The Monkey as King

The animals of the forest, having no king and tired of constant disorganized squabbling, gathered to select a ruler and were so entertained by a monkey's clever, energetic dancing that they crowned him king on the spot, more impressed by his showmanship than any real wisdom or strength.

A fox, skeptical of a ruler