Like all women, the female monkey likes to play up a little once she thinks she is beyond her master's control. A gentle tug on the leash brings her back to a sense of her duty and the work in hand.
Madame Monkey works for her living in Sumatra: As a Coconut collector sile earns a human worker's wage; Sumatra is an island full of monkeys of all shapes, colors and sizes. The natives have long taken advantage of this and train female captive monkeys to do a useful day's work for their keep. Best (The only in fact) job a monkey can do is to use his skill in climbing trees to pick the coconuts which are sold for their copra. Females only can be trained for this work as the male of the species is to fiorce. Any morning early one sees in Sumatran to was such as Padang or Bukit Tinggi, a native walking along with his monkey on a leash. He solicits custom from a householder and a bargain in struck for the use of his monkey to fetch the coconuts down for the owner to sell. The monkey has to be trained for the work when young and will live and work for many years. Usual fee is one Rupiah (one tenth of a workman's daily wage) for a tree. Thus this monkey can earn a normal workers wage for her master.
Photo measures 8.25 x 10.25 inches.
Photo is dated --0000.
Photo back:
