The tiger knew none of the monkey family was near the
tree-house except Mappo. That was what made the tiger so bold.
For, had Mr. Monkey, or Mrs. Monkey, been at home they would have seen,
or smelled the tiger. Monkeys, and other creatures of the jungle, can
often smell danger much better and more quickly than they can see it.
And, had Mr. or Mrs. Monkey smelled the tiger, they would have kept
their little ones safe in the tree, and would have shouted loudly, to
warn all the other monkeys of the danger of the bad tiger.
"Well, you can't get away from me this time!" growled the tiger,
speaking in his own language, which Mappo understood very well, just as
the tiger understood the monkey talk.
For, though monkeys, tigers and elephants, as well as cats and dogs,
cannot speak our language, they have a way of their own for talking one
to another. To us it may sound only like chatter, growls, meows and
barks, but it is really talk. Wouldn't it be nice if we could understand
animals as well as they understand us?
For they can understand our talk, you know. Else how would a horse know
when to start and stop, when the driver tells him? Or how would your dog
know when to come to you, and to lie down when you tell him to, if he
didn't understand you? Tell me that, if you please.
So Mappo understood the tiger, and the tiger understood Mappo.
The little monkey, still keeping tight hold of the empty cocoanut shell,
looked at the crouching tiger as bravely as he could.
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