The Monkey and the Old Lady, and What Can You Do with a Monkey? Summary and Analysis

The Monkey and the Old Lady: Monkeys were a nuisance as well as a danger in the hamlet. They were smart enough to avoid even the most ingenious traps, and though they were cowardly and avoided confrontation, in packs they could gang up to kill children. Still, most families in the hamlet kept a monkey or two as a pet or to accomplish tasks like picking coconuts.

A friend of the family, an old lady, found and kept a baby monkey. She was lonely and had no children, and she treated the monkey like a son. Nhuong's mother warned the old lady that the monkey should be kept on a chain and constantly observed for...