A capseller stopped for a nap under a tree. When he awoke, he found that the monkeys living in the tree had taken his caps and each of them was wearing one. He clapped his hands to draw their attention. The monkeys clapped back. The man stomped his feet in frustration. The monkeys chattered happily and stamped their feet too.
The capseller was a clever man. Realising that the monkeys were imitating all his actions, he removed the cap from his head and flung it down. All the monkeys did the same and the capseller got his caps back.
When the capseller grew old and was on his deathbed, he told the story to his son to illustrate how important it was for a trader to keep his wits about him.
The son was a capseller too. One sultry afternoon he found himself near the same tree his father had once slept under, and succumbing to temptation lay down for a quick nap. When he awoke he found that all his caps had been taken by monkeys. But he did not panic. Had not his father retrieved his caps under similar circumstances? He knew what he had to do. He clapped his hands. All the monkeys did the same. He stamped his feet. All the monkeys did the same. He took his cap from his head and flung it down. And, not one of the monkeys imitated him.
As he stood there gaping, the monkeys burst into laughter. “Oh, you fool,” said one of them, “do you think you are the only one to have a father?”