Monkey Trap - IEP

Monkey trap |1

Prachinkallayanee School

IEP Program (E33217) 1-2021
Teacher Sunsanee Subjaroen

THE MONKEY TRAP

By
VIKRAM KARVE

This book belongs to

Name _____________________________________________________
Nickname ___________________
No.________ M.6/5

I start to read on __________________ Monkey trap |1

“And what are we doing tomorrow?” I asked my uncle. the foc’sle deck, right at the front end sea-sick, enjoying the
refreshing sea-spray, occasionally tasting my salty lips.
“Let’s catch some monkeys,” he said.
I looked in admiration, almost in awe, at uncle who
“Monkeys?” I asked excitedly. stood rock-steady on the bridge, truly a majestic figure. He
signaled to me and I rushed up to the bridge.
“Yes,” my uncle said and smiled,” And if you catch one
you can take him home as a pet.” “Vijay, it’s time to prepare the Monkey Traps,” he said.

“A monkey! As a pet?” I asked in astonishment. “Monkey-Traps?” I asked confused.

“Why not?” my uncle said. “The monkeys here are “Tito will show you,” he said. “You must learn to make
quite small and very cute. And once you train them, they them yourself.”
become very friendly and obedient. An ideal pet.”
Tito, my uncle’s odd-job-man, was sitting on the deck,
And so, next morning, at the crack of dawn we sailed seaman’s knife in hand, amidst a heap of green coconuts.
off from Haddo Wharf in Port Blair He punctured a coconut, put it to his lips and drank its
in a large motorboat. Soon we were water, then began scooping out a small hollow. I took out
crossing the Duncan Passage, my seaman’s knife and joined in enthusiastically.
moving due south; the densely The coconut water tasted sweet.
forested Little Andaman Island to
our right, the sea calm like a mirror. “Keep the hole small,” my uncle shouted over my
I began to feel seasick, so I stood on shoulder, “and hollow the coconut well.”

“But how will we catch monkeys with this?” I asked. Monkey trap |2

“You will see in the evening,” he said. “Now get on with In an instant, Tito had thrown a gunny-bag over the monkey
the job.” and within minutes we had the monkey nicely secured
inside.
We reached a densely forested island at five in the
evening. It was almost dark. The sun sets early in these By the time we lit the campfire on the cool soft sands
eastern longitudes. And soon we set up our monkey-traps. of the beach, we had captured three monkeys.

Each hollowed-out coconut was filled with a mixture of My uncle put his arm around my shoulder and, “Vijay,
boiled rice and jaggery through the small hole. Then the you know why the monkey gets trapped? Because of its
coconut was chained to a stake, which was driven firmly greed.” He picked up a hollowed-out coconut and said,
into the ground. And then we hid in the bushes in pin-drop “Look at this hole. It is just big enough so that the monkey’s
silence. hand can go in, but too small for full fist filled with rice to
come out. Because his greed won’t allow him to let go of
Suddenly there was the rice and take out his hand, the monkey remains
rattling sound. My uncle trapped, a victim of his own greed, until he is captured;
switched on his torch. forever a captive of his greed.”
A monkey was struggling,
one hand trapped inside “The monkey cannot see that
the coconut. freedom without rice is more valuable
that capture with it!” he said.

My uncle looked at Tito and commanded, “Free the Monkey trap |3
monkeys.” And, one by one, the monkeys jumped out of
their gunny bags and started running, with one hand still the most intelligent of all brothers. But whereas all of them
stuck in a coconut. It was a really funny sight. were busy earning money in Mumbai and Delhi, uncle Ranjit
had chosen to be different. To the surprise of everybody
“There is a lesson for us to learn from this,” my uncle else, uncle Ranjit had joined the Forest Service when he
said. “That’s why I brought you here to show you all this.” could have easily become an engineer, doctor or even
a business executive. For he had always topped all
I looked at my uncle. Ranjit Singh. A magnificent examinations – first class first in merit, whether it be the
man! Over six feet tall. Well-built. Redoubtable. Striking school or the university.
personality! Standing erect in his khaki uniform, stroking his
handsome beard with his left hand, his right hand gripping a “So, Vijay. You like it here?” he asked.
swagger stick, which he gently tapped on his thigh. As he
surveyed the scenic surroundings - the moonlight sea, the “It’s lovely, uncle,” I answered. “And thank you so much
swaying Causarina trees, the silver sands of the beach in for the lovely holiday, spending so much time with me.
between - he looked majestic, like a king cherishing his In Mumbai no one has any time for me. I feel so lonely.”
domain. Indeed he was like a king here. For he was the
Chief Forest Officer, in-charge of the entire islands. “Why?” he asked, with curiosity.

