The Honey Trap

"Can we be friends?" the bear asked the monkey.

The monkey, however, took one look at the bear and was seized with fear. He immediately scrambled up a tall tree and perched safely on a high branch.

"Why do you want to be my friend?" the monkey called down cautiously.

"I am looking for a good friend who can help me reach the honeycombs at the top of big trees like this one," the bear explained.

"Oh, no," replied the monkey. "That is a dangerous job! Don't you think the honeybees will sting me once I grab the honeycomb?"

"Well," the bear replied smoothly, "to be a truly good friend, one must be willing to make some sacrifices, don't you think?"

The monkey laughed. "I think you simply need a servant, not a friend! I may be a 'bad' monkey in your eyes, but I'm not a foolish one. Now, get lost with your clever idea to use your friends!"