himself inside
the wooden crate or box
Away up to the top he went, and, curling his tail around a rope, there
he sat
Around and around in a ring went Prince carrying Mappo
He rode around a little wooden platform on the bicycle, holding a flag
over his shoulder
Mappo sat up at the table and eat his dinner with knife, fork and spoon
CHAPTER I
MAPPO AND THE COCOANUT
Once upon a time, not so very many years ago, there lived in a tree, in
a big woods, a little monkey boy. It was in a far-off country, where
this little monkey lived, so far that you would have to travel many days
in the steam cars, and in a steamship, to get there.
The name of the little monkey boy was Mappo, and he had two brothers and
two sisters, and also a papa and a mamma. One sister was named Choo, and
the other Chaa, and one brother was called Jacko, and the other Bumpo.
They were funny names, but then, you see, monkeys are funny little
creatures, anyhow, and have to be called by funny names, or things would
not come out right.
Mappo was the oldest of the monkey children, and he was the smartest.
Perhaps that was why he had so many adventures. And I am going to tell
you some of the wonderful things that happened to Mappo, while he lived
in the big woods, and afterwards, when he was caught by a hunter, and
sent off to live in a circus.
But we will begin at the beginning, if you please.
Mappo, as I have said, lived in a tree in the woods. Now it might seem
funny for you to live in a tree, but it came very natural to Mappo. Lots
of creatures live in trees. There are birds, and squirrels, and
katydids. Of course they do not stay in the trees all the time, any more
than you boys and girls stay in your houses all the while. They go down
on the ground to play, occasionally.
"But you will find the safest place for you is the tree," said Mappo's
mother to him one day, when he had been playing down on the ground with
his brothers and sisters. And, while they were down playing a game,
something like your game of tag, all of a sudden along came a big
striped tiger, with long teeth.
"Run! Run fast! Everybody run!" yelled Mappo, in the queer, chattering
language monkeys use.
His brothers and sisters scrambled up into the tree where their house
was, and Mappo scrambled up after them. He was almost too late, for the
tiger nearly caught Mappo by the tail. But the little monkey boy managed
to get out of the way, and then he sat
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