Listen to the Story
Dive into this classic Panchatantra story where a monkey had to face a heavy price for his curiosity
The Busy Woodcutters
One sunny morning, a group of woodcutters came to the edge of the jungle. They were working hard to saw a massive oak log into long planks. It was difficult work, and by noon, the sun was high and their bellies were rumbling. Before leaving for lunch, the woodcutters had only sawed halfway through the log. To keep the split open so they could finish later, they hammered a strong wooden wedge into the gap. What is a wedge? It’s a tool used to keep two things apart. In this story, it was the only thing stopping the heavy log from snapping shut!
The Curious Little Monkey
As soon as the woodcutters left, a troop of monkeys swung down from the trees. Most of them started playing, but one restless monkey couldn't take his eyes off the log. He skipped over to the half-finished work. Even though his friends warned him not to mess with human tools, his curiosity was too big to ignore. He climbed onto the log and began to wonder: 'What is this little piece of wood doing stuck in the middle?' He sat right in the middle of the split log and started to wiggle the wedge back and forth with all his might.
A Very Big Mistake
The monkey pulled, pushed, and yanked. He thought he was playing a fun game, but he wasn't paying attention to where his tail was hanging. Suddenly—POP! The wedge flew out of the crack. Without the wedge to hold it open, the two heavy sides of the log snapped shut instantly. Because the monkey hadn't stayed back, his tail was caught right in the middle! He learned the hard way that interfering with things you don't understand can lead to big trouble.
What We Learn
Look before you leap, and never meddle in affairs that do not concern you.
