Hi!
Remember me, the talented pig-tailed poet macaque who appeals for “Tolerance and Peaceful Co-existence” among all living creatures? It’s rather disturbing to read some of the letters that are sent to Aristotle. Sometimes it is shocking to read his rather puerile replies. How can we, I ask you, criticise the looks of our fellow planet-mates? How can we wish for their extinction? And pray what harm did the bonnet macaque do to that conceited tahr?
Today, I write this letter to you on behalf of all primates. Our family of over 300 species consists of chimpanzees, orangutans, gorillas and gibbons, baboons and macaques, lemurs and lorises and many more. Grudgingly, I have to include man in our family, the one who I think is the root of all problems on this planet. However, today, my appeal goes out to Man — STOP the destruction of rainforests! Do not push our cousins there to extinction!
Live and let others live too!
Read this, dear Man and have a change of heart!
Reply from Aristotle
Hi macaque, I shall ignore your ill-tempered remarks and focus on a rather important point you have raised, i.e., felling of trees by man. It’s rather alarming to see rainforests being rapidly converted to grazing or agricultural land. Do you know what is even more alarming? Bright chaps like you will be gone and we will have more Ms. Jersey Cows, which means more letters from them (shudder!)
Tracing the tree
I’m a macaque, smart and astute,
He is a marmoset, small and cute.
I live in tropical forests of Asia
And he, in rainforests of South America.
We both are popular, exotic pets
Though I must say, he has better assets.
My cousin is a pygmy marmoset
He is the smallest monkey on our planet.
He is so small, it is unbelievable
At six-inches long, who wouldn’t be adorable?
I do not know how he hears
For his mane covers his ears!
At seven inches, his ringed tail is longer
Than his head and body length put together.
Pygmy marmy’s fur is a grey-tawny
His almond-shaped eyes, alert and canny.
He hides behind large leaves nervously
When he senses danger from an enemy.
He fears his three mean predators,
Man, harpy eagles and boa constrictors.
I guess Man is the meanest of them all,
For his acts are most wanton and demonical.
Hey you, Man! Stop cutting down forest trees
You must know it is home to monkeys and bees.
As for you two — don’t bully or terrorise!
Pick someone your size.
Leave him alone, all of you.
Live and let him live too!
Pig-tailed macaque
