Long ago, the tail of the monkey used to be thirty-three fathoms long. One day, the monkey went to the bear’s house and asked him the best way to catch numerous river fish in one go. The bear advised, “On a cold night, go to the river. Look for the deepest place in the river and then sit on a rock over it. Let your tail down into the river. Many little fish will come and tie up to your tail.” The monkey willingly did as told. As night deepened, his tail grew heavier. The monkey thought that the fish were attaching up to his tail. But in fact, the ice was spreading over the river. “This is enough to catch. I want to go home because it is too cold.” He tried to pull up his tail, but he could not. “This is dreadful,” he cried. Finally, he pulled it hard and his tail broke off.
Why the Monkey’s Tail is Short
