Graham Learns to Share
Graham the orangutan is high in a fig tree fast asleep in his jungle nest. He wakes suddenly when the branches start shaking.
Graham’s red hair is sticking straight up, and his beard is in knots.
What could be making the leaves quiver and the tree wobble?
Graham rubs his bleary eyes and looks up. Above him is Mimi the gibbon. She is swinging from a branch and making everything shake and shudder.
‘Hoot, hoot’, says Mimi, ‘good morning Graham.’
Graham stretches out his long arms and yawns.
‘Good morning, Mimi, why are you up so early?’ asks Graham.
‘I have a question for you. Can we please borrow your coconut? The other gibbons and I are learning how to play catch and we can’t find another coconut anywhere?’ Mimi pleads.
Graham is puzzled and hungry and he wishes that he was still asleep. Why does Mimi have to ask such difficult questions?
The tree starts to shake and shiver. Graham has to hold on tightly to his nest, so he doesn’t topple out. What could be making the tree wobble?
Above Graham another gibbon appears. It is Bertie. He is swinging to and fro.
‘Hoot, hoot, good morning Graham,’ says Bertie. ‘Did Mimi ask you yet?’
‘Good morning Bertie,’ sighs Graham, ‘yes Mimi has asked for a loan of my coconut.’
‘Excellent’, says Bertie. ‘We’re going to have such fun.’
Graham likes his coconut. In fact, Graham thinks that the coconut is his favourite thing. He does not want to lend it to Mimi. Or Bertie.
Mimi and Bertie stop swinging and sit on the branch above Graham’s head. They look at each other, then out to the jungle surrounding them. The sun is rising, and the air is filled with a beautiful golden light. Mimi looks down to the nest where Graham is sitting. He is rolling the coconut from one of his large hands to the other.
‘We will take very good care of your coconut Graham. We know that it is special,’ says Mimi.
‘Yes Graham, we will be careful not to lose it. We promise,’ says Bertie.
Suddenly, before Graham can answer, leaves and figs start falling out of the tree. It is trembling and tremoring. What could be making the tree wobble?
A third gibbon has arrived. He is the biggest of them all and has been making the tree jiggle with his swinging.
‘Hoot, hoot, good morning Graham. Have Mimi and Bertie asked for the loan of your coconut yet?’ says Bob.
‘Good morning, Bob. You gibbons are very good at wobbling the trees,’ says Graham with a grumpy look on his face.
‘We do love to see the trees wibble and wobble. But Graham, we would also love to learn how to play catch. Can we please borrow your coconut?’ asks Bob.
Graham rubs his red beard and looks at his coconut. Why does everyone ask such difficult questions?
‘Maybe you can come and play with us Graham,’ suggests Mimi. ‘Then we can all learn how to play catch and you can share in the fun.’
Bertie and Bob start swinging on the branch, they think this is a great idea.
Graham looks at the coconut, and then at his three friends. Maybe sharing his favourite thing will be fun. He does love to play catch.
‘Okay everyone, I would love to share my coconut with you all. Let’s learn how to play catch together. But first I need breakfast,’ says Graham with a cheeky smile.
‘Hoot, hoot, hoot. Thank you Graham,’ shout Mimi, Bertie, and Bob.
And they each make the tree shake and shiver and wiggle and waggle. Gibbons love to swing, and they love to make trees wobble.