Quickly darted the monkey through the woods in search of his evening meal. Soon a tasty smell drifted across his nose, catching his attention and leading him to a small hole in the base of a tree.

Inside the hole rested a gord filled with delicious rice and beans. Dancing with joy the happy primate dragged the gourd a few feet out of the hole and reached in, grabbing his prize!

Delightfully anticipating his meal, the monkey tries to slide his hand out... but it would not come out. He tugged and tugged and yanked and pulled. He wrapped his feet around the gourd for extra strength to pry himself from it's grasp. He tried banging it against the trunk of the tree to shatter it! He tried biting it! Nothing worked... all night the monkey devised various methods to free his hand from the gourd.

The sun set and the sun rose, and still the monkey had not freed his hand! When the sun reached it's full height in the sky, a solitary hunter appeared from between the trees, heading straight for the monkey.

Apon spotting the hunter the monkey tried to bolt for the shelter of the trees, but was quickly yanked off his feet when the cord attached to the base of the gourd whipped taut! Squealing and panicking the monkey pulled harder, but the cord would not break nor allow him enough slack to escape up the tree.

The hunter swiftly put the captured beast out of its misery, adding it to a large sack with the rest of his captured prey to be returned to the camp for the other tribesmen. Quietly the hunter moved on with his chore, heading for the next trapping.

And never once did the monkey consider inspecting the "prize," for greed was the extent of his heart.

And never once did the monkey consider letting go of the "prize," for greed was the extent of his heart.

But among those who have heard this story, or born witness to its events, I am of the few who celebrate with joy for the monkey's good fortune. For those that are not fortunate, suffer a fate worse than a swift tribesmen, and the jungle holds dangers more severe than a merciful end.