The Monkey's Egg and other stories, Laszlo Kugler [bill gates books recommendations TXT] 📗

The Rain Cloud's Gift Special Illustrated Edition:

To Benefit Childrens' Charities: Paula Shene, Gwenna D'Young, Carol Wills, Carolyn Tody, Barry Carver, Laszlo Kugler, Chris Clark, Linda A. Scott:

9781494721718: Books - Amazon.ca

http://www.amazon.ca/Rain-Clouds-Gift-Special-Illustrated/dp/1494721716/

The Monkey’s Egg by Laszlo Kugler

Jazz (Jazmyn Star) lived near a tropical forest with her father, mother and your four year old brother.

Jazz was not a girlie-girl; always getting into trouble because of curiosity. “I can’t help it if there are so many things to experience, discover and see!” She would exclaim.

“That’s not a bad thing, but there are many dangers out there…so you must heed what we tell you. After all, it’s for your own safety.” Her mom tells her.

“Ok, I’ll try.” Jazz said, looking a little sorry.

The farm had a few chickens and geese running around here and there. In the pen sat Agnes, a large pig…always covered with thick mud. She must be the laziest sow in the whole world, thought Jazz.

Also, her dad had a small donkey. Carmine (she named him) was very helpful around the place…a very hard worker. He would pull a small wagon, carrying all kind of things for her dad.

Corn was the main crop on the piece of land, although there were many other fruits and vegetables for her family to eat and trade with their friendly neighbors.

It so happened that one day, while exploring the area around her home, she got distracted by a large, and I mean…a huge, rainbow colored-butterfly. She loved everything to do with rainbows; prism glasses which produced rainbow colors when the morning sunlight shone through her open window. She would also sit for as long as possible when a real rainbow arched the sky after a summer rain.

She followed it for a long distance, before she came to realize that she was at the entrance to the forest; the one that her mother often warned her to keep out of.

She was ready to turn and head back, when a small colorful chameleon caught her attention.

“Oh, what a pretty lizard you are …so delicate!” She picked it up, and let it slowly walk across her hand.

Just then, a bit further on the path, she saw a brightly painted bird. Wanting to look at it more closely, she quietly tip toed closer to it. But whenever she made progress, it flew to a branch further away, deeper into the jungle. Soon she was so far down that rugged path that she was able to see some light at the other end.

“Oh, since I’m already in this far, I might as well see what that clearing holds.” She said a she cautiously moved toward it. The small chameleon, now sitting quietly on Jazz’s slender shoulder, seemed to be nodding in agreement. She named it Sydney….because it looked like a Sydney to her.

At the opening, after her pretty brown eyes got accustomed to the bright light, she saw this meadow as not very large, yet it contained what looked like a small lake…probably more like a pond. Shielding her eyes, she saw a tiny moving object squatting near the edge of the water. In its hands was a round object…the size of a large onion, but lighter in color.

So…true to her nature…curiosity took over, she approached the small creature without making too much noise. Without warning a tiny almost invisible fly went up her nose. It tickled, and she let out a huge sneeze. “Ah, choo!” It echoed across the small meadow, scarring the small animal, which she now recognized. It dropped the thing he was holding, and scampered away complaining loudly. The monkey climbed up the nearest tree and disappeared into the wild.

Jazz picked up what was a large egg. It was off-white in color, speckled, and its texture felt rubbery. She examined it, turning it over and over in her small hands, all the while trying to figure out what sort of creature was living inside of the shell. “I know…it has to be a monkey’s egg. I hope the monkey will come and take it back. I don’t wish to leave it in this heat…it will cook for sure.” She put it down where she found it and returned to hide in the brush near where she had immerged from. She waited a good half an hour. Nothing happened. Now she was really concerned that the mother monkey was not coming back to reclaim her egg. She felt sad that it was due to her curiosity that this creature inside the egg will perish. She did the only thing that was logical…she went back and picked the egg up and placed it into her pocket.

She scurried home as fast as her skinny legs could carry her. Sydney the chameleon held on with all his might, as she flew quickly through the dark jungle.

In no time she was home, running up to her room. Her mother called out to her just as she was making a nice nest among her soft toys for her egg. “Where are you Jazz? And why are you late for dinner? Go wash your hands and come down. Don’t forget to wash your face too.” She added.

“I was just around.” She said. But her mom knew her well; she could always tell when her daughter was not telling all the truth.

“Exactly where…I called you a few times, but you didn’t reply?”

Jazz couldn’t lie to her mom, and told her everything, except the part about the egg she had found.

“Oh, Jazz…what am I going to do with you? You should know better…there are dangers out in the jungle, and how will we find you if you get lost?”

“I’m here now…isn’t that good?” she said to her mother with a shy smile on her oval face. Sydney just stood still and rolled his eyes…on this way and the other that way, as he turned blue to match the shirt he was perched on.

