The Monkey as King by Aesop for ESL students with a podcast, vocabulary practice in real context and a Persian version to raise bilingual children
The Monkey as King is now in the public domain available on Gutenberg Project.
Podcast of the Monkey as King
The Monkey as King
At a gathering of all the animals, the monkey danced and delighted them so much that they made him their king or monarch.
The fox, however, was very much disgusted at the promotion of the monkey: so having one day, found a trap with a piece of meat in it, he took the monkey there and said to him, “Here is a dainty morsel I have found, sire; I did not take it myself, because I thought it ought to be reserved for you, our King. Will you be pleased to accept it?”
The monkey made at once for the meat and got caught in the trap. Then he bitterly reproached the fox for leading him into danger; but the fox only laughed and said, “O monkey, you call yourself King of the Beasts and haven’t more sense than to be taken in like that!”
English proverbs from the short story
All that glitters is not gold:
This proverb warns us not to be fooled by appearances. In this fable, the monkey’s entertaining tricks blind the animals to his lack of qualifications for leadership.
You can’t judge a book by its cover:
Similar to the above, this proverb tells us to look beyond the surface to understand something’s true worth. The monkey’s flashy performance doesn’t reflect his ability to be a wise and capable king.
A leader is only as good as their judgment:
This proverb emphasizes the importance of good decision-making in a leader. The monkey’s poor judgment lands him in a trap, highlighting his unsuitability for the role.
Vocabulary in context
- delighted: pleased, amused
- monarch: king
- disgusted: sickened, repulsed, revolted
- dainty: tasty and delicious
- morsel: a small piece of food
- sire: a respectable form of address for a king
- ought to: should, have to
- at once: right away, immediately
- reproach: admonish, chide, reprove, accuse
- sense: wisdom, common sense, logic
