The Monkey and the Crab

Once upon a time, in a lush, green forest, there lived a clever Crab and a mischievous Monkey. The forest was filled with tall trees, bubbling streams, and colorful flowers that danced in the breeze. The animals of the forest all knew each other and often helped each other out. However, Monkey was known for his trickery and greed.

One bright and sunny day, Monkey was swinging from tree to tree when he noticed Crab walking slowly along the forest floor, carrying a large, shiny rice ball. The rice ball was the biggest and most delicious-looking one Monkey had ever seen, and immediately, he wanted it for himself.

“Good day,” said Monkey, grinning widely. “That’s a fine rice ball you have there. But look at what I have!” He pulled out a small, hard persimmon seed from his pouch.

Crab looked up at Monkey, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. “What’s that?”

“This, my dear, is a persimmon seed. If you plant it, it will grow into a big tree with lots of sweet persimmons. Why don’t we trade? You give me your rice ball, and I’ll give you this seed. You can have persimmons for the rest of your life.”

Crab thought for a moment. The rice ball was indeed delicious, but the idea of having a tree full of persimmons seemed even better. She agreed to the trade, and Monkey eagerly snatched up the rice ball, laughing to himself as he ate it in one gulp.

Crab carefully buried the persimmon seed in a sunny spot and watered it every day. Soon, a tiny sprout appeared, and Crab was filled with joy. She continued to care for the little tree, and over time, it grew taller and taller until it was a magnificent persimmon tree, heavy with ripe, orange fruit.

One day, as Crab was admiring her tree, Monkey happened to pass by. Seeing the ripe persimmons, his mouth watered, and he quickly climbed up the tree.

Crab called from below. “Those are my persimmons. I planted the seed, and I’ve cared for the tree all this time.”

Monkey looked down at Crab and laughed. “Well, you may have planted the tree, but I’m the one who can climb it. So, I’ll help myself to these persimmons.”

He began picking the juiciest fruits, stuffing them into his mouth and throwing the pits down at Crab. Crab pleaded with him to stop, but Monkey ignored her and continued to eat until he was full.

Heartbroken, Crab went to the other animals of the forest and told them what had happened. They were all concerned about Monkey’s behavior and decided to teach him a lesson, but in a kind and clever way.

The next day, Crab invited Monkey to her home for a special feast. Monkey, thinking of all the delicious food he would get to eat, eagerly accepted the invitation. When he arrived, he was surprised to find not only Crab but also the other animals of the forest: a wise old turtle, a clever bee, and a strong lobster.

Crab served Monkey a large pot of soup. As Monkey greedily reached for the soup, the turtle spoke up, “Monkey, this soup is a special recipe, but it needs one more ingredient to make it truly delicious.”

Monkey, curious, asked, “What ingredient is that?”

“The most important one—persimmons!” said Crab with a smile.

Monkey, eager to have the best soup, quickly offered, “I know where to find persimmons! I’ll climb the tree and get some for the soup.”

Crab and the other animals nodded in agreement, and Monkey dashed off to the tree. He climbed up, plucked several ripe persimmons, and as he held them in his hands, he couldn’t help but admire how delicious they looked. The bright orange color, the smooth skin, and the sweet scent made his mouth water. For a moment, Monkey was tempted to eat them all right there in the tree. After all, they were the juiciest persimmons he had ever seen.

But then Monkey remembered Crab’s invitation and the special soup she had prepared. He was curious to try it, especially with these fresh persimmons added. So, despite his strong desire to eat the fruits himself, Monkey climbed down the tree and returned with the persimmons to Crab’s home.

When Monkey handed the persimmons to Crab, she smiled warmly. “Thank you, Monkey. These persimmons will make the soup extra special. We’ll share it with everyone.”

As Monkey watched Crab carefully cut the persimmons and add them to the pot, he noticed the other animals gathering around. The aroma of the soup, now enriched with the sweet scent of the persimmons, filled the air. Monkey’s anticipation grew, and he found himself more eager to taste the soup than he had been to eat the persimmons on their own.

When the soup was ready, Crab served each of the animals a bowl, including Monkey. As Monkey took his first sip, his eyes widened in surprise. The soup was rich, flavorful, and more delicious than anything he had ever tasted before. The persimmons, combined with the other ingredients, created a harmony of flavors that he realized was far better than eating the fruits alone.

Monkey paused, savoring the taste and looking around at the other animals who were all enjoying the soup together. He felt a warmth in his heart that he hadn’t felt before—a sense of belonging and joy from sharing the experience with others.

It was at that moment that Monkey understood the true value of sharing. The pleasure he had from the soup, made better by the company of his friends, was much greater than anything he could have felt from keeping the persimmons to himself.

After the meal, Monkey apologized to Crab. “I’m sorry for being selfish and taking your persimmons. I didn’t realize how much better things taste when shared with others.”

Crab smiled warmly. “It’s okay. I’m glad we could enjoy the meal together. The forest is a happier place when we all share and care for one another.”

From that day on, Monkey changed his ways. He became a kind and helpful friend to everyone in the forest. He and Crab shared the persimmons from the tree every year, and the forest returned to its peaceful, happy state, where all the animals lived in harmony, sharing the fruits of their labor with each other.