The Monkey and the Turtle

The tortoise and the monkey found once a banana tree floating admidst the waves of a river. It was a very fine tree, with large green leaves, and with roots just as if it had been pulled off by a storm. They took it ashore. "Let us divide it," said the tortoise, "and plant each its portion." They cut it in the middle, and the monkey, as the stronger, took for himself the upper part of the tree, thinking that it would grow quicker for it had leaves. The tortoise, as the weaker, had the lower part, that looked ugly, although it had roots. After some days, they met.

"Hello, Mr. Monkey," said the tortoise, "how are you getting on with your banana tree?"

"Alas," said the monkey, "it has been dead a long time! And yours, Miss Tortoise?"

"Very nice indeed, with leaves and fruits. I cannot climb up to gather them."

"Never mind," said the malicious monkey, "I will climb up and pick them for you."

"Do, Mr. Monkey," replied the tortoise gratefully. And so they walked toward the tortoise's house.

As soon as the monkey saw the bright yellow fruits hanging between the large green leaves, he climbed up and began plundering, munching and gobbling, as quick as he could.

"But give me some, too," said the tortoise, seeing that the monkey did not take the slightest notice of her.

"Not even a bit of the skin, if it is eatable," rejoined the monkey, both his cheeks crammed with bananas.

The tortoise meditated revenge. She went to the river, picked up some pointed shells, planted them around the banana tree, and hid herself under a coconut shell. When the monkey came down, he hurt himself and began to bleed.

After a long search he found the tortoise.

"You must pay now for your wickedness; You must die. But as I am very generous, I will leave to you the choice of your death. Shall I pound you in a mortar, or shall I throw you into the water? Which do you prefer?"

"The mortar, the mortar," answered the tortoise; "I am so afraid of getting drowned."

"O ho!" laughed the monkey; "indeed! You are afraid of getting drowned! Now I will drown you!"

And going to the shore, he slung the tortoise and threw it in the water. But soon the tortoise reappeared swimming and laughing at the deceived, artful monkey.
_______________________________________________________________________

This story is the most I love. when I was a child, I always want my grandmother to tell this story for me. Well, when I was a child I don't really know what is the full meaning of that story instead I remember only that I'm happy ones I hear this story particularly the characters use here which are animals like monkey and turtle. Once you read this story made by our national hero which is Dr. Jose P. Rizal, it's seems to be a common story for you but for me it really caught my attention especially when I grow older where I realize what is the message of this fable.

This story is about the two friends the monkey and the turtle where they found a tree which is pulled out by the flood. The monkey choose the upper part while the turtle choose the lower part of the tree because they decided to divide it. Actually, there's one conflict which comes in my mind which is why did the monkey choose the upper part? It seems to be that the monkey is not thinking wisely because he known only that if has a leaves and branch it will be grow easily rather than those who have not. In the second place the turtle choose the lower part where I knew that she thinks that it will be easily grow because it has roots. It makes me amaze to the turtle for what she'd choose. After a few days they meet again where the monkey said that his banana plant where died but the plant of turtle where alive and have many fruits. Now, this is the event makes me mad because the monkey become selfish and greedy. Just like the turtle I will be get mad and angry to my friend monkey because of what he done. If I were the turtle I will do the same she do to the monkey. One thing that makes me excite in the story is when the monkey found the turtle where the monkey tell the turtle on what way she want to die. It;s either she will be burn or threw in the river. On the last part of this story I really amaze the turtle because she can escape from the monkey because she think's wisely again.

All in all, the lesson I've learn from this story is I will never forget and I will apply it into my real life situation.