BEING LOST IN THE FOREST. 43 
to be enjoying themselves in their leafy 
home. 
And, indeed, nothing can be more pleasant 
than the life of the monkeys in their native 
forests. From the tops of the trees they look 
securely down on the lion, the tiger, and the 
elephant, and even pelt them with cocoa nuts, 
when they are in the humour for mischief. 
But they are terribly afraid of the snake. 
For the snake will come, vsreathing itself up 
the tree, when they are least aware of it, and 
woe be to the monkey that is taking his 
afternoon's nap ! He will be snapped up and 
swallowed before he has time to make any 
defence ! 
In these great forests, the trees are often 
so matted together that the monkeys can 
travel for miles and miles along the tops of 
them, without coming to the ground; and when 
they come to a river they have a very in- 
genious way of getting over ifc. There are 
no bridges, and they can neither swim nor 
fly ; how do you think they manage it ? 
They make a chain bridge of their own bodies ! 
One monkey tightly links himself to his 
neighbour, and they let themselves swing. A 
