How the Monkey Became Grey

How the Monkey Became Grey

Long ago, an old Khasi story says, monkeys did not look as they do today. Their fur was long and bright: some had golden coats, some were reddish, some dark brown, and some proudly wore stripes of many colours. The monkeys loved looking at one another and arguing over whose coat was finest. But they loved knowing everything that happened around them even more. One young monkey was especially curious. She peeped behind every rock, listened to every conversation, and could learn the news from three forests in a single day. One day, on a wide plain, she met Rama. He was searching for Sita and trying to discover where she was being held. “You travel widely and notice everything,” Rama told the monkey. “Will you help me?” The monkey stood as tall as she could. “I will! I can slip into places others cannot reach, and hear things others cannot hear.” She set off at once. She leapt from tree to tree, questioned the birds, listened to the wind along the roads, and when she reached the shore, she even asked the sea gulls. At last she returned to Rama. “I know where Sita is,” she said. “Beyond the sea, on an island, behind high walls.” Rama thanked her and travelled toward the shore with his companions. But the island was not easy to reach. Near the coast stood a thick, dark thicket, and frightening guardians watched the paths. Whenever the travellers drew close, growls, whistles, and pounding sounds rose from among the trees. “We need cleverness, not strength,” said the monkey. “If the guards look the other way, we can pass.” She made a plan. On a long strip of cloth, she spread a fragrant resin that could glow brightly and make a great deal of smoke, but would quickly go out on damp ground. She tied one end of the cloth to a long branch and ran along the edge of the forest, keeping the little flame far from the dry grass. Smoke drifted between the trees. “Look! What is that?” called the guards. While everyone hurried about looking for the source of the smoke, Rama and his companions found an open path. The monkey ran on. At first she was delighted. “What a clever plan!” she thought. “No one will catch me!” But then the wind changed. The smoke twisted and rushed straight behind her. Ash settled over her back, shoulders, and head. Hot air brushed the ends of her long fur. “Oh dear! That is enough adventure for me!” cried the monkey. She dropped the branch onto wet sand, where the little flame went out at once, and raced as fast as she could to the sea. Splash! The monkey jumped into the water. A cold wave covered her head. She came up sputtering, rubbed her eyes, and swam toward shore. When the danger had passed, she sat on a rock and began to comb her wet fur with her fingers. Then she stopped. Her once colourful coat had changed completely. The tips of her long hairs had been singed, ash had settled among them, and after the seawater her fur looked shorter and silvery grey. “Oh my,” she whispered. “No one will recognize me now.” Soon a little bird arrived. It had seen everything from high in the sky. “Do not be sad,” said the bird. “You helped people find a way when they did not know what to do. Is the colour of your fur more important than your cleverness?” The monkey thought about that and smiled. “Perhaps not. But I was very beautiful before.” “And you are beautiful in another way now,” said the bird. “Look how your fur shines in the sun.” The monkey leaned over the still water and saw her reflection. It was true: her grey coat glittered like morning mist above a river. When she returned to her relatives, they were all surprised at first. “What happened to you?” So the monkey told them about the distant journey, the island, the clever plan, and the way the wind had suddenly turned the smoke back toward her. The young monkeys listened with their mouths open. “And you were not frightened?” asked the smallest one. “I was frightened,” the monkey said honestly. “But fear does not stop us from thinking. We only need to know when to keep going, and when it is time to jump into the water.” People say that since then monkeys have worn shorter grey fur. When the sun touches it, one can sometimes see a faint silver gleam, like a memory of that long-ago adventure. And perhaps that is why monkeys are still so curious. Once, curiosity led one of them on a very distant journey, and cleverness helped her find her way home.

May this story leave a little light in your heart ✨