The Fourth Story

*Bonus story - Not included in the word count

The Legend of Where the Monkeys Go When It Rains

Long ago before there were temples and steps carved into the Batu Caves, lively clans of monkeys lived in the jungle and limestone cliffs beneath the caves. There were macaques, silver leaf, proboscis and orangutans coexisting harmoniously with their unique blend of influences and rich cultural diversity. They were clever, curious and full of ideas but every time the monsoon rolled in, they faced the same dilemma. Where would they go when it rains?

The caves were warm and dry, but the way to get there was full of slippery limestone boulders and swaying dangerous trees. The monkeys were full of great ideas but terrible at execution. They had seen white hairless strangers come to their country and build infrastructure with their resources. One silver leaf tried to imitate the idea of stacking stone blocks, like the strangers did, to reach the cave. A proboscis suggested using iron to make a bridge. The orangutans attempted to organise themselves like the strangers’ leaders, but this led to the monkeys being divided and not working together. The stone blocks fell and there wasn’t enough iron as the strangers had sent it away on ships.

One day, as the worst monsoon they’d ever seen was approaching, an old macaque elder climbed to the highest ledge. She had watched the monkey clans suffer in the rain, she’d seen the strangers take what they want, and she’d watched the clans forget the wisdom of their ancestors. With a small but commanding voice she spoke to all the monkeys, and they all gathered around her in silence.

“We are not the strangers who came in ships. We are not our ancestors who lived before us. However, we must learn from both”
She told them that their ancestors knew they must only cut the bamboo when the weather was dry and the bamboo was strongest; and that palms could be weaved to make strong roofs that lasted through storms. She said the strangers showed them ways of building stronger, bigger and planning for the future. If they blended that wisdom, they will create something that is truly their own.

So, the monkeys used their traditional knowledge to pick the best bamboo and safest cliffs. They used techniques from the strangers to reinforce their paths and roofs. They used their own innovation to design and create sheltered ledges, paths and bridges from the jungle to the caves. For the first time the ideas matched the execution. When the monsoon came the monkeys swiftly disappeared through their sheltered pathways to safety.

Now, when people visit the Batu Caves, at the first sign of rain, they see the monkeys vanish using the same shelters and paths of their forefathers. And if you listen very carefully you can hear the voice of the wise old macaque, reprimanding her favourite nephew for being late and reminding him that to grow sustainably, a nation must do more than dream. It must honour its roots, learn from others and build its own way with courage, passion and each other.Læs mere