I remember Rie and I visited monkey mountain near Beppu at Mount Takasaki. The wild macaques live in two tribes, hanging around for the daily feedings. There is no enclosure so they are free to leave which the occasional monkey does. Usually they come back because the living is easy.
The simians are wild, not tame. Signs everywhere declare “Do not feed the monkeys”. Yeah but someone should tell the monkeys! One kid walked along, his can of coke held casually at his side. A monkeys ran by him, snatched the can. I could almost hear the macaque chortling as he ran off. But not for long! Soon other monkeys stretched out in a linedance chased the simian hugging his treasure as he dashed off. Quickly another monkey stole the can and then all the macaques were chasing the new owner. Remember that game “Tag, you’re it!”. It was like that but in reverse. Hilarious.
don’t feed the monkeys
racing by, grabs your cola
watch out! steals your lunch
photo and haibun by M. LaFreniere, all rights reserved
Haibun Road : a haibun weekly challenge (wk 4) :
Basho wrote “My hair may turn white as frost before I return from those fabled places” which reminded me of my old photograph of the gramma monkey, her hair turning white with the baby monkey at Beppu. She sedately watched as all the monkeys chased each other for the Coca Cola. Also with Basho mentioning fables and myself remembering the monkeys, I thought of the Chinese legend of the Monkey King. Jackie Chan and Jet Li starred in Forbidden Kingdom, their first movie together.
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