Throwback: Monkey Mayhem
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Welcome to Stories Podcast. I'm your host, Amanda Weldon. Today's story is a throwback episode. Tune in to hear one of our classic stories from the archive that you might have missed the first time around.

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This episode of Stories Podcast is sponsored by Squarespace. Squarespace is the all-in-one website platform for entrepreneurs to stand out and succeed online. Whether you're just launching a new venture or managing a successful business, Squarespace makes it possible to create a beautiful website and engage with your audience. And Squarespace makes it so easy to sell anything from products to content to time, all in one place, all on your terms,

with Squarespace Payments. Onboarding is fast and simple. Get started in just a few clicks and start receiving payments right away. It's even easy to invoice clients and create proposals, estimates, and contracts. Simplify your workflow and manage your business on one platform. Also, Squarespace has integrated SEO tools. Every Squarespace website is optimized to be indexed with meta descriptions, an auto-generated site map, and more.

so you show up more often to more people in global search engine results. Head to squarespace.com for a free trial. And when you're ready to launch, squarespace.com slash dragon to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. That's squarespace.com slash dragon for 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. The Toyota Tundra and Tacoma are designed to outlast and outlive.

Combining raw power with precision engineering, all backed by Toyota's legendary reputation for reliability. Climb inside a Tundra and experience the uncompromising strength. With its available i-FORCE MAX engine, the Tundra delivers exceptional power, torque, and towing capacity. Plus, the spacious and high-tech cabin keeps you connected on the run. Or check out a Tacoma – agile, dependable, and unstoppable –

The Tacoma is designed for those who go beyond the trails. Stay ahead of the pack with available off-road features like crawl control, or break out your tunes with the available portable JBL speaker. Toyota trucks are built to last, year after year, mile after mile. So outlast every adventure and outlive the moment. Buy a Tundra or Tacoma today. Visit BuyAToyota.com, Toyota's official website for deals,

or stop by your local Toyota dealer to find out more. Toyota, let's go places. Thanks. Enjoy the episode. Monkey Mayhem Once upon a time, in a warm and sweaty jungle, there was a monkey who loved to play pranks. His name was Zane, and despite what everyone told him, he thought he was the funniest around.

Isn't this hilarious? He'd say to his latest victim, like the tree frog he'd glued to the side of a hippo. No, it's not funny. No one likes it. They'd shout back. Whatever. You just can't take a joke. Zane would finally inevitably say, and then he'd scamper back to his home.

In those days, monkeys liked to be down low on the ground just as much as they liked the trees, so Zane lived in a dry little bush. It had prickers on the outside to keep the mean animals away, but inside, it was soft and warm and cozy. Every day, Zane would wake up and stretch his clever paws and long, curling tail. He'd skip outside and see what kinds of mayhem he could cause in the jungle.

Sometimes he'd put a stuffed rabbit on the end of the anaconda's tail, and the giant snake would chase itself in circles for hours. Other times he'd put the elephant's ears into a ponytail, just out of reach of their trunk. The worst was probably when he'd knotted all the sleeping giraffes together, so when they woke up, their necks were tangled up like a bowl of noodles.

That bit of mayhem had taken a dozen animals the better part of a day to untangle, and they were all furious with Zane. That monkey has gone too far, croaked one of the giraffes, still suffering from a sore throat.

He needs to be taught a lesson, added the anteater. The monkey had tricked him into eating a hive of bees not three days earlier. His long nose was still all stuffed and swollen. They went and yelled at Zane, but the monkey only scoffed.

You just can't take a joke, he said. You wouldn't know funny if it flew down and made a nest in your hair. And then he turned and ran back to his bush to hide. This went on and on until one day a leopard named Sanura passed through their part of the jungle. And she was on her way back from a hunt where she hadn't caught anything except for fleas. So she was irritable and itchy.

"'Ugh, my fur,' she said to the jungle at large. "'I need help getting rid of these pests. Could anyone lend me a paw?' This might sound strange, but it was a pretty normal request in the jungle. There were little creepy crawlies pretty much everywhere, and it was expected you'd have a friend or two help you clean them off sometimes. "'Hey there, kitty cat,' Zane said, hanging down from a tree branch by his paw."

I've got the cleverest paws in the whole jungle. He held up his hands, showing off his nimble fingers and opposable thumbs. I can get those fleas off of you, no problem. My thanks, kind monkey, Sanura said. She hadn't met Zane before and didn't know about the mayhem he liked to cause. Where should I stand?

Come right over here by this tree, the monkey said. He scampered down to a low limb that swung out near the ground. I'll get you flea free in no time. I see a bug, it's gone. Pop, right in my mouth. Don't even worry your claws over it, cause you've got Zane the Master Blaster. No faster flea disaster.

