--- title: The Story of the Tortoise and the Monkey. — Folk tales from Tibet · full text with trees description: The Story of the Tortoise and the Monkey., «Folk tales from Tibet» by William Frederick Travers, Sir O'Connor: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: There was once an old Tortoise who lived with his wife and family in a large lake, on the borders of wh --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg75000/21/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/) / [Folk tales from Tibet](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg75000/) / The Story of the Tortoise and the Monk… # The Story of the Tortoise and the Monkey. The Story of the Tortoise and the Monkey. of «Folk tales from Tibet» by William Frederick Travers, Sir O'Connor: the whole text, 56 sentences and 1417 words. The small number after every sentence leads to its own page with its syntax tree and pragmatics, parsed by Mova itself. There was once an old Tortoise who lived with his wife and family in a large lake, on the borders of which grew an extensive jungle; and in the forest there were many wild beasts, more especially Monkeys, who swarmed in great numbers all along the shores of the lake.[1](1/ "tree and pragmatics") It happened one day that the Tortoise came out of the lake and went for a stroll amongst the trees which grew near the water.[2](2/ "tree and pragmatics") After walking for some distance he became hungry, and looking up into a cocoanut-tree, near which he found himself, he thought how much he should like to get one of the cocoanuts which were growing near the top.[3](3/ "tree and pragmatics") He made several awkward attempts to climb the tree, but the stem was so straight and so smooth that he was quite unable to succeed; and he was just about to give up the attempt in despair when he espied a large Monkey sitting among the branches.[4](4/ "tree and pragmatics") The Monkey, who had been watching the Tortoise’s attempts to climb the tree with some curiosity, felt rather sorry at his failure, and noticing that the Tortoise was a fine, well-grown fellow with a very handsome shell, he thought he would do him a kindness, so breaking off one or two of the cocoanuts, he threw them down to the Tortoise, who gratefully ate the fruit.[5](5/ "tree and pragmatics") The two animals now entered into conversation with one another, and soon striking up quite a friendship, the Monkey led away the Tortoise into the jungle, and showed him a comfortable cave where he could spend the night.[6](6/ "tree and pragmatics") The Tortoise was so interested with all he saw and so pleased with his friend the Monkey, that he remained for several days in the forest, moving about during the day and sleeping with the Monkey in the cave every night.[7](7/ "tree and pragmatics") Meanwhile Mrs. Tortoise was becoming rather anxious concerning her husband’s prolonged absence.[8](8/ "tree and pragmatics") He had never been away from home for so long before, so finally she despatched one of the young Tortoises to find out where his father was and how he was getting on.[9](9/ "tree and pragmatics") The young Tortoise accordingly swam to land, and after hunting about for some time in the forest he came across his father near the cave.[10](10/ "tree and pragmatics") “Good-morning, Father,” said he, “Mother has sent me to find out where you are and how you are getting on.”[11](11/ "tree and pragmatics") “Oh, I am all right, my boy,” replied Father Tortoise; “tell Mother she need not trouble about me.[12](12/ "tree and pragmatics") My friend, Brother Monkey, and I are just having a good time in the forest, and I will be home in a few days.[13](13/ "tree and pragmatics") Now run off to your Mother.”[14](14/ "tree and pragmatics") So the young Tortoise went back to his mother and told her what had happened.[15](15/ "tree and pragmatics") Mrs. Tortoise was not at all pleased at her husband’s conduct.[16](16/ "tree and pragmatics") “It is quite time,” thought she, “that he should return to his wife and family, instead of amusing himself with a vulgar Monkey in the forest.”[17](17/ "tree and pragmatics") So she sent the boy back again to his father, with a message to say that Mrs. Tortoise was very ill, and that her physician had told her that the only thing to cure her was a Monkey’s heart.[18](18/ "tree and pragmatics") So he must return at once to his home and bring a Monkey along with him.[19](19/ "tree and pragmatics") The young Tortoise accordingly proceeded to hunt out his father again, and as soon as he met him he gave him Mrs. Tortoise’s message.[20](20/ "tree and pragmatics") On hearing the news of his wife’s illness, Mr. Tortoise became much alarmed, and reproached himself for having stayed away for so long; and in order to secure the necessary medicine for his wife he informed his friend the Monkey that he was obliged to return home at once on urgent business, and he invited the Monkey to come and spend a few days at his house.[21](21/ "tree and pragmatics") The Monkey accepted his friend’s invitation, and the two set off together to the shores of the lake.