The Monkey Pot Seller

Once upon a time there lived a cheerful little monkey named Mango. Mango made clay pots and sold them around his jungle village to earn bananas for himself. Bright and early each sunny morning, Mango packed up his pile of sturdy pots. “Clay pots for sale!” he would call as he walked down the winding jungle paths with pots balanced on his head. “Come buy Mango’s fantastic pots!”

But nobody wanted to buy poor Mango’s pots, even though he called loudly all day. By late afternoon, tired Mango would sigh and drag his unsold pots back home. This made gentle Mango feel sad.

One hot Tuesday, Mango cried “Clay pots for sale!” as he trudged around with his pots. The friendly animals smiled but they did not buy anything that day either. Feeling tired and sticky, Mango rested his pots beside a papaya tree and wiped his wet forehead. Just then, a young rabbit named Rufus hopped up.

“Hi Mango! Why do you look so glum my friend?” asked Rufus. Mango sighed heavily again. “Oh Rufus, nobody wants my beautiful clay pots. I walk all over shouting but no one buys. I just want to earn some sweet bananas.”

Kind Rufus tapped his foot then said, “Don’t feel bad Mango! I will walk with you today calling out. With two voices, surely someone will buy your fine pots.” Happy to have a helper, Mango stacked his pots up again and off they went together down the path.

Mango cried “Pots for sale!” and Rufus added “Yes pots! Come buy pots!” in his squeaky voice. As they passed a bushy meadow, they spotted Blossom the fox sniffing around a log pile with a worried look.

“Blossom!” Rufus called. “Would you like this useful pot for your den today?” Blossom turned with a frown. “Oh no, I do not need a pot, thank you! I am searching for my favorite yellow sunhat that I left here yesterday. But now it is gone!”

Rufus, who was always very clever, bounced up saying “Why Blossom, take this round shallow pot and place it on your head! For shade from the sun, see? It works just as a hat would!” Delighted, Blossom gave money for a hat pot. Mango felt very happy. Off she went happily shaded, as the two friends marched on.

Soon big raindrops began to fall. As Mango and Rufus walked faster, they saw a field mouse named Myla scurrying down the path carrying an armful of corn. “Hello Myla mouse! Want a dry pot for your corn?” offered Mango hopefully.

But little Myla squeaked “Oh no kind monkey, I do not need one more thing to carry now! I just want to get home before….” KERPLUNK! Loud thunder boomed as the skies opened pouring heavy sheets of summer rain. “…before that happens!” finished Myla with a shiver.

Rufus nibbled his ear then said, “Myla wait! Take this wide pot from Mango and hold it above your head. See it works to shield small you from these big raindrops!” Pleased, Myla gave Mango, the money in return for her umbrella pot.

Happy now, Mango and Rufus came next to an old oak tree. There they found a beetle named Wiggles weeping on a branch beside his broken house roof.

“Wiggles my friend, why these tears today?” asked gentle Mango. Wiggles replied “Oh monkeys! My home broke loose in that blustery wind. Now when it rains I will get all wet!” More raindrops splashed on poor Wiggles’s back as he cried harder.

But smart Rufus had another fine solution. “Wiggles stop those tears and buy this pot! Turn it upside down to make a perfect new roof for you!” Wiggles grinned widely and gave Mango more money for a sturdy roof pot. As they left, Wiggles waved from his cozy round hut calling “Thank you monkey and rabbit for helping in my time of need!”

As Mango and Rufus turned towards home, they spied Franny the mother duck leading her five small ducklings at the edge of the pond. The ducklings waddled slowly on sore webbed feet from exploring sharp rocks.

“Children my darlings, you must walk faster now!” urged Franny. But the tired ducklings lagged behind, whimpering with each step on their scratched feet. Franny grew anxious and flustered. “Oh please do keep up little ones!” she fussed.

Kind Mango stepped towards Franny whispering, “Do not worry miss duck. I have just what you need!” Mango set his largest wide pot onto Franny’s head, with a ramp up to the rim. “Now your children can rest inside as you carry them safely home!” he declared proudly. Franny quacked joyfully and paid Mango the money for her duckling pot ride. The duck family paddled off with relieved thanks as Rufus winked at smart Mango.

A bit later Mango and Rufus met Perry the parakeet, fixing loose sticks on his broken nest. “Hello Perry!” called Rufus. Would a pot help mend your messy home today?”

Perry tweeted nervously, “Good day Mango and Rufus but no, I need only sticks now for these cracks left by the storm.” But Rufus had solved bigger problems already that day. “Perry try this smooth pot so neatly shaped for your nest! Better than loose twigs getting blown away again.”

Perry chirped excitedly realizing this pot would make a perfect nest. He gave the money to his monkey friend Mango. “You clever animals have helped so many forest creatures in need already!” shouted Perry happily from his cozy new pot home.

Mango and Rufus were very cheery as they continued down the wooded path. Soon they met their pal Thomas, an elderly box turtle trying to push his broken wheelbarrow filled with radish greens. Thomas wobbled under the heavy load with his cracked cart.

Being the kind animals they were, Mango asked “Thomas sir, may we help you with our pots today?” But Thomas waved a warty hand saying, “Do not trouble yourselves boys, I am fine. I’m just taking my veggies to market somehow.” The turtle grimaced moving another slow inch.

Rufus however bounded over with a new remedy. “Thomas, turn this giant pot upside down! Nail on your broken wheelbarrow’s sides to the pot base. Voila! Your cart is as good as new!” Thomas beamed at this quick fix. Soon he was steadily rolling his bounty to market in a pot-barrow, smiling wide. Rufus gave money for the pot, and the monkey and rabbit continued their journey.

At last, Mango and Rufus reached the winding river. There a crowd of upset forest animals were gathered together cawing and growling loudly.

“Whatever is the matter friends?” Asked gentle Mango. The animals started crying. “Oh Mango! Our shared rowboat sank yesterday! Now with this swollen river we cannot cross to the berry patch or our families on the far shore!”

Always the problem solver, clever Rufus tapped his foot then said “Friends, do not fear! Stack all of Mango’s remaining pots tip to tip in a long line. Flip them over to trap air and float. Then lash them together with vines for a fine raft. Pay for the Mango, and sail over happily!”

The grateful animals did just that, stringing up a seaworthy pot-raft. They thanked monkey Mango profoundly, handing over all their remaining money to Mango.

At day’s end, Mango turned to faithful Rufus saying “Thank you for all your help today my friend! Without your clever wit, I could not have sold my pots or aided troubled creatures of our jungle home.” Mango offered some money, but wise Rufus just hugged him tight.

“Keep your earnings Mango, you earned them! When we help neighbors in times of trouble, everyone benefits in the end.” The two kind animals walked off arm in arm, proud of their good deeds done that day.