Sanura chuckled and settled by the tree. She bristled the gold and black fur of her back so the monkey could easier see all the little bugs, and he started picking them out. True to his word, he was fast and thorough with his dexterous paws, and soon the leopard felt the itching fade away.

Oh, thank you, she said when Zane had feasted on the final flea. I really appreciate all of your help. I feel so much better. No problemo, kitty cat, the monkey said. See you later.

Senura rose to her feet, started to head off into the jungle, and felt a tug of pain. She was caught on something. She looked over her shoulder and snarled when she saw her tail. It had been tied in a knot around the tree. Hey! She shouted at the monkey. What did you do to me? Zane swung down in front of her, just out of reach, and started to laugh. Oh!

Oh, man, you should see your face. Ah, I'm tied to a tree. It's a riot. Yeah, good joke. Now untie me, Sanura snarled. The knot was too tricky for her hunter's claws. Hey, don't get testy. Testy? You tied my beautiful tail to a tree.

And it was hilarious. Not my fault you can't take a joke. Take a joke? The leopard roared. You untie me right this instant. Zane started laughing again. Or what?

Senura lunged for him and was stopped short by her tied tail again. She lashed out with a paw and still couldn't quite reach the monkey, who just laughed harder and harder. Let me free! Whatever, kitty cat, Zane said, walking away. You'll figure it out eventually. Get back here, she roared. Get back here! Come on!

But he only walked away, his laughter fading into the forest. Now for a quick ad break. We'll be back with the rest of the story after this. If you'd like Stories Podcast and other favorite kid podcasts ad-free, subscribe to Wondery Plus Kids on Apple Podcasts. This episode of Stories Podcast is sponsored by Squarespace. Squarespace is the all-in-one website platform for entrepreneurs to stand out and succeed online.

Whether you're just launching a new venture or managing a successful business, Squarespace makes it possible to create a beautiful website and engage with your audience. And Squarespace makes it so easy to sell anything from products to content to time, all in one place, all on your terms with Squarespace Payments. Onboarding is fast and simple. Get started in just a few clicks and start receiving payments right away.

It's even easy to invoice clients and create proposals, estimates, and contracts. Simplify your workflow and manage your business on one platform. Also, Squarespace has integrated SEO tools. Every Squarespace website is optimized to be indexed with meta descriptions, an auto-generated site map, and more, so you show up more often to more people in global search engine results.

Head to squarespace.com for a free trial. And when you're ready to launch, squarespace.com slash dragon to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. That's squarespace.com slash dragon for 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

The Toyota Tundra and Tacoma are designed to outlast and outlive, combining raw power with precision engineering, all backed by Toyota's legendary reputation for reliability. Climb inside a Tundra and experience the uncompromising strength. With its available i-FORCE MAX engine, the Tundra delivers exceptional power, torque, and towing capacity. Plus, the spacious and high-tech cabin keeps you connected on the run.

or check out a Tacoma. Agile, dependable, and unstoppable, the Tacoma's designed for those who go beyond the trails. Stay ahead of the pack with available off-road features like crawl control, or break out your tunes with the available portable JBL speaker. Toyota trucks are built to last, year after year, mile after mile.

So outlast every adventure and outlive the moment. Buy a Tundra or Tacoma today. Visit buyatoyota.com, Toyota's official website for deals, or stop by your local Toyota dealer to find out more. Toyota, let's go places. Thanks, and now back to the story.

Sanura pulled and pulled and roared and raged and only got herself stuck tighter. It wasn't until the sun had set and darkness spread that she finally gave up. Hey there, she heard a little voice pipe. Sanura peered into the dark, her feline eyes adjusting, and she saw the big, goofy ears and sweet, round eyes of a bush baby.

"'Looks like you need some help. Unless you want to be tied to a tree? I don't know why you would want that, but I'm not here to yuck any yums. Gotta be open to new things, you know?' "'No,' Sanura said. "'That monkey Zane tied me here and I've been trying all afternoon to get free and I can't. I'm stuck. Oh, Zane,' said the bush baby, starting to untie the leopard's tail.'

That makes sense. He is always playing mean pranks. He is? Sanura asked. Yeah. This one time, he told me I couldn't play with the older kids unless I kissed a toucan. He said it was tradition. So I spent all day trying to find one, and then I finally did, and I realized that toucans don't even have lips.

Sanura snarled a little. Someone should teach him a lesson. We've tried. He just never listens, the bush baby said, finishing with the knot. And you're free. Thank you. Sanura arched her back in a deep cat stretch and waved her tail. She could still feel a pins and needles sensation, like when your foot falls asleep and then you stand up again.

"'Of course he doesn't listen,' she said. "'He thinks he's so funny. You know, the only way to get through to a prankster is with a prank of your own.' "'Prank? I've never done a prank before.' "'Well,' said the leopard, smiling. "'You said you're open to new things, right?' The bush baby smiled wide, her strange little ears wiggling in the moonlight."

