Page 6 - My FlipBook

6

Kubuka didn’t know, but he wasn’t going to say so, because he was
practising to be the cleverest monkey in the world. He scratched his head,
hoping this would help an idea to pop out.
“What does your den look like?” he asked, trying to look wise.
“It’s underneath a very big ant hill,” Bazi told him.
“Hmm. I see. And is your den close to water? Where do you go and
drink?” asked the monkey, looking for clues. A small idea was coming.
“Well our clan goes to drink at night, to the river, and that’s not too far
from the den.”
“All right, then,” said Kubuka. “I think I can help. But first I have to do
something. Wait here a little while.” Then he went over to the nearest tree,
scampered straight up the trunk and vanished. Bazi looked up. He saw other
monkey shapes moving around in the top branches. They must be Kubuka’s
family, he thought. He felt lonely. He even missed his tiresome little sisters,
and dozy old auntie Moonhag. He had to get back before Lady Crocuta and
the clan returned, or he’d be in big trouble. His mother would be very upset
if she found him missing. Bazi admired and loved his mum and he didn’t
want to make her worry. He looked around nervously, checking for lions.

Meanwhile Kubuka had climbed right up to the very top of the big tree,
disturbing a go-way bird. The bird immediately flew away, shouting,
“Go-waaaay! Go waaay!”
“Go away yourself, silly bird!” Kubuka shouted back. Now that he was so
high up, he could see far in every direction. Soon he saw what he was
looking for—the river! It was quite a long way off, and it looked small and
thin, between wide, sandy banks. He looked carefully for a tall ant hill
sticking up out of the bush. And yes—he saw one right away. But then he
saw another and another. Here and there among the trees, were the brown
tops of many ant hills. In fact, between Kubuka’s tree and the river, there
were as many ant hills as the fingers on one hand. Monkeys can’t count, so

maybe you can figure out how many ant hills Kubuka could see.
But which one was the right ant hill?
Down below, Bazi waited and waited. He wished he could climb a tree
like Kubuka. It would be much safer up there, he thought. Here on the
ground, all alone, a lion might come along at any moment! Bazi started to
look about for somewhere to hide.
Just then, Kubuka came scrambling down to the ground. “Let’s go,
Bazi!” he smiled, “This way!” And off they went. Bazi followed the little
grey vervet, who walked on all fours, with his long, slim tail in the air. Bazi