he was tried.
When the turtles guilt had been established, the monkey-chief ordered him to be burned.
Fire does not do me any harm, said the turtle. Dont you see the red part on my back? My
father has burned me many times.
Well, if fire doesnt harm him, cut him to pieces, said the monkey-chief angrily.
Neither will this punishment have any effect on me, continued the wise turtle. My back is
full of scars. My father used to cut me over and over again.
What can we do with him? said the foolish monkeys. At last the brightest fellow in the group
said, We will drown him in the lake.
As soon as the turtle heard this, he felt happy, for he knew that he would not die in the water,
However, he pretended to be very much afraid, and he implored the monkeys not to throw him
into the lake. But he said to himself, I have deceived all these foolish monkeys. Without delay
the monkeys took him to the lake and threw him in. The turtle dived; and then he stuck his
head above the surface of the water, laughing very loud at them.
Thus the turtles life was saved, because he had used his brains in devising a means of escape.
The Monkey and the Turtle.
Narrated by Bienvenido Gonzales of Pampanga. He heard the story from his younger brother,
who heard it in turn from a farmer. It is common in Pampanga.
Once there lived two friends,a monkey and a turtle. One day they saw a banana-plant floating
on the water. The turtle swam out and brought it to land. Since it was but a single plant and
they had to divide it, they cut it across the middle.
I will have the part with the leaves on, said the monkey, [368]thinking that the top was best.
The turtle agreed and was very well pleased, but she managed to conceal her joy. The monkey
planted his part, the top of the tree; and the turtle planted hers, the roots. The monkeys plant
died; but that of the turtle grew, and in time bore much fine fruit.
One day, since the turtle could not get at the bananas, she asked the monkey to climb the tree
and bring down the bananas. In return for this service she offered to give him half the fruit. The
monkey clambered up the tree, but he ate all the fruit himself: he did not give the turtle any.
The turtle became very angry, waiting in vain; so she collected many sharp sticks, and stuck
them in the trunk of the tree. Then she went away. When the monkey slid down to the ground,
he injured himself very badly on the sharp sticks; so he set off to find the turtle and to revenge
himself.
The monkey looked for a long time, but finally found the turtle under a pepper-plant. As the
monkey was about to strike her, she said, Keep quiet! I am guarding the kings fruits.
Give me some! said the monkey.
Well, I will; here are some! said the turtle. But you must promise me not to chew them until
I am far away; for the king might see you, and then he would punish me. The monkey agreed.
When the turtle was a long way off, he began to chew the peppers. They were very hot, and
burned his mouth badly. He was now extremely angry, and resolved that it would go hard with
the turtle when he should catch her.
He searched all through the woods and fields for her. At last he found her near a large snake-
hole. The monkey threatened to kill the turtle; but she said to him, Friend monkey, do you
want to wear the kings belt?
Why, surely! Where is it? said the monkey.
The turtle replied, It will come out very soon: watch for it! As soon as the snake came out, the
monkey caught it; but the snake rolled itself around his body, and squeezed him nearly to
death. He finally managed to get free of the snake; but he was so badly hurt, that he swore he
would kill the turtle as soon as he should find her.
The turtle hid herself under a cocoanut-shell. The monkey was by this time very tired, so he sat
down on the cocoanut-shell to rest. As he sat there, he began to call loudly, Turtle, where are
you?
[369]The turtle answered in a low voice, Here I am!
The monkey looked all around him, but he saw nobody. He thought that some part of his body
was joking him. He called the turtle again, and again the turtle answered him.
The monkey now said to his abdomen, If you answer again when I dont call you, stomach, Ill
punish you. Once more he called the turtle; and once more she said, I am here!
This was too much for the monkey. He seized a big stone, and began to hit his belly with it. He
injured himself so much, that he finally died.
The Monkey and the Turtle.
Narrated by Jos M. Katigbak of Batangas, Batangas. This is a genuine Tagalog story, he says,
which he heard from his friend Angel Reyes.
Once upon a time there was a turtle who was very kind and patient. He had many friends.
Among them was a monkey, who was very selfish. He always wanted to have the best part of
everything.
One day the monkey went to visit the turtle. The monkey asked his friend to accompany him on
a journey to the next village. The turtle agreed, and they started early the next morning. The
monkey did not take much food with him, because he did not like to carry a heavy load. The
turtle, on the contrary, took a big supply. He advised the monkey to take more, but the monkey
only laughed at him. After they had been travelling five days, the monkeys food was all gone,
so the turtle had to give him some. The monkey was greedy, and kept asking for more all the
time. Give me some more, friend turtle! he said.
Wait a little while, said the turtle. We have just finished eating.
As the monkey made no reply, they travelled on. After a few minutes the monkey stopped, and
said, Cant you travel a little faster?
I cant, for I have a very heavy load, said the turtle.
Give me the load, and then we shall get along more rapidly, said the monkey. The turtle
handed over all his food to the monkey, who ran away as fast as he could, leaving the turtle far
behind.
Wait for me! said the turtle, doing his best to catch his friend; but the monkey only shouted,
Come on! and scampered [370]out of sight. The turtle was soon very tired and much out of
breath, but he kept on. The monkey climbed a tree by the roadside, and looked back. When he
saw his friend very far in the rear, he ate some of the food. At last the turtle came up. He was
very hungry, and asked the monkey for something to eat.
Come on a little farther, said the selfish monkey. We will eat near a place where we can get
water. The turtle did not say anything, but kept plodding on. The monkey ran ahead and did
the same thing as before, but this time he ate all the food.
Why did you come so late? said the monkey when the turtle came up panting.
Because I am so hungry that I cannot walk fast, answered the turtle. Will you give me some
food? he continued.
There is no more, replied the monkey. You brought very little. I ate all there was, and I am
still hungry.
As the turtle had no breath to waste, he continued on the road. While they were on their way,
they met a hunter. The monkey saw the hunter and climbed a tree, but the man caught the
turtle and took it home with him. The monkey laughed at his friends misfortune. But the
hunter was kind to the turtle: he tied it near a banana-tree, and gave it food every hour.
One day the monkey happened to pass near the house of the hunter. When he saw that his
friend was tied fast, he sneered at him; but after he had remained there a few hours, and had
seen how the turtle was fed every hour, he envied the turtles situation. So when night came,
and the hunter was asleep, the monkey went up to the turtle, and said, Let me be in your
place.
No, I like this place, answered the turtle.
The monkey, however, kept urging and begging the turtle, so that finally the turtle yielded.
Then the monkey set the turtle free, and tied himself to the tree. The turtle went off happy;
and the monkey was so pleased, that he could hardly sleep during the night for thinking of the
food the hunter would give him in the morning.
Early the next morning the hunter woke and looked out of his window. He caught sight of the
monkey, and thought that the animal was stealing his bananas. So he took his gun
and [371]shot him dead. Thus the turtle became free, and the monkey was killed.
MORAL: Do not be selfish.