Just how deep was their friendship? Let us see.
While the monkey felt true affection, the rabbit was merely interested in him. One day, the rabbit made his favourite drink and poured it into seven jars. He then sent a messenger to invite his friend, the monkey, handing him an invitation that read: “My friend, I have made some drink. I would like you to come and drink it with me next Sunday. Bring as many friends as you like. We will party and dance like never before!”
Faced with such a tempting offer, the monkey decided that he would not miss this party for anything in the world. The Saturday before the party, however, the rabbit set fire to the entire forest near his house, burning everything around him. Not content with that, he threw away every drop of water he had, leaving none in the house.
The next day, the monkeys arrived with bells on their legs, ready to dance. Seeing them, the rabbit said, “Welcome! Now, we will begin immediately by eating the meat I have cooked in honour of my ancestors’ souls. However, this meat must only be eaten with clean hands. So, show me your hands.”
When he saw that the monkeys’ hands were all dirty with soot from crossing the burnt forest, he exclaimed, “Ah! That’s no good! Your hands are dirty, and there’s not a drop of water here. The only solution is to go and wash in the river.”
The monkeys headed to the river to clean themselves up. Meanwhile, the rabbit took the opportunity to eat the meat with his friends. After bathing, the monkeys returned through the burnt forest, so their hands became dirty again. When they arrived, the rabbit said: “Now, let’s see… How are your hands? No, we’re not there yet! This forest is awful! You’re too dirty. Go back to the river and wash them again.”
So, the poor monkeys were forced to return to the river and wash their hands again. When they returned, they were disappointed to find that the meat and drink were both finished. Meanwhile, the rabbit was laughing and rolling on the ground. The journey and the two trips to the river, coupled with their hunger, got the better of the monkeys, who, despite the party, were unable to dance.
They were forced to return home with their bells still hanging from their legs and great disappointment in their hearts. The monkey, a friend of the rabbit, began to think, “What ought I do now?’ … It would be good to teach my fake friend a lesson. He’ll see! He’ll have to stop being so insolent.”
After some time, the monkey decided to throw a party. He sent a messenger to his friend the rabbit and invited him, saying: “My friend the rabbit, while preparing the drink in memory of my father, I realised that it would be wrong to celebrate this ceremony without my best friend. I am waiting for you and all your friends to join me in raising a glass! There will be room for everyone, and the drink can be enjoyed from Friday onwards. On Saturday, there will be a sacrifice followed by a big lunch.
So, on Saturday, the rabbit and his friends arrived at the monkey’s house. He saw the containers overflowing with drink, murmuring and gurgling as they boiled on the fire.
The rabbit then thought, “Ah! Today, then, we will really drink here, eat our fill and be satisfied!” He told his companions, “Fellows, let us sit on the ground and wait for them to show us to our places.”
Meanwhile, the monkey called his helpers and said, “Take the containers of drink up into the trees. Quick! Hurry up!” Once they had finished, the monkey went to the rabbit and said, “You know, my friend? On his deathbed, my father told me that he did not want the sacrifice to be consumed on the ground, since we monkeys spend our lives in the trees. Since he always did so himself, he left instructions that the sacrifice in his memory should be made high up. So now we will all climb up there together to eat!”
But while all the monkeys climbed nimbly, the rabbits remained on the ground, merely raising their heads and looking up. They tried to jump and cling to the trees, but to no avail. They looked everywhere for a way to climb, but to no avail. Meanwhile, the monkeys enjoyed themselves, sipping their drink, and after a while, they began jumping from tree to tree. Some were dressed lavishly with dancing ornaments — bells on their legs — and performed all kinds of dances, while others played various instruments, things that were all unknown to the rabbits. The monkeys danced and frolicked, and finished all their drink without leaving as much as a drop for the rabbits.
The rabbits were pelted with the dregs of the drink while the monkeys laughed heartily. Once the party was over, the monkeys came down to the ground. Seeing that there was nothing left for them, the rabbits returned home hungrier and thirstier than ever. From that day on, the rabbit and the monkey were no longer friends. (Folktale from Kikuyu People, Kenya) – (Pixabay)
