Once upon a time, a temple was being constructed a little distance away from the city. The construction of the temple involved the use of wood, and laborers were brought from the city for this purpose. One day, the laborers were cutting wood, and during the lunch break, they all went to the city to have their meal. During this time, there was no one around.
After some time, a group of monkeys arrived at the site. Among them was a mischievous monkey who started playing around with the things left there. The leader of the monkeys advised everyone against touching the items at the site. Some time later, all the monkeys started returning to the trees, but the mischievous monkey stayed behind and began to create a commotion.
As the mischievous monkey was causing trouble, its attention fell on a wooden wedge that the laborer had placed there. The monkey thought about why the wooden wedge was placed there and what would happen if it were removed. The monkey then started pulling the wedge to take it out.
As the monkey exerted more force, the wedge started moving and slipping, catching the attention of the other monkeys. Encouraged by the movement, the monkey continued to pull, completely engrossed in its task. Unbeknownst to the monkey, the wooden wedge slipped between two planks, trapping its tail.
The monkey, now stuck, continued to pull the wedge, unaware that its tail was caught between the planks. The monkey pulled with all its strength until suddenly its tail snapped between the planks. The monkey, now in pain, started screaming, and at that moment, the laborers returned to the site.
Seeing the injured monkey with its tail caught between the planks, the laborers rushed to help. They pulled the wooden wedge out, freeing the monkey’s tail. In pain and embarrassment, the monkey ran back to its group. As the monkey reached its companions, they burst into laughter upon seeing the broken tail.
Moral of the Story:
The story teaches us that we should neither interfere with others’ belongings nor intrude in their work. Such actions can lead to harm and loss for ourselves.
