A naturalist named Lieutenant was on a survey mission to study the wildlife ashore. He was an esteemed scientist known for his knowledge of the environment. One day, he noticed some strange rigging near a poisonous plant. The superstitious local villagers believed that it was cursed and warned him to stay away. But, the curious Lieutenant couldn't resist investigating. To his surprise, he found that the rigging was actually set up by a group of mischievous monkeys playing tricks on unsuspecting passersby. The Lieutenant couldn't help but laugh at the silly situation and continued his survey with a smile on his face.

Reflections

1. What was Lieutenant's job?
2. Why did the villagers believe the rigging near the poisonous plant was cursed?
3. What did Lieutenant find when he investigated the rigging?
4. How did Lieutenant react to what he found?
5. Can you think of a different ending to the story?