Three Monkeys

Said one to the other,
“Now listen you two,
There’s a certain rumor
That can’t be true …
That man descended from our noble race.
The very idea is sure to disgrace.”

“No monkey ever deserted his wife,
Starved her babies and ruined her life.
And you’ve never known another monk,
To leave her babies with others to bunk,
Or pass them on from one to another.”

“And another thing you will never see …
Is a monk build a fence around a coconut tree;
And let the coconuts go to waste,
Forbidding all the other monks to taste.”
“Why, if I put a fence around this tree,
Starvation would force you to steal from me.”

“And here’s something else a monk won’t do …
Go out at night and get on a stew;
Or use a gun or club or knife,
To take some other monkey’s life.”

“Yes, man descended … ornery cuss,
But, brother, … he didn’t descend from us!