The Monkey Who Wanted Misery
Children's sermon
Story Time At The Altar
86 Messages For Children
Talk together: What is "misery"? What is the very worst thing that might happen to you?
A storyteller and author, Diane Wolkstein, went to Haiti and collected 27 stories, which Schocken published in a book called The Magic Orange Tree and Other Haitian Folktales, l997 (www.dianewolkstein.com). I will tell it in dialect.
Monkey, sitting in tree, when woman on her way to market, trip on vine and calabash on her head fall to the ground and break in a thousand pieces and the sweet syrup ran all over the ground. "Oh, Papa God, what Misery you have given me. For three days I walk to market to sell sticky sweet syrup, and now look! What Misery!" But there was nothing she could do, so woman go on her way.
Monkey, being curious, come down from tree and sniff sticky sweet syrup and it smell good. He taste sticky sweet syrup and it taste good. He lick up all the sticky sweet syrup and Monkey want more. So Monkey find Papa God.
"Papa God, Papa God," Monkey cry.
"Good morning, Monkey," say Papa God.
"I have come to see you, Papa God."
"Yes, Brother Monkey."
"I come to ask ..."
"Yes, Monkey?"
"I come to ask for ... Misery!"
"Monkey, in your condition you want Misery?"
"I have tasted Misery and it is sweet and I want lots and lots of Misery."
Papa God get strange requests, but he say, "You see that sack by the tree. Bring it here. Now if you want Misery, lots of Misery, put the sack on your back and walk and walk and walk until there are no trees."
"Yes, Papa God!"
Monkey took sack and put on back and walk and walk and ... walk ... until there are no trees. He put down sack and can almost taste the sticky sweet syrup. He loosened string and open and grrr, grrr, five big dogs jump out of sack and chase Monkey. Monkey ran and ran and ran, but there were no trees. The dogs growled and were almost on Monkey. Suddenly there was one tree and Monkey climb tree and dogs growl and snarl, but they cannot get Monkey.
Papa God send one tree. For Papa God know too much Misery is not good for anyone, not even Monkey.1
Prayer: Thank you, God, for your Spirit that is sweet as honey. Help us learn how to pray. Amen.
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1. Diane Wolkstein, The Magic Orange Tree and Other Haitian Folktales (New York: Shocken, l997). Used by permission.
A storyteller and author, Diane Wolkstein, went to Haiti and collected 27 stories, which Schocken published in a book called The Magic Orange Tree and Other Haitian Folktales, l997 (www.dianewolkstein.com). I will tell it in dialect.
Monkey, sitting in tree, when woman on her way to market, trip on vine and calabash on her head fall to the ground and break in a thousand pieces and the sweet syrup ran all over the ground. "Oh, Papa God, what Misery you have given me. For three days I walk to market to sell sticky sweet syrup, and now look! What Misery!" But there was nothing she could do, so woman go on her way.
Monkey, being curious, come down from tree and sniff sticky sweet syrup and it smell good. He taste sticky sweet syrup and it taste good. He lick up all the sticky sweet syrup and Monkey want more. So Monkey find Papa God.
"Papa God, Papa God," Monkey cry.
"Good morning, Monkey," say Papa God.
"I have come to see you, Papa God."
"Yes, Brother Monkey."
"I come to ask ..."
"Yes, Monkey?"
"I come to ask for ... Misery!"
"Monkey, in your condition you want Misery?"
"I have tasted Misery and it is sweet and I want lots and lots of Misery."
Papa God get strange requests, but he say, "You see that sack by the tree. Bring it here. Now if you want Misery, lots of Misery, put the sack on your back and walk and walk and walk until there are no trees."
"Yes, Papa God!"
Monkey took sack and put on back and walk and walk and ... walk ... until there are no trees. He put down sack and can almost taste the sticky sweet syrup. He loosened string and open and grrr, grrr, five big dogs jump out of sack and chase Monkey. Monkey ran and ran and ran, but there were no trees. The dogs growled and were almost on Monkey. Suddenly there was one tree and Monkey climb tree and dogs growl and snarl, but they cannot get Monkey.
Papa God send one tree. For Papa God know too much Misery is not good for anyone, not even Monkey.1
Prayer: Thank you, God, for your Spirit that is sweet as honey. Help us learn how to pray. Amen.
____________
1. Diane Wolkstein, The Magic Orange Tree and Other Haitian Folktales (New York: Shocken, l997). Used by permission.
