The Monkeys and the Sorcerer

Two monkeys were kept captive at a luxury resort, situated on a beautiful tropical island. The monkeys’ cage was built on the beach as a tourist attraction.

Some days, the wild monkeys would venture to the edge of the jungle bordering the beach. They would call to the two caged monkeys, who would then shake and rattle the door of their cage. The caged monkeys would behave similarly when tourists came to look at them and take pictures of them.

One day, a world adventure brought a Sorcerer to the island resort. Some afternoons the Sorcerer would take casual strolls on the beach to enjoy the sunset. And so he came across the caged monkeys. He observed them as they rattled their cage at the call of the wild monkeys, smiling at their antics.

Early the next morning, before the other tourists awoke, the Sorcerer took a walk to the cage. As he approached, the monkeys became slightly nervous at his presence. Glancing around to make sure he was unnoticed, the Sorcerer swiftly unlocked the cage door and opened it slightly. Stepping away some distance while lighting a smoke, he stood observing the monkeys.

By this time, a few wild monkeys had noticed the situation. The wild monkeys began calling to their caged friends to make a run for it. Yet the caged monkeys appeared dumbfounded. One of them cowered in the far end of the cage, while the larger of the two slowly approached the open door. He poked his head outside the cage door, then cautiously took a step outside. The monkey then jumped on top of the cage, looking towards the edge of the jungle.

A grounds keeper of the resort came walking down the beach. He saw the monkey sitting atop the cage and – yelling at the top of this voice- came running to close the cage door. To the Sorcerer’s surprise, the monkey did something unexpected. Instead of dashing for its freedom to the nearby jungle, it swung down back into the cage, even closing the cage door behind it.

Later that afternoon, the Sorcerer happened to pass the cage again. Some tourists were taking pictures of the animals, which were shaking their cage as usual. But when the bigger primate noticed the Sorcerer, he stopped his shaking and shamefully hid in the corner of his cage.