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The old monkey tells his
tale 8
After calming down and
processing the past, with which solitude helps, comes the awakening, or
better yet, the realization.
Without the presence of
other monkeys, there is no one against which the boundaries of personality
can be expressed. The monkey determines himself in relation to its social
environment. If this does not exist, the “I” is a flowing mass. Robinson
Monkey had probably just forgotten who he was after twenty-three years on his
island.
Fine! I had processed
what had happened, knew what I didn't want, but was far from being able to
say what should correspond to my wishes. A monkey can only wish what he can
imagine, that is, what he has already grasped or touched in some form or
shape with his own senses. He cannot invent so many new things, they have to
be shown to him. And then, he is able to put the pieces back together
differently.
Therefore, I needed new
ideas. So one morning after a good night's sleep, I set out to climb the
highest peak in order to choose a direction. A small leather pouch lined with
animal intestines served as a water container and another leather pouch was
filled with dried fish, fruits and grains. The sun was shining, a wandering
monkey could not have wished for better conditions. Again and again, I looked
around and it seemed to me that somewhere behind me in the distance the rough
outlines were coming together to form real memories.
Again a green carpet lay
in front of me, which meant a day with a lot of forest. Drums could be heard
in the distance. These were struck rhythmically. As I got closer, I saw a
high priest standing at the end of a long bamboo staircase. He wore a
brightly coloured ring on his head. The sun behind him shone right through
this hoop, so he raised his arms. “See the glory of the banana god!” he
shouted. Everyone below looked at the sun, which naturally blinded them.
Behind them the drums sounded louder, from time to time something hit a metal
plate, producing a bright sound. The monkeys were hypnotized.
From my bushes, I could
see several of them from the side in the face. They knelt at the foot of the
stairs with open eyes and expressionless faces. Where was I now? There was a
clown up there on the stairs, making some kind of hocus-pocus and the stupid
monkeys let themselves be enchanted. A young monkey girl got up and walked
slowly up the stairs as if in a trance. She actually seemed to float. When
she reached the top, she put down the tray with fried bananas and came down
again. Then the next girl went up with a mug. It went like this three or four
more times. When the sun had left the coloured ring, everyone woke up and
slowly disappeared into the forest.
I crept quietly around
the hill and found the high priest who was enjoying the food. I went up to
him. He wasn't very surprised to see me. “I already saw you in the tree. Sit
down, eat and tell me where you are from!” I did as I was advised, but
preferred to ask him a few questions. I had the feeling that he could
probably tell me more than I could truly tell him. He watched me for a moment
and seemed to be very happy that he finally didn't have to listen, but could
share his worries. "I am grateful to you that you are interested in
learning something and that you pay me your attention." and with these
words he began his story.
Many years ago he had
been voted the brightest. He should hold judgment, rule for everyone, and
guide them. Everyone knew that he ate the food for the banana god, but they
wanted to live in a simple way, like in paradise, in comfortable stupidity.
And for that they needed someone who thought for them. There were different
periods of time during his reign. Sometimes he was very ambitious and let
them build something for the common good. When he was fed up, he was a
tyrant. He admitted that it was difficult to always react calmly to all
nonsense. Sometimes he was gripped by megalomania and then he really believed
he was a god. It is not easy to always have a grip on yourself when there is
no one who criticizes you from time to time, gives you his or her opinion.
Above all, however, he felt punished because he was alone, had no family, and
actually couldn't enjoy his own life. In order to be honoured by everyone, he
had to forego the simplicity of existence. "Wouldn't it be better to
teach them?" I gasped. He had already tried that too, but then gave it
up because it was even more tiring. And so, he spent his time watching his
people, choosing one to take over power after his death. So far, however, no
suitable candidate had been found. “Maybe you are too good to them? When they
experience what a selfish god you are, they will want to take their fate into
their own hands.” “ Do I have to make them hate me? Hm! Wouldn't you like to
play God?” He probably believed that he had found in me the good-natured
monkey who would one day enable his people to continue their carefree life. I
had seen a lot by then, but I had not been God yet. For a few moons, I stayed
hidden behind a bush at the court days and similar meetings and afterwards
the high priest and I discussed what to do in this or that case.
He certainly noticed that
I was an interested and considered advisor, but that it would bore me too
much in the long term. And so, he asked me one morning: “I see it in your
eyes, it pushes you on. You have a good heart, but the role of a god would drive
you crazy sooner or later.” He slung the bags of water and food over my
shoulder and smiled sadly, turned and went back to the temple. “A wise
monkey!” I thought, he had taught me a lot and was able to read the minds of
others. “A worthy god!” But an exception among the gods.
A new mountain lay in
front of me.
Continue with tale 84!
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