[22](22/ "tree and pragmatics") When the Monkey understood that it would be necessary for him to enter the lake, he became rather alarmed, and remarked to the Tortoise that never having been in the water, he was afraid it would be difficult for him to reach the Tortoise’s home.[23](23/ "tree and pragmatics") “Never fear about that, Brother Monkey,” said the Tortoise; “I can arrange that quite simply.[24](24/ "tree and pragmatics") If you will mount upon my back, I will swim with you wherever we want to go.”[25](25/ "tree and pragmatics") So the Monkey mounted upon the Tortoise’s back, and the Tortoise set out to swim to his house.[26](26/ "tree and pragmatics") As they went across the lake the Tortoise began telling the Monkey about his wife’s illness, and in doing so he foolishly let out that the only medicine to cure her was a Monkey’s heart.[27](27/ "tree and pragmatics") On hearing this the Monkey became very much alarmed, and saw that he was being led into a trap.[28](28/ "tree and pragmatics") “Dear me, Brother Tortoise,” said he, “I am very much grieved to hear of your wife’s illness, but if she is as bad as all that I do not think that one Monkey’s heart will be enough.[29](29/ "tree and pragmatics") I should think that three or four at least would be required in order to effect a cure.[30](30/ "tree and pragmatics") If you like, I can easily get several other Monkeys from amongst my friends to accompany us to your home.”[31](31/ "tree and pragmatics") The Tortoise thought that this was a good idea, and agreed to carry the Monkey back to the shore and await him there while he went off to fetch some other Monkeys.[32](32/ "tree and pragmatics") So he turned round and swam back through the lake till he reached the edge, where he waddled out on to the beach.[33](33/ "tree and pragmatics") As soon as he found himself on dry land the Monkey skipped off the Tortoise’s back as fast as he could, and climbed to the top of the tallest tree he could find in a twinkling.[34](34/ "tree and pragmatics") On reaching the top of the tree he began reviling the Tortoise, and calling out every bad name he could think of.[35](35/ "tree and pragmatics") “You are a nice sort of friend,” said he, “to ask me to pay a visit to your home in order to kill me and use my heart as medicine for your ugly wife.[36](36/ "tree and pragmatics") Do you call that a proper return for all my attention to you, and for showing you all over the jungle?[37](37/ "tree and pragmatics") However, I have been too clever for you this time, and you will have to do without my heart for many a long day to come.[38](38/ "tree and pragmatics") And as to the hearts of those other Monkeys that I promised to you—well, you can just wait till you find them for yourself.”[39](39/ "tree and pragmatics") \[9\][40](40/ "tree and pragmatics") The Tortoise, on hearing these words, fell into a violent passion, and made several efforts to climb the tree in order to punish the Monkey, but being quite unable to climb at all, he soon gave up his attempt and determined to get even with the Monkey in some other way.[41](41/ "tree and pragmatics") So he hid himself in the water until evening, and as soon as it was dusk he came out on the land and proceeded very quietly to the cave where he and the Monkey had lived together, and concealed himself in the darkest corner of it waiting till the Monkey should come in.[42](42/ "tree and pragmatics") The Monkey, however, was a good deal too clever to be caught in a simple trap like this.[43](43/ "tree and pragmatics") When his usual bedtime arrived, he came to the mouth of the cave and, looking in, he called out in a loud voice:[44](44/ "tree and pragmatics") “Oh, great cave! great cave!”[45](45/ "tree and pragmatics") The Tortoise lay low in his dark corner and gave no sign of life.[46](46/ "tree and pragmatics") After a few moments’ silence the Monkey again called out:[47](47/ "tree and pragmatics") “Oh, great cave! great cave!”[48](48/ "tree and pragmatics") Still the Tortoise lay low and gave no sign.[49](49/ "tree and pragmatics") “Curious thing,” said the Monkey to himself in an audible tone of voice, “very curious\![50](50/ "tree and pragmatics") There used always to be an echo in this cave, but I can’t hear the slightest echo to-night.[51](51/ "tree and pragmatics") There must be something wrong,” and saying this he again called out:[52](52/ "tree and pragmatics") “Oh, great cave! great cave!”[53](53/ "tree and pragmatics") The foolish Tortoise, thinking that if he simulated an echo the Monkey would enter the cave as usual, hereupon gave answer from his dark corner:[54](54/ "tree and pragmatics") “Oh, great cave! great cave!”[55](55/ "tree and pragmatics") On hearing this the Monkey chuckled to himself at the simplicity of the Tortoise, and went off to sleep in some other part of the forest.[56](56/ "tree and pragmatics") - ← previous: [The Country of the Mice.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg75000/20/) - next →: [The Story of Room Bacha and Baki.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg75000/22/) - ↑ back to [Folk tales from Tibet](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg75000/)