The next morning, Zane woke up from his house in the bush and climbed up into the sun. He stretched his clever paws and his long tail and was wondering what mayhem he could cause when a little bush baby ran up to him. Zane, I'm glad I found you. Something terrible has happened. Oh, what happened? Zane asked, suddenly worried. The bush baby seemed like she was near a panic.

"'Is it the bananas? Did something happen to them? Or the nuts? Are the nuts okay?' "'Oh, the food is fine,' said the bush baby. "'But Sanura, the leopard, she got her tail tied in a knot around a tree and she couldn't get food or water. We found her and tried to help her, but it was too late. She's really sick now and I don't think she's going to make it much longer.'

Zane felt his mouth go dry. His heart sank in his chest like a rock in the stream. Are you sure? Maybe she just needs a little drink or a snack? Oh, we tried all that, the bush baby said sadly. She can't keep anything down. She's just too sick. Everyone is coming to say goodbye. We knew you'd want to come too.

Oh, well, I don't know if today's a good day for me, the monkey stammered. Come on, the bush baby said. She was asking for you. For me? The monkey squeaked. Yeah, come on. The bush baby took his hand and started pulling him along. They went through the jungle and right back to the very same tree he'd left the leopard tied to.

There, he saw Sanura laying on the ground surrounded by elephants and frogs and hippos and anteaters and anacondas and more. The other animals had gotten her free, and she was sprawled out on her back. Oh, no, Zane said, tears springing to his eyes. He'd just been playing a prank. He didn't want to actually hurt anyone. This had all gone too far.

No, said the bush baby. It's very sad. You should go and say goodbye. Zane walked forward, surrounded by the other animals. Tears were running down his furry face and his breath was hitching. It was just a joke. He never meant this. Sanura the leopard was lying still and quiet. Her breath seemed very weak.

I'm sorry, Sanura, Zane cried. It was just a joke. I never meant for this. Sanura opened one golden eye. Zane, she whispered. I'm so weak. Please come closer. The monkey leaned in, tears still flowing down his fur. I can't. Closer, please. He leaned in further.

Zane, yes. You're not funny, Sanura said, and then she popped up and bit Zane right on the tail. The monkey screeched and scrambled up the nearest tree while all the other animals started to laugh and laugh. The giraffes were falling over, the elephants trumpeting, the frogs giggled, and even the bugs buzzed hysterically.

Hey, Zane shouted from his tree, rubbing his sore tail. You were lying. That's not funny. Oh, Zane, come on, said the bush baby. Can't you take a joke? I ought to come right down there and teach you a lesson. Come on then, Sanura said, prowling back and forth. I'd love to see you try.

The monkey looked at the leopard with her shining claws and teeth and at all the other animals still laughing at him and turned his head. Forget it. I'll just stay up here in the trees. I like it better here anyway.

And true to his word, the monkey stayed high in the tree. And to this day, all the monkeys in the African jungle still live there. And despite the lesson Zane learned, they still love their pranks. So if you ever find yourself with fleas in the forest and a monkey offers to help, make sure you watch your tail. The end.

Today's story, Monkey Mayhem, was an adaptation of a West African fable written for you by Daniel Hines and performed for you by me, Amanda Weldon. If you would like to support Stories Podcast, you can leave us a five-star review on iTunes. Check out all of our merch available at storiespodcast.com slash shop, commission a special video on Cameo, follow us on Instagram at storiespodcast, or simply tell your friends about us.

In case you missed it, Dan and I have a new show. On Stories RPG, we play games just like Starsworn with all your Max Goodname friends and Giga City Guardians featuring the brilliant Firefly. Click the link in the episode description or go to patreon.com slash stories RPG to get ad-free episodes, play along games, and coloring books. We've already got a bunch of episodes over there, so check them out now. Thanks for listening.

The Toyota Tundra and Tacoma are designed to outlast and outlive, combining raw power with precision engineering, all backed by Toyota's legendary reputation for reliability. Climb inside a Tundra and experience the uncompromising strength. With its available i-FORCE MAX engine, the Tundra delivers exceptional power, torque, and towing capacity. Plus, the spacious and high-tech cabin keeps you connected on the run. Or check out a Tacoma –

Agile, dependable, and unstoppable, the Tacoma's designed for those who go beyond the trails. Stay ahead of the pack with available off-road features like crawl control, or break out your tunes with the available portable JBL speaker. Toyota trucks are built to last, year after year, mile after mile.

So outlast every adventure and outlive the moment. Buy a Tundra or Tacoma today. Visit buyatoyota.com, Toyota's official website for deals, or stop by your local Toyota dealer to find out more. Toyota. Let's go places.