Owl Tales

By Mark Shigaki

A mysterious figure appears in a hidden jungle and becomes a teacher for the local population of monkeys. Through fables, jokes, and the occasional poem, he shows his simian students a different way of seeing the world.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Mark Shigaki
• Release date: Jul 6, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370064878

Book preview

Day of Days

A blazing sun stood high overhead; a monkey stood low on the ground.

Ho hum, thought the monkey. Same old grass, same old sand, same old stones, same old shrubs. Nothing new under the sun.

If only fish could fly like birds.

If only streams would flow uphill.

O Providence, please heed my words:

Dance my life from Thrill to Thrill!

Idly, he fashioned his hands in the shape of a bird, gaily laughing as its winged shadow moved gracefully through the grass. How closely it resembled the marvels he had so often seen in the skies above!

How free to Be, to See, to Soar!

To rise Above this earthly floor.

Caught in this reverie, the monkey imagined for a moment that this truly was a bird, and not a shadow, before his eyes. He reached out to grab hold of the elusive creature only to see it dissolve into nothingness.

My falcon fades. As does delight.

This World invades my fancy’s flight.

Just then he felt a presence. He swung around and started at the sight of a strange figure. It had the appearance of a bird, but this was like no bird he had ever encountered before.

Wh-Who are you?

"Hoo indeed!" the creature laughed.

I am a Traveler.

A Storyteller by trade.

Some call me ‘Owl’.

But what’s in a name?

O most masterful bird! the monkey exclaimed.

Speak Heavenly Rain! Speak Pearls!

Use your Golden Tongue to wash away

The Mundanity of this World.

A story? asked the owl.

If you please, said the monkey.

Very well. The owl drew a breath. "A monkey once stood in the blazing sun. He longed for excitement, chased after shadows, but found nothing but disappointment. He could have looked for himself, but that he would have considered a ridiculous notion ..."

What nonsense is this?! the monkey interrupted. "I ask for something thrilling and you give me this boring account of some idiotic monkey. I could tell a better story–about the bird that slipped from my hands, for example."

He looked up, but saw that the owl had vanished.

Perhaps he was never really here, thought the monkey. Yes, that’s it, a mere trick of shadow and light.

The monkey put his hands together to form another shadow bird–hopefully, one easier to catch.

The Secret

What is the meaning of life? a monkey wondered aloud.

Guard your eggs until they’ve hatched, hissed a passing snake.

The Indifferent Lion

There once was a lion just like any other. He was certainly just as strong and just as fierce as any other. His roar was just as terrifying; his gaze just as threatening. All in all, he upheld the standards of his forebears about as well as any lion you could name.

Except for one quirk: he would never attack gazelles.

Now such behavior in a lion is more than a little unusual so, as you might expect, word spread to the farthest reaches of the jungle. Soon gazelles came from all corners to learn the truth of this amazing creature for themselves. Warily they would approach him, only to discovered that, far from attacking, the lion would scarcely even acknowledge their presence.

Emboldened, the gazelles began to draw closer and closer. Some came within a paw’s reach of the beast. Others nearly brushed his tawny fur. A few swore they could feel his ‘fiery breath’ upon their necks. Through it all, the lion remained indifferent.

Satisfied, the gazelles took no pity on the luckless creature, making a game of molesting him at every turn; biting his tail, nipping his ear or, when true daring was called for,