Master Pug waited his chance for revenge on the girl who did not like monkeys. The party on the yacht went ashore to see some caves and he managed to slip into the boat unseen and go with them. Keeping his eye open for chances, he spied a large crab, which he picked up and put against the young lady's heel. In an instant it gripped her with its strong claw and she gave a loud scream of pain. The monkey got a whipping, for some one had seen him in the act, but very likely he felt that he had got even.
Monkeys do not forget easily and will often bear malice for a long time. A lady named Mrs. Lee, when at the zoölogical garden in Paris, saw a big ape in a cage ill treating one of his fellows. To stop him she tapped him smartly on the hands. This the savage creature did not forget nor forgive. Whenever he saw her at later times in the monkey house, or even heard her voice, he would fly into a passion, roll about his cage in rage, and once when she came within reach he seized her gown through the bars of his cage and tore out a piece of it, though it was of strong material.
Shall we tell the story of one that acted in a cruel manner? He was kept tied to a stake in the grounds and the crows of the neighborhood often robbed him of his food. He got the best of the robbers in a way very artful, even for a monkey.
Feeding Monkeys at the Zoölogical Garden
One day he lay on the ground quite still, as if he was dead. The birds came near and picked at his food but the cunning little rascal never stirred. Growing bolder, the crows approached until one of them was within reach. In an instant the monkey made a quick grab and caught the culprit. Holding his prisoner firmly, he pulled out its feathers until not one was left in its naked body. Then he flung it towards its companions, who were screaming with rage and fear. At once, for reasons best known to the crow community, they made a fierce attack on their featherless comrade and pecked it to death. Those who saw this affair say that the delight on the monkey's face, as he saw this, was too great to be described.
IMITATION A MONKEY TRAIT
The monkey is an animal easy to teach, for it is very ready to do what it sees those around it do. It thus has two qualities very useful in teaching, curiosity and imitation. When it sees anything being done it is apt to watch closely and then try to do the same thing. These qualities we all have. Many of us are curious to see and prompt to do what our teacher does, and in this way the monkey is like man in his thinking powers. It does not wait to be told to do things, but will try to do them itself. This faculty has led to some comical results, as you will think when you read the following stories.