FRIENDLY ADENTURE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 181, 5 August 1935, Page 10

FRIENDLY ADENTURE

Monkey’s Escapade With Baby

] ONG, LONG AGO THE Psalmist wrote, “There they were in great fear where no fear was.” Not quite so long ago, but as far back as the Middle Ages, there Jived and played in tho royal palace at Munich a monkey who knew no fear. Tho king of the palace had been a pilgrim on one of the Crusades and had brought the monkey back from Palestine. The monkey was a great favourite in the royal household. Ho was so beloved by all, and his behaviour was so exemplary that he was allowed to roam at will- about the palace and courtyard. Tho king found his chief pleasure in looking down from the windows of his palace to watch the capers of his pet. Soon after the arrival of the monkey an infant prince was born. The monkey appeared to be tremendously interested iA the baby and used to follow the nurse around as she attended him. One day when the little prince was asleep in his crib in the room just behind a turret window, the monkey entered, took the baby up in his arms, and carried him out of the window and up on to the steep roof. People passing by in the court below noticed the strange sight, a monkey on a roof with a baby, a royal baby, in his arms! They aroused the household, and soon the courtyard was filled with the royal family, retinue and servants. Great apprehension prevailed lest the monkey drop the baby on to the cobblestone pavement below. Blankets and cushions were brought out of the palace and spread on the ground beneath the spot where the monkey clung to the robf with his precious bundle. He observed the disturbed rtate of mind of the people in the

courtyard, but was not concerned or alarmed himself. Ho sat there quietly, apparently enjoying his new experience. It is recorded that tho baby also was entirely calm and contented in its new surroundings. The crowd below increased in size and agitation. Presently the nurse made a suggestion: all the people should withdraw from the courtyard and leave the place normally quiet j perhaps the monkey would then take tho baby safely back to his cradle. More fearfully than hopefully the people followed the nurse’s advice. The monkey remained composedly on his perch and watched the crowd disperse. Finally, when he saw that everyone had left and that no one w r as watching him, he cautiously climbed down from the roof, back through the turret window, and laid the baby in its cradle. After this the monkey was kept in a cage. Of course, nobody knew what went on in his mind, but it is said that when his freedom was taken away from him, he lost his spontaneity and liveliness. Why had his friends in'the royal household turned against him? Had they feared for the baby’s safety on that occasion? He had meant no harm and had known no fear; the baby prince had felt no harm and had known no fear. They had merely gone on a friendly adventure together. Through nine centuries this story has been told and retold to visitors walking through this ancient courtyard in Munich. To-day strollers through this courtyard can visualise in their imaginations the antics of this famous monkey whose fearlessness had made it one of Munich’s favourite “Sehenwurdigkeiten.”