Aesop
|
Greece

The Dancing Monkeys

A group of talented monkeys in a forest village delighted people with their dancing, but their obsession with nuts ruined their performance.
Greed
Responsibility
Consequences
Aesop's Fables - The Dancing Monkeys
Audio available for B1 version

A long time ago, in a forest village, lived a group of special monkeys. They had learned to dance and were known everywhere for their wonderful performances. Every day, they danced on stage, jumping and twirling, bringing joy to everyone who watched.

But one day, during a show, a villager threw some nuts on the stage. The monkeys loved nuts. As soon as they saw the nuts, they forgot about their dance. They rushed towards the nuts, pushing and shoving to grab as many as they could.

Their beautiful dance turned into a messy fight. The people watching were surprised. They didn't clap or cheer. Instead, they quietly left, leaving the monkeys fighting over nuts on the empty stage.

The monkeys looked around and realized their mistake. The stage was empty, the clapping and cheers were gone. They had let their love for nuts disrupt their dance and spoil the show.

Once upon a time, in a forest village, there lived a group of special monkeys. These monkeys were famous for their dancing skills. Every day, they performed on stage, jumping and spinning. Their dances made everyone who watched very happy.

One day, during a performance, a villager threw some nuts onto the stage. The monkeys loved nuts and couldn't resist them. When they saw the nuts, they forgot about their dance. They ran toward the nuts, pushing each other to collect as many as they could.

Their beautiful dance turned into a chaotic scramble. The audience was surprised. They didn't clap or cheer. Instead, they quietly left, leaving the monkeys fighting over nuts on the empty stage.

When the monkeys finally noticed, they saw that the stage was empty, and the clapping and cheers had stopped. They realized they had let their love for nuts interrupt their performance and ruin the show.

In a big forest, there are many monkeys. These monkeys can dance very well. Every day, they dance on a big stage. The people like to watch them. The people feel happy when they see the monkeys dance.

One day, the monkeys dance on the stage. A person throws some nuts on the stage. The monkeys love nuts. They see the nuts and stop dancing. They run to get the nuts. They push each other to get more nuts.

The people see the monkeys run. They stop watching. They leave the stage. The monkeys keep fighting for the nuts.

After some time, the monkeys look around. The stage is empty. The people are gone. The monkeys feel sad. They know they made a mistake. They stopped dancing to get the nuts. Now, the show is over, and the people are not happy.

Once upon a time, in a forest village, there lived a group of special monkeys. These monkeys were famous for their dancing skills. Every day, they performed on stage, jumping and spinning. Their dances made everyone who watched very happy.

One day, during a performance, a villager threw some nuts onto the stage. The monkeys loved nuts and couldn't resist them. When they saw the nuts, they forgot about their dance. They ran toward the nuts, pushing each other to collect as many as they could.

Their beautiful dance turned into a chaotic scramble. The audience was surprised. They didn't clap or cheer. Instead, they quietly left, leaving the monkeys fighting over nuts on the empty stage.

When the monkeys finally noticed, they saw that the stage was empty, and the clapping and cheers had stopped. They realized they had let their love for nuts interrupt their performance and ruin the show.

Once upon a groove, in a forest where the trees had rhythm, there was a group of super-duper special monkeys. Oh, they weren't your average, everyday, "eat a banana and scratch your head" monkeys. Nope! They were dancing monkeys, and let me tell you, they could really cut a rug!

Every day, these monkeys danced on stage, hopping and twirling, and shaking their tails, like no monkey's business. They brought joy, laughter, and a few dropped jaws to everyone who watched. They were the Michael Jacksons of the monkey world!

But then, one day, during the high-flying, toe-tapping jamboree, something absolutely nuts happened. Literally, NUTS! A villager, probably thinking it was snack time, threw a bunch of nuts onto the stage.

Well, these monkeys were bonkers for nuts! As soon as those little treasures landed, the monkeys forgot their dance. It was like someone hit the pause button on their disco brains.

They rushed towards the nuts like bargain hunters on Black Friday, pushing and shoving, sliding and gliding, in a mad scramble for the crunchy gold. It was a nutty ballet of chaos!

Their beautiful dance turned into a dance-off for nuts! Twirling and swirling, shoving and pushing, it was a messy dance battle royale.

The audience was flabbergasted. They didn't clap or cheer. Instead, they quietly left, thinking, "Well, this wasn't on the program!" and leaving the monkeys tangoing with nuts on an empty stage.

The monkeys, finally taking a breather, looked around and realized their nutty mistake. The stage was empty, the clapping and cheers were gone, and all that was left was the echo of a nutcracker suite gone wrong.

They sighed and scratched their heads, understanding they had let their love for nuts break up their dance groove and spoil the show. It was a lesson learned in the school of hard nuts!

