Five LIttle Monkeys Swinging on a Tree

Five Little Monkeys Swinging on a Tree By Orlino C. & Estrella C. Baldonado Copyright, 2017 Summary: This is a new version of the familiar rhyme “Five Little Monkeys Jumping on a Bed.” Only this time, the monkeys are in the forest, and there is no bed and there is no doctor. The monkeys are swinging on the branches of a tree, and Mama monkey consults a wise owl for their problems.

The rhyme and song lyrics have also been changed to conform to the story.

Story: Mama monkey loved to take her children to play on the large acacia tree not far from where they lived. She just had to make sure that the five children paid attention to what they were doing, because even monkeys can fall. That can mean serious injury or even death to a fallen monkey.

The little monkeys loved to play a game of swinging and jumping from one branch to another. The first one would select a path for the others to follow. To make it difficult for the others, he selected branches that were spread farther apart. Mama watched.

This lead monkey had miscalculated the jump distance. It was too far even for him and he fell. His knee was hurt, and even though It was not serious, he was whimpering and crying.

There lived on the neighboring banyan tree a wise old owl. He lived quietly, and kept to his own. He went out mainly at night. Mama monkey asked for the wise owl’s advice and help.

“What should we do?” asked Mama monkey. The old owl looked at the whimpering small monkey on the ground, and went to examine the hurt knee.

“Just wait a day or two,” he advised, and went back to sleep.

All was quiet, but then the noise of the forest resumed. The macaws were taunting the monkeys, to swing farther and take more risky maneuvers, even flying from one branch to another. This taunting caused a second monkey to slip and fall. His knee was hurt.

“See what I told you?” Mama monkey scolded. And she went to ask the wise old owl what they should do. “Just wait a day or two,” he advised again.

There were now two whimpering monkeys on the ground and three still swinging among the branches of the acacia tree.

The third little monkey tried to be cautious, but when she jumped, she landed on a dead tree limb that immediately broke off. She just knew she should not have jumped onto it, but it was the only tree branch close enough for her to grab on to. The dead limb broke off. She fell and bruised her knee and her pride.

Again, the wise old owl advised, “Just wait a day or two” when asked by the Mama monkey.

There were now only two monkeys left on the tree. This fourth monkey was a showoff, and was determined to show his siblings that he can do better than the others that have fallen. “Look at me,” he said, trying to show off, but his attention was partly diverted by a green macaw that had landed nearby. He fell and hurt his knee.

Fortunately, it was not too bad. Both his knees were badly bruised.

Without even being asked, and not even examining the hurt knees, the wise owl shouted, “Just wait a day or two and they will get better!”

The last one on the tree, a girl monkey was now being urged by her mother and her siblings to come down quickly. It was time to go home and let their bruised knees heal. She was too much in a hurry and she did not follow a safe branch path to go down, and she fell.

The owl went to visit the whimpering monkeys on the ground. There was no one left swinging. “Just wait a day or two. All will be well,” he said. “Go home and let the knees heal.”

“Keep the children from swinging on trees for a few days,” he advised Mama monkey one last time.

And with that, the monkeys went home, this time determined not to be distracted, or jump on to dead limbs, or be a showoff, or take risky jumps, or be too much in a hurry. Their bruised and hurt knees reminded them to be safe when they play.

Papa monkey was waiting for them at home.

When Papa monkey heard their stories, he was pleased that the knees of the children were not badly hurt. He told Mama monkey and the children, “That wise old owl had the right idea. You should stay home at least for the next few days.

“Perhaps you should use a different play tree. That acacia tree has too many creatures causing the children to be distracted, or to show off, and some of its limbs are old and dead. The branches are very high for our little ones to be playing on. So, don’t go play there anymore.”

“Next time, use the banyan tree not too far away. A banyan tree has excellent branches close to the ground. The children would enjoy swinging and be safer there.”

And that is exactly what they did. They did not fall anymore when they played on the branches of the banyan tree.

(See the lyrics of the new children’s rhyme on the following page).

Five Little Monkeys Swinging on a Tree By Orlino & Estrella Baldonado (© 2016) Five little monkeys swinging on a tree; One fell down and hurt his knee.

Mama asked the wise owl what they should do; The wise owl said, “just wait a day or two.”

Four little monkeys swinging on a tree; One fell down and hurt his knee.

Mama asked the wise owl what they should do; The wise owl said, “just wait a day or two.”

Three little monkeys swinging on a tree; One fell down and hurt her knee.

Mama asked the wise owl what they should do; The wise owl said, “just wait a day or two.”

Two little monkeys swinging on a tree; One fell down and hurt his knee.

Mama asked the wise owl what they should do; The wise owl said, “just wait a day or two.”

One little monkey swinging on a tree; She fell down and hurt her knee.

Mama asked the wise owl what they should do; The wise owl said, “just wait a day or two.”

Mama monkey waited a day or two All five monkey knees were good to go.

Swing they did on the trees but careful This time never ever to fall.

Copyright 2017 Orlino C. Baldonado Contact: orlinob@gmail.com