A Tale of Two Monkeys, and other stories

In Short

A Tale of Two Monkeys, and other stories is an anonymous late-nineteenth or early-twentieth-century compilation of short pieces designed to instruct and delight young readers. Ranging from mischievous Brazilian pets and circus elephants with toothaches to biblical lessons and backyard wildlife, the collection uses simple narratives and poetry to instill virtues like honesty, kindness, and empathy. It has endured because its vignettes capture universal childhood experiences—such as making mistakes, loving animals, and discovering the wider world—with directness and timeless warmth.

The Story

The book opens with the chaotic adventures of two Brazilian monkeys given to Dr. John Torrey, who wreak havoc on a Sunday afternoon by mixing hops and strawberries, skimming cream with their tails, and ruining draperies before being sold to Mr. Barnum. From these lively animal antics, the collection shifts to grander narratives, including the story of the wise men and shepherds in the oldest Christmas story, and the tragic tale of Cain and Abel to illustrate the dangers of jealousy and hatred.

Moving through the natural world, the book visits an elephant named Jack who suffers from a painful decayed tooth until a dentist cures him, introduces ant-bears and candlefish, and follows a big black dog named Rover who calmly trots into church to sit beside a little girl. Human trials appear in episodes such as young Lady Catherine securing her father Lord Preston's pardon from the queen, and British officers in India showing nobility when forced into fetters alongside a wounded comrade named Baird.

Lighter domestic episodes follow, including three boys—Roderick, James, and narrator—who turn their parents' absence into an afternoon of breaking mirrors, sliding down stairs like an Alpine peak, and staging a pillow-feather snowstorm. A clever starling named Joe escapes a barber shop, gets caught by a fowler, and saves his own life by repeating his trained phrases. We learn how the cat earned the name puss from ancient Egyptian worship of Pasht, and follow Patsy Bryan, a ragged street peddler whose life changes forever after a trip to the country courtesy of the Fresh-Air Fund.

Toward the end, farm boy Jamie and his dog Prince outsmart a trespassing mother pig and her lazy offspring, Piggie-Wig. Botanical sketches describe Mexican vanilla harvesting and the fifty-year life cycle of the century plant. Finally, moral lessons peak when little Eddie accidentally kills a neighbor's baby turkey by squeezing it too hard, only to find his heartache vanish once he confesses the truth, concluding with reflections on daily duty, neighborly love, and a stonecutter who realizes his rough labor builds a magnificent structure.

How It Unfolds

• The monkeys' Sunday rampage — Two pet Brazilian monkeys left alone in a study force open their cage and spend the afternoon ruining milk pans, clotheslines, writing tables, and parlor draperies.
• The elephant's dental ordeal — Jack the circus elephant suffers through three days of secret agony before a dentist tracks down his decayed tooth, fills it for one hundred dollars, and earns the animal's lasting gratitude.
• Rover crashes church — A large black dog taps on the open door of a sunny May morning service, trots up the center aisle to comfort a blushing little girl, and sits solemnly through the entire sermon.
• The boys' indoor snowstorm — Left alone for the afternoon, three brothers break a looking-glass, rip open a pillow, and fill the room with floating feathers before their parents return to send them straight to bed.
• Joe the starling speaks up — A runaway talking starling narrowly escapes a fowler's neck-wringing by repeating his trained phrases ("I'm Joe", "Bad company") and is promptly restored to the barber.
• Eddie confesses his fault — Little Eddie accidentally squeezes a neighbor's baby turkey to death, suffers a heavy heart until he confesses his fault to Mrs. Wells, and feels the sunshine return to his face.

The People

• Dr. John Torrey is a gentle Columbia College professor who loves pets and keeps two Brazilian monkeys in his study until their mischievous antics force him to part with them.
• Jack is a good-natured circus elephant who turns vicious when a severe toothache strikes, but ultimately learns to trust the dentist who relieves his pain.
• Lady Catherine is a brave nine-year-old girl imprisoned in Windsor Castle who touches the queen's heart by gazing sorrowfully at a portrait of condemned Lord Preston, saving her father's life.
• Patsy Bryan is a ragged, hardworking street peddler with an alcoholic mother who discovers the joys of green fields and fresh milk through a mission Sunday school trip.
• Jamie is a lonely farm boy who befriends the trees, talks to lazy little Piggie-Wig, and relies on his constant companion, Prince the dog, to keep order on the farm.
• Eddie is a minister's young son whose conscience torments him after he hugs a baby turkey to death, demonstrating the emotional relief that comes from complete honesty.

In Its Own Voice

"When the churchgoers returned they found the stay-at-homes on the top of the folding doors of the parlors, trembling and crying piteously—and for reasons, as they soon discovered."

This line introduces the chaotic aftermath of the monkeys' unsupervised afternoon.

"The poor little girl hid her face and cried! But the big dog nestled close to her side, and kissed her, dog fashion, tenderly, wondering what the matter could be!"

This moment captures Rover's gentle intrusion and instant devotion during Sunday service.

"I killed your turkey, I squeezed it so hard. Will you please to forgive me?"

Little Eddie speaks these direct, brave words to Mrs. Wells to clear his troubled conscience.

What It's Really About

At its core, the book explores the formation of character through empathy, honesty, and stewardship of the natural and domestic world. It argues that moral growth begins early through everyday actions—whether treating animals with kindness, confessing a hidden fault, or bearing a burden for another. The underlying question is how young minds learn to reconcile their mischievous impulses with a loving, orderly universe. Spiritual duty and human kindness are presented not as abstract doctrines, but as practical habits practiced in classrooms, farmyards, and church pews.

Why Read It Today

Readers who love nostalgic, wholesome children's literature in the vein of classic nineteenth-century moral tales will find much to cherish here. Reading it feels like sitting in a sunlit parlor while an elder shares cautionary fables, animal anecdotes, and cozy verses. Modern readers should be prepared for period attitudes, specifically the paternalistic framing of mission work, street children, and overseas regions common to turn-of-the-century didactic writing. Yet beneath the dated framing lies an enduring emotional truth. What stays with you long after closing the book is the quiet dignity of ordinary creatures and children striving to do right—from a dog sitting patiently in church to a little boy confessing a broken heart over a tiny bird.