第10章 The Monkey 猴子

The monkey is a very cunning little animal, and is found in many parts of the world.

A lady once had a monkey, which had been brought to her as a present. This monkey, like all others, was very fond of mischief and of doing whatever he saw others do.

His mistress found him one day sitting on her toilet table, holding in one hand a little china mug with water in it, and in the other her toothbrush, with which he was cleaning his teeth, looking all the time in the glass.

Her little daughter, Maria, had a large doll with a very handsome head and face. She one day left this doll in the cradle, and went out of the room. The monkey came in, took the doll in his arms, and jumping upon the washstand, he began to wash its face.

He first rubbed it all over with soap. Then seizing the towel, he dipped it in the wash bowl, and rubbed it so hard that the doll's face was entirely spoiled, the paint being all washed off.

There have been many tales of monkeys who, armed with sticks, have joined together and made war or resisted their enemies with great effect. These are not true, as it is known that in their native state monkeys have no idea of weapons.

The sticks and other missiles said to be thrown at travelers as they pass under the branches of trees, are usually the dead branches, etc.,accidentally broken off, as the monkeys, with the natural curiosity of their tribe, pass along the tops of trees to watch the actions of the people below.

They can, however, be taught to use a stick, and to use it well. Some time ago, two Italians together owned an organ and a monkey, by means of which they earned their living. During one of their exhibitions, a dog flew at the little monkey, which made its owners very angry.

They and the owner of the dog quarreled about it, and at last it was agreed that the dog and the monkey should fight it out; the monkey, because he was smaller, was to be allowed a stick.

The monkey was taught what he was to do in the following manner: One of the Italians crawled on his hands and knees, barking like a dog, while the other got on his back, grasped his hair, and beat him about the head with a stick.

The monkey looked on with great gravity, and, when the instruction was over, received the stick with the air of a man who knew his work and meant to do it.

Everything being settled the dog flew at the monkey with open month. The monkey immediately leaped on his back, and, grasping the dog's ear, beat away at his head with such good will that his adversary speedily gave in. The monkey, however, was not content with a mere victory, but continued pounding at the dog's head until he left him senseless on the ground.

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

猴子是一种非常有灵性的小动物，它们的足迹遍布世界各地。

一位女士曾经有过一只猴子，她的朋友把猴子当作礼物送给了她。这只猴子和其他的猴子没什么两样，它非常喜欢恶作剧和模仿别人的行为。

有一天，这个女主人发现猴子坐在她的梳妆台上，一只手拿着盛有水的杯子，另一只手拿着她的牙刷在刷牙，在刷牙的过程中，它一直盯着镜子。

她的小女儿玛丽亚有一个非常漂亮的大娃娃。有一天，她把这个娃娃放在摇篮里之后，就走出了房间。这时，猴子进来了，它把娃娃抱在怀里，然后跳到洗脸台上，开始给娃娃洗脸。

它先用肥皂擦拭娃娃，然后拿起毛巾在盆里蘸了蘸，但是它擦得太猛了，以至于娃娃的脸都被它擦坏了，上面的颜色都被洗掉了。

有很多关于猴子的故事，说它们拿棍子当武器，聚在一起抵御敌人。但这些故事都不是真的，因为猴子根本就不知道武器是什么。

当游客从树下经过的时候，它们会朝人扔棍子，这些棍子通常都是一些枯枝，一不小心就会被折断。群居的猴子天生就有强烈的好奇心，它们会爬到树顶来观察下面游人的行动。

人们教它们使用棍子，它们学得很快。前一段时间，两名意大利人带着一只猴子去谋生。有一次，一家主人的狗向猴子飞扑过去，这让主人很生气。

于是，这两个意大利人便和狗的主人争吵起来，他们最后商定，让狗和猴子进行一对一的决斗，因为猴子个子小，所以它可以使用木棍。

那两个意大利人要求猴子用这样的方式决斗：其中一个意大利人用手和膝盖爬行，像狗一样狂吠；而另一个意大利人则爬上他的背，抓住他的头发，用木棍打他的头。

猴子认真看着，它看懂了意大利人想要表达的意思，于是它自信地接过木棍。

决斗开始之后，狗朝猴子扑了过来。然而，就在一瞬间猴子跳到狗背上，抓住狗的耳朵，使劲地打狗的脑袋，狗很快就认输了。然而，猴子并没有因为这小小的胜利而沾沾自喜，而是继续猛打狗的头，直到狗毫无知觉昏倒在地。