A large group of monkeys lived in one of the forests. They would spend all their time playing on tree branches. They would make flexible branches into swings, swinging on them with their hands and feet that were very similar to human hands and feet, were it not for the density of hair that covered them.
The happy monkeys day and night: In the light of the reflected moon, they would swim in valleys and splash in the many waters of rivers in the forest. They would move from forest to forest in vast, wide skies. They would live in peace with giraffes, wild donkeys, turtles, and wild cows. They would escape to the tops of trees when they felt the danger of predatory tigers.
The monkeys would spend their time in play and joy. In the rays of the sun, they would sit, grooming each other from lice and insects that lived in their hair. The little ones would jump on the shoulders of the big ones playfully, and the big ones would embrace lovingly. The monkeys would eat whatever fruits were available to them: walnuts, mangoes, grapes, guava, pears, carrots, potatoes, peanuts, and corn ears.
Discovery of the banana field and the monkeys’ joy with it: One day, the monkeys discovered a forest visible from banana trees. Every tree hung with several ripe banana bunches. The monkeys rejoiced and started embracing happily, kissing each other, congratulating because they loved bananas very much. And they wouldn’t have to search for food now, as it was within reach of their hands for a long time. They would now have enough time to play and sleep.
The monkeys started choosing the most beautiful banana bunches, picking them and eating from them. The little would feed the big, the black would feed the brown, the brown would feed the white, and the big would feed the little, enjoying the taste of ripe bananas. After the monkeys were full, they returned to the forest to play on the banana trees.
Jujuba the monkey banana eater: But one of the monkeys, whose name was Jujuba, stayed in the banana field to eat more. He was greedy and loved food very much and never got full. He started eating one banana after another until his stomach filled up to his throat and almost burst as he stuffed himself with bananas.
Jujuba the monkey doesn’t move from the field: Jujuba’s friends would invite him to play with them. One of them said to him: Come play hide and seek with us, Jujuba? He said to him: No, I want to play later. I want to eat more bananas. How delicious! Another invited him, saying: Come to the swing, Jujuba? He said to him: No, I want to play. I want to eat only bananas. How delicious!
Friends’ advice and Jujuba’s refusal to it: One of his friends advised him, saying: Perhaps the human owner of these bananas will come and get angry when he sees these tons of peels! No matter: said Jujuba. When the human comes, I will escape to the top of the tree. Jujuba continued devouring bananas until his stomach swelled, and his weight kept increasing until he became like a barrel filled with sand and dirt. When he wanted to swing, the swing broke with him, and he fell on his back. The monkeys laughed at him, while Jujuba remained in his place unable to move.
The monkeys’ escape from the banana field: One day, the monkeys felt a strange movement in the forest. The birds flew away as if sensing danger, and so did the reptiles and some other creatures. The monkeys announced a state of alert and preparation for the coming danger. They started looking for a safe place but didn’t find safer than the high tree branches, so they climbed them. Jujuba was the only one who couldn’t escape. The tall human appeared, angry, searching for who ate this amount of bananas and left behind him tons of bananas and peels.
The human and Jujuba the monkey: Then the human saw Jujuba sitting unable to stand due to his heavy weight and huge stomach. He asked him: Why don’t you escape like your colleagues? Jujuba said: I can’t. My legs failed to carry me. He said to him: I now understand that you ate too many bananas until you couldn’t move, and you didn’t know the limits of your greed! Now your punishment will be imprisonment for life in the zoo.
Jujuba the monkey in the zoo: The human disappeared, then returned with a large cart. He lifted Jujuba into a big car and went to the city. As soon as he reached the zoo, they took him down and put him in a cage whose area didn’t exceed several meters. People started coming to watch him, throwing food of various types at him.
Jujuba was sad inside the cage and his decision: But Jujuba was never happy, but became sad. He couldn’t get out of the cage and remembered his free monkey friends who had advised him not to eat more than his need. Jujuba asked himself: Will I stay in this cage forever! I must find a solution.
I must return to the forest, to freedom. But how? With difficulty, Jujuba stood and tried to get out from between the cage bars, but he couldn’t because he was very fat. Jujuba thought: Then I must return thin as I was before, so I can get out from between the cage bars.
Jujuba regaining his fitness: Jujuba no longer ate except what he needed and in an organized manner. He no longer ate except when he felt hungry. Jujuba’s stomach started to shrink, and his body started thinning until he became able to stand and move with freedom. Jujuba rejoiced because he became thin and light as he was before discovering the banana field.
Jujuba the monkey’s return to the forest: One night, Jujuba approached the cage bars, put out his arm, then his head, then his stomach and legs, and found himself outside the cage. He ran back to the forest to meet his monkey friends who welcomed him happily. Then they performed a special dance on the occasion of Jujuba’s return to them.