Happy Days Stories

Tulu the baboon was the "Lookout" for his troop.  He would sit proudly on the highest rock and keep a good lookout for enemies.   Nobody could do the job better than he could, and this made him so very proud!  Every day he would stalk past the admiring youngsters and take his place in a very posh manner.  He grew to be so proud that he would not even talk or play with the young baboons.

If Tulu had read the Bible in Proverbs 16:18, he would have realised that "Pride goes before a fall!"  Pride is when we think we are much better than other people.  The Bible verse means, "Don't be too proud for your own good."  Do you say, "My toys are better than your, or my clothes are prettier than yours!  If you do, you had better listen to what happened to Tulu.

One hot day, the baboon troop went down to the hippo pool.  While the youngsters splashed in shallow water, Tulu sat comfortably in a willow tree.  While he sat there, Marko the hippo came to the surface and opened his huge mouth and roared, "Oh, I say old chap, wouldn't it be cooler to come and bathe in the pool rather than just sit up there?"   The other baboons looked up with interest, but although Tulu was hot and thirsty, his pride kept him on his branch.

"I do wish someone would bring me a little water," he said, "But, I must do my duty and keep watch."  Marko thought for a moment and then rumbled, "I know what you can do!  "The branches hang down over the pool.  Why don't you climb down one and have a drink?"

Tulu thanked him and swung down the nearest branch.  Of course willow branches become very thin near the water.  Eventually he held grimly onto a strand that dangled into the water.  Just as he was about to drink, the branch broke!  With a mighty splash he fell spluttering into the pool with arms and legs flying all over the place!  All the other baboons held their tummies and laughed until they cried.

Tulu sat up in the water covered with mud and leaves.  It was a very sorry looking baboon that crept out of the pool and scrambled away as fast as he could run!  Poor old Tulu.  He had learnt a hard lesson that day.  Never again would he stalk proudly around anymore, for someone was sure to grin as they remembered his undignified splash into the hippo pool!  And so next time you want to say, "I'm better than you!" remember what happened to poor Tulu!

God bless.