That night when she went to bed, she put the egg right next to her to keep it warm. “All comfy now, Matilda?” she asked it. She pretended that it answered her. “Good…now go to sleep.” She added as she patted it gently.

The next day, when she was at school, her mom happened to come across the egg. “What is that girl up to now? Where did she find this alligator’s egg? I suppose she could keep it. Knowing my daughter, once this starts to smell, she’ll throw it away.” Her mother told herself, as she tidied up Jazz’s room. “What a girl!” she laughed, remembering that she was the same way.

Jazz came straight up to her room to check up on Matilda. Looking at her from the huge plant that she had near her window was Sydney. “Oh, I didn’t forget you dear…look I brought you a big juicy beetle.” She extended it toward her little friend, who with a to and fro rocking movement strove to Jazz. Suddenly as fast as a blink of an eye, the bug was caught by his extra long sticky tongue. Sydney chewed it up and swallowed. He then looked up at Jazz as if to say ‘thank you’.

Each day it was the same. When she came home she took care of her two pets.

Her mother finally said to Jazz one morning while she was having breakfast, “Jazz, how long are you going to keep that egg? It will surely stink by now.

“You know about Matilda? When? I want to keep it…it’s mine. And she doesn’t smell.”

“Ok, as long as it doesn’t, but that gator egg will start to smell sooner or later.”

“Gator! Who said it was a gator? It is a monkey’s egg. A monkey left it, when I accidentally scared it away.”

“Oh Jazz…monkeys don’t lay eggs. Sweetheart, you’re just wasting time with it. Tell you what; I’ll let you have it for one more week…Ok?”

Five days later Sydney watched Jazz place her egg into one of your socks before putting it near herself on the pillow. She had a different colored sock for each day of the week…so today, being Thursday, the sock was green. Sydney tried his best to match the color with that day’s sock. Most of the time he succeeded.

Friday night held a surprise for Jazz. As she was about to place Matilda into a red sock, it moved! She thought that it was just her imagination, so she held it up to her ears. Again, she heard and felt something! Putting it down carefully, she stared at it for more than two hours. Nothing happened, so she closed her eyes and fell asleep.

Next morning, earlier than usual she heard a peeping near her ear, close to her neck. The tickling woke her up. Rubbing her eyes, she looked and saw something brownish rubbing up next to her arm. Broken shells littered the sheet on her bed.

She shot up to find that her mom was right…there was a tiny alligator nudging her. “Matilda. You’re not a monkey, but you’re so, so adorable.”

Her mom was in total shock. This has never in her lifetime ever happened, as far as she knew! This tiny creature was attached to her daughter, thinking that she was its mother.

Her parents let her keep it and feed it…at least until it was old enough to take care of itself.

Weeks, months passed, Matilda was growing rapidly. She was healthy, and followed Jazz around like a puppy. Her mom was glad that her daughter was showing responsibility, and did her very best to care for this creation of god, even though it was an alligator.

When Matilda become two and a half feet in length, Jazz’s dad took it back to the place where his daughter found it. Jazz cried all day…she missed Matilda. Even Sydney turned blue.

Friday after school as Jazz got off the bus, she couldn’t believe her eyes. Matilda was waiting for her at the entrance of the farm’s driveway. As soon as she disembarked, Matilda scurried up to greet her. She loved to have her neck scratched, and her tummy rubbed. All the other children on the bus pressed their nose to the window and yell to Jazz in amazement. Never had they seen such a sight!

For the next year this became to be a common ritual. Matilda was at home at the lake in the forest during the night and most of the morning, but after school she was at Jazz’s home to spend time with her. After all Jazz was her mother.

One year, when Jazz was around ten years old, Matilda suddenly stopped showing up, as she usually had done every afternoon. Jazz was worried that maybe something bad had occurred to her favorite friend.

Months passed, and no sign of Matilda.

Summer ended and it was the fall season, yet nothing new.

It was a rainy fall afternoon. Jazz was simply staring out her bedroom window, wishing that the weather was better so she

could go out and play…but wishing even more that Matilda was back to visit her. She and Sydney missed her so much…although Sydney never let on that he did. She knew by his colors, that he actually did miss her also.

Suddenly before turning away from her window, she saw a movement near the edge of the meadow. It was Matilda! But, what was it that was trailing behind her?

Jazz cried to her parents, “Matilda is back! She’s back!”

They all ran out into the rain and saw Matilda slowly walking up the path. And behind her were five tiny replicas of herself.

Matilda was a mother! That’s why she was gone all that time.

Well, if you happened to come and visit Jazmyn Star and her family, and you see a large alligator…don’t be frightened…it’s only Matilda. She is extremely friendly. After all Jazz is her mother.

Ode to birds by Laszlo Kugler

I took a long walk the other day.

Spring