It was a gloomy morning. I tried hiding under the blanket. I heard noises. At once, the king rooster in the farm next door crowed.
“kukku kooooooo koooooo” he cried thrice.
The hen was not happy. She muttered “keck! Keck!! keck !!! keck….” Everyone knew it was the wake-up alarm. I jumped from the bed and opened the window.
Black lumps
I saw a tall mango tree full of black lumps. There were strands hanging down from the lumps.
“Kukku Koo Koooooooo” the second alarm rang. The sun had to wake up.
In a few minutes the shiny sun rays appeared over the mountains. Birds sang their sweet songs.
“Buku! Buku!! Bum Bum!!!” I heard a sound from a corner of the garden.
What could it be? The dark lumps on the mango tree and the strands hanging from them had disappeared.
Ah! the black lumps are walking from the mango tree to the wall around my neighbour’s garden.
They are lined up one after the other like we go from class to class.
Monkeys
The sun sent some more rays. I could clearly see the black lumps. They were a troop of monkeys.
“Daam! Doom!!” a person in the neighbourhood threw firecrackers towards them.
“Buku Buku Bumbu Bum” The big black king of the troop stood on his feet. The troop was defeated.
Orders
“Charlie! Cover the babies” he ordered. “Ok Bunky!” Charlie replied.
“James! Take the mothers out” one more order. The moms took their big and small babies hung in their bellies. The tails were upright. All the monkeys started walking behind Charlie. They all went up our roof and sat down comfortably.
“Duck! Duct!! Duck! Duct” the roof tiles started beating. Monkeys are on our roof and will attack the ripening banana bunch” mother said. I was frightened to hear the “bukum bukum” sound. “Let’s go and see what the monkeys are doing” father said.
The uncle next door gave us some firecrackers. We didn’t use them.
Bunky came first and sat on the wall. He looked at me. Then looked at my father. We didn’t say anything. Bunky went near the banana tree. We pretended as if there was nothing. He kept staring.
Bananas
Then, he went to the bunch of bananas and sat on the bunch as he was trying to make a friendly request. We beamed at him.
“Bukum Bukum Bukum!” It was a happy announcement. Charlie and James came running. They stood beside Bunky. “Bukum Bukum Bum” They had a chat. They all looked at their wives and children and whistled “ Kheeeeeeez”..
Babies first. Little children second and the moms with babies formed a line. I counted seven young monkeys and five babies hanging heads down in their mom’s belly. They started the feast. Bananas disappeared one by one, passing from dads to moms to children. Babies were fed but they cried for milk.
“Monkeys are attacking your banana tree!!!!” the uncle next door shouted. Father put his finger across his mouth and said “Shhhhhhh….”.
Bunky speaks
Bunky looked at us “Sir, I am not a thief. I need to feed my children in the troop. And can’t keep women who feed the babies hungry. My strong men Charlie and James should gain energy. Please forgive us”, he said.
“That’s ok. Eat as much as you can” I replied. “Did you understand what he said?” father asked. “Yes”, I proudly said. Both my mother and father hugged me and kissed my forehead.
Bunky and the monkey troop filled their tummies with bananas and said goodbye. They left one bunch for us.
Text & Illustrations by : Pahanma Liyanage
Grade 5
Lyceum International School
Nugegoda