mikey monk plays naughty pranks

all the jungle folk were mad, every one was wild,

everybody wore a scowl, not a creature smiled.

what was all this row about? listen to what had

happened in the jungle to make them all so mad.

mikey monk had climbed a tree. who was mikey monk?

mikey was a monkey and full of life and spunk;

also full of naughty tricks, i am sad to say,

that is why the jungle folks are so mad to-day.

up a tree had mikey climbed, clear up to the top,

then he threw some cocoanuts, threw them down ker-flop.

charlie crocodile got mad, so did george giraffe,

and they both grew angrier when they heard his laugh.

harry hippopotamus happened to come near;

suddenly a cocoanut whistled by his ear.

he had hardly time to wink when another shot

made him think he'd better not linger in that spot.

tommy tiger came along on his stealthy toes;

suddenly a cocoa ball barely grazed his nose.

oscar ostrich sauntered by as a nut came down;

"goodness, what was that?" he squawked, with an angry frown.

harry hippopotamus looked around and said,

"don't you think there's something queer happening overhead?

it is rather difficult," he added, with a sigh,

"finding out why cocoanuts are raining from the sky!

"say, why don't you fellows ascertain the cause?

where is a policeman to enforce the laws?

oscar ostrich, won't you go—for you are so fleet—

see if you can run across a copper on his beat?"

sure enough, in half a wink back again he came

with a big policeman, eddie elephant by name.

"what is this disturbance? move along!" he said.

suddenly his helmet tumbled off his head.

"who did that?" he shouted, when another nut

whistled by his ivories, hit him on the foot.

with his trunk he grabbed the tree, gave some mighty heaves,

my! what a commotion up amongst the leaves.

then he butted all his might with his great big head.

"break it up in kindling wood!" tommy tiger said.

back and forth the tall tree swayed with a swishing sound,

then a little scream was heard, something bumped to the ground.

mikey monk had lost his grip; on the ground he lay.

all the animals rushed in, pounced upon their prey.

"break away!" the copper said, "i arrest him now.

i will lock him up at once; we will show him how

"to obey the jungle laws. he won't sleep a wink

after he has been to court. he'll have time to think

in the jungle jail how bad he has been to-day.

after he gets out again he won't disobey."

over tommy tiger's head then he thrust his trunk;

by the ear he grabbed a hold of naughty mikey monk.

all the jungle populace joined in the parade.

mikey monk was crying—he was now afraid.

"let me go!" he cried and sobbed, "and i'll promise you

never more a naughty thing will i ever do."

but the big policeman just kept straight ahead.

did not even answer him; only shook his head.

at king lion's court at last stopped the big parade,

and before the king of beasts mikey was arrayed.

very stern the lion looked at the grave complaint,

though of course he must have known mikey was no saint.

when the cop had finished mikey held his breath,

he was all a-tremble; almost scared to death.

all the angry animals shouted, "do not fail

to commit this monkey to the jungle jail!"

"as you wish," king lion answered with a roar.

then they slipped the handcuffs over mikey's paw

and policeman elephant took poor mike away

to the jungle lockup, where he had to stay.

till the jungle animals thought that just about

punishment enough he'd had! then they let him go;

and no better monkey after this than he

in the jolly jungle ever climbed a tree