The Story of the Teasing Monkey

"The Story of the Teasing Monkey" by Helen Bannerman is a charming early 20th-century children's story about Jacko, a playful monkey known for teasing the jungle animals. Living in a banyan tree, Jacko's favorite pastime is pulling the tails of creatures, including a lion and lioness, which eventually leads to a plot by the lions and a bear to capture him. After being imprisoned, Jacko uses his cunning to trick his captors by making himself look bigger than he actually is. He manages to escape, avoiding being eaten and leaves the lion, lioness, and bear disappointed, as they have to settle for bananas, highlighting the themes of cleverness and resourcefulness.