The Heart of a Monkey facts for kids

The Heart of a Monkey is a classic Swahili fairy tale. It was first written down by Edward Steere in his book Swahili Tales. Later, Andrew Lang also included it in his famous collection, The Lilac Fairy Book. This story is known around the world and is a type of tale called Aarne-Thompson-Uther Index 91, which means it shares a similar plot with many other stories from different cultures.

The Clever Monkey and the Shark

A Strange Friendship Begins

This story is about a clever monkey and a shark who became friends. The monkey lived in a giant mkuyu tree. This tree grew right over the ocean. The monkey would often pick delicious fruits from the tree. He would then toss them down to his friend, the shark, in the water below.

The Shark's Tricky Plan

After some time, the shark invited the monkey to his home. He promised the monkey a special gift if he came along. The shark offered to carry the monkey on his back across the water. The monkey agreed and hopped on. But halfway to the shark's home, the shark revealed a secret. He told the monkey that the ruler of his country was very sick. The only cure, he said, was a monkey's heart.

The Monkey's Smart Escape

The monkey was very surprised by this news. He quickly thought of a clever plan. He told the shark it was a shame he hadn't known earlier. He explained that he had left his heart behind in the tree. The shark believed him and turned back to take the monkey to get his heart. As soon as they reached the tree, the monkey quickly jumped off the shark's back. He climbed high up into the branches.

The monkey then refused to come back down. He told the shark a story to teach him a lesson. It was about a washerman's donkey. This donkey was tricked by a lion twice. The second time, the donkey lost its life. The monkey then told the shark that he was not like that foolish donkey. He would not be tricked again.

Different Versions of the Story

This tale has been told in many ways over time. An older version of this story comes from a collection called the Panchatantra. In that version, a crocodile is the friend instead of a shark. It is the crocodile's wife who wants to eat the monkey's heart. She enjoys the figs the monkey gives her husband.

In the Swahili version, there is only one extra story told inside the main tale. This is the story of the washerman's donkey. But in the Panchatantra version, the monkey and crocodile tell each other many stories. The tale of the washerman's donkey is one of these.