So, the next time they danced, they made sure to keep their eyes on the prize – or in this case, the dance – and leave the nuts for later. Because, when life throws you nuts, you've got to keep dancing!

Once upon a village scene,
Where trees were lush and air so clean,
Special monkeys danced with glee,
Their twirls and jumps a sight to see.

Everywhere their fame did spread,
For the lovely dance they led.
Crowds would gather, eyes would gleam,
Watching the monkeys live their dream.

But during one fine show's delight,
A twist occurred, not quite right.
Nuts were thrown upon the floor,
Monkeys loved them, oh so more!

Their graceful moves were left behind,
For nuts, they raced, each one inclined.
Pushing, shoving, no more dance,
Just a nutty, greedy prance.

The crowd was stunned, no more cheers,
Whispers replaced, and many jeers.
The stage now empty, no applause in sight,
For the monkeys lost their dancing light.

Amid the silence, they looked around,
Their dancing joy was nowhere found.
For a handful of nuts, their fame did wane,
A lesson learned, in joy and pain.

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Word Finder

  1. Village

    A small group of houses in the countryside.

  2. Famous

    Known about by many people.

  3. Performance

    An event where people watch entertainers.

  4. Stage

    A raised platform where performances are held.

  5. Audience

    People who watch or listen to a performance.

  6. Resist

    To stop yourself from doing something.

  7. Scramble

    To move quickly and with difficulty.

  8. Chaotic

    Very disorganized and confused.

  9. Surprised

    Feeling shocked because of something unexpected.

  10. Interrupt

    To stop something from continuing.

Understanding Questions

  1. Where did the special monkeys live?
  2. What were the monkeys famous for?
  3. What did the villager throw onto the stage during the performance?
  4. How did the monkeys react when they saw the nuts on the stage?
  5. What happened to the audience when the monkeys started fighting over the nuts?

Word Finder

  1. Forest

    A big place with many trees.

  2. Monkeys

    Animals with tails that can climb trees.

  3. Dance

    Move your body to music happily.

  4. Stage

    A place where people or animals perform.

  5. Happy

    Feeling good and smiling a lot.

  6. Nuts

    Small hard foods from trees.

  7. Push

    Move something or someone away with force.

  8. Fighting

    Trying to hurt each other.

  9. Empty

    Having nothing inside.

  10. Mistake

    Something wrong that you did.

  1. Village

    A small group of houses in the countryside.

  2. Famous

    Known about by many people.

  3. Performance

    An event where people watch entertainers.

  4. Stage

    A raised platform where performances are held.

  5. Audience

    People who watch or listen to a performance.

  6. Resist

    To stop yourself from doing something.

  7. Scramble

    To move quickly and with difficulty.

  8. Chaotic

    Very disorganized and confused.

  9. Surprised

    Feeling shocked because of something unexpected.

  10. Interrupt

    To stop something from continuing.

Understanding Questions

  1. Where do the monkeys live?

    1. In a house
    2. In a big forest
    3. In a city
    4. In a garden
  2. What do the monkeys do every day?

    1. Sing songs
    2. Dance on a big stage
    3. Eat bananas
    4. Play games
  3. How do the people feel when they see the monkeys dance?

    1. Sad
    2. Angry
    3. Happy
    4. Tired
  4. What happens when a person throws nuts on the stage?

    1. The monkeys start dancing.
    2. The monkeys stop dancing.
    3. The people clap.
    4. The monkeys sleep.
  5. Why do the monkeys feel sad at the end?

    1. The people are gone.
    2. They lost the nuts.
    3. They are tired.
    4. The stage is too small.
  1. Where did the special monkeys live?
  2. What were the monkeys famous for?
  3. What did the villager throw onto the stage during the performance?
  4. How did the monkeys react when they saw the nuts on the stage?
  5. What happened to the audience when the monkeys started fighting over the nuts?
  1. What was the initial reaction of the audience to the monkeys' dancing abilities?
  2. Describe the monkeys' behavior after the villager threw nuts onto the stage.
  3. How did the audience respond when the monkeys began to scramble for the nuts?
  4. What realization did the monkeys have after noticing the deserted stage?
  5. What was the consequence of the monkeys' distraction during their performance?

Reflection Questions

  1. Why do you think the monkeys stopped dancing when they saw the nuts?
  2. How did the audience react when the monkeys started fighting over the nuts instead of dancing?
  3. Can you think of a time when you got distracted from doing something important because of something you wanted right away?
  4. What do you think the monkeys learned from this experience?
  5. How can we use this story to remember the importance of focusing on our tasks and not getting easily distracted?

Fable Quotes

Greed blinds us to the beauty of our purpose, turning joy into chaos and applause into silence.
Neglecting responsibility for fleeting desires can tarnish one's reputation and undermine their true purpose.
Actions taken in haste often lead to empty stages.
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