বগা-বগি (Paperback)

FISHERMAN AND MONKEY

Long ago there was a garden by the side of a river. There ved a monkey in that garden. A fisherman used to catch fishes every day in the river beside the garden. Thereby a good friendship grew between the monkey and the fisherman. The fisherman caught fishes and passed his leisure time through gossiping with the monkey under the tree. Sometimes the monkey entertained the fisherman with fruits of that tree. Thus they were tied to a deep heartfelt relation.
One day the fisherman didn't come to catch fish in the river. The monkey didn't mind that. But whenever he was absent for several consecutive days, the monkey became anxious. He thought the fisherman to be sick and went to his house. As soon as the monkey reached there, the fisherman burst into tears and said, "I have lost my fishing net. I am going to be a poor. I have no other means of earning livelihood. I have been starving for the last three days and I will have to die very soon."
The monkey was very shocked with such a miserable condition of the fisherman. He said, "Oh my brother, don'tworry. I shall help you in distress. Tie a chain on my neck. Let us go to market after market to perform a show. I shall show fun and games there and the spectators will pay us. Whatever will be earned, will be spent for your livelihood. You must have to save a portion of earning every day. Whenever the saving reaches to an amount to purchase a fishing net, you will untie my neck chain." At once both of them started action according to their plan.
Thereafter the fisherman went to market after market everyday with the monkey having a chain tied on its neck. The monkey showed his different exercises and funs to earn a lot. Within a few days the fisherman bought a fishing net with the saving. Then the monkey requested him to untie its chain from the neck. But the fisherman being a friend began to make pretexts. The monkey was very much shocked with such a tricky behavior of his friend. He said the fisherman, "I am an animal of garden. I liketo roam in the garden freely. The captive cum prisoner's life is like a death cell to me. Please set me free and pay honor to our friendship."