Krilof and His Fables/The Monkeys

When folks imitate discreetly, there is no wonder in their gaining by the process. But, as to indiscreet imitation—Heaven protect us! what a terrible thing that is!

I will give you an illustration of this, brought from a far-off land.

All who have seen monkeys know how fond they are of imitating everything. Well, one day, in Africa, where monkeys are numerous, there was a whole troop of them sitting on the boughs and branches of a thick tree, and look­ing aside at a hunter, watching how he rolled about on the grass among his nets. Each one gave her neighbour a quiet ​nudge in the ribs, and they all began to whisper to each other—

"Just look at the fine fellow! Really it would seem that there is no end to his frolics! How he rolls over and over—turns himself inside out, and coils himself up into a ball so that one can't see either his hands or his feet! It is true that we are already well skilled in everything, but such science as that has never even been seen among us before. Sister beauties! it would not be a bad idea for us to imitate it! That fellow seems to have amused himself enough; perhaps he will go away, and then we will at once——"

See, he really has gone away and left the nets to them.

"There now!" they say, "ought we to lose any time? Let's go and make an experiment."

The beauties descend. For the dear guests a quantity of nets have been spread down below. They begin to turn head over heels, to roll about, to envelope and entangle themselves in the toils. They cry—they squeal! their joy is at its height. But see! when it comes to extricating them­ selves from the nets, it is a bad business for them! Their entertainer has been all along on the watch, and, when he sees the time has come, he provides himself with sacks and walks up to his guests. Fain would they take to flight, but not one of them can get free now; and so, one after the other, they are all made prisoners.