Uncle Ranjit was an exception in our family— “Mummy and Daddy both come late from office. Then
the odd-man out. My father always said that he was there are parties, business dinners, and tours. And on Sundays
they sleep, exhausted. Unless there is a business-meeting in
the club or golf with the boss.”

Uncle Ranjit laughed, “The Monkey Trap. They are all Monkey trap |4
caught in monkey traps of their own making. Slaves of their
greed! Trapped by their desires. Caught in the rat race. “It depends on my percentage,” I said truthfully.
Wallowing in their golden cages, rattling their jewelleries, “I am sure you will get around ninety percent marks in
their golden chains.” your board exams,” he said. “Assume you are top the exams.
Secure a place in the merit list. Then what will you do?”
As I thought over Ranjit uncle’s words I realized how
right he was. Most of the people I knew in Mumbai were “I’ll goin for Engineering.Computers,Software, IT,”Isaid.
just like that. Trapped by their greed. Chasing rainbows. “Computers? Software? IT? Why? Why not something
In search of an ever elusive happiness. more interesting – like Arts, Literature, Philosophy, History,
Humanities?” he asked.
“Happiness is liking what you do as well as doing what “Job prospects,” I answered.
you like,” uncle Ranjit said, as if he were reading my thoughts. “Oh!” He exclaimed. “And then?”
“Happiness is not a station which never arrives,but themanner “Management. Or I may even go abroad for higher
you travel in life.” He paused, and asked me, “Tell me Vijay, studies.”
what do you want to do in life?”
“Why?”
“I don’t know.” “Qualifications.”
“And why do you want so many qualifications?”
“Come on, Vijay. You are fifteen now. By next year you
have to decide. Tell me, what are your plans?”

“To get the best job,” I answered. Monkey trap |5

“And earn a lot of money?” uncle Ranjit prompted. “Slavery!” I exclaimed, understanding the message he
was trying to give me. “Slavery to one’s elusive desires,
“Of course,” I said. “So that I can enjoy life.” one’s greed. Just like the Monkey Trap.”

Uncle Ranjit laughed, “My dear Vijay. Aren’t you “The Monkey Trap!” we both said in unison, in chorus.
enjoying life right now? At this very moment? What about
me? Am I am not enjoying life? Remember – if you do not And so, I decided to do what I wanted to experience
find happiness as you are, where you are, you will never an inner freedom. And guess what I am today?
find it.”
Well, I am a teacher. I teach Philosophy. And let me
He smiled and asked,” Vijay, you know what Maxim tell you I enjoy every moment of it. It’s a life of sheer joy
Gorky once said? and delight – being with my students, their respect and
adulation, my innate quest for knowledge and a sense of
“What?” achievement that I am contributing my bit to society.

“When work is a pleasure, life is a joy. I shall never forget uncle Ranjit and that crucial visit to
the forests of the Andamans, the turning point, or indeed
When work is a duty, life is slavery.” the defining moment, of my life.



Dear Readers Monkey trap |6

(especially my young friends on the verge choosing a career) Note
Whenever you reach the crossroads of your life, …………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
and have to make the crucial decision of how you would like …………………………………………………………………………………………………………
to live your life [selecting a career, life-partner, a house, …………………………………………………………………………………………………………
a place to stay – any life-decision]; think, be careful, …………………………………………………………………………………………………………
listen to your inner voice, and don’t get trapped in a …………………………………………………………………………………………………………
‘Monkey-Trap’! …………………………………………………………………………………………………………
- VIKRAM KARVE - …………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
I finish reading on __________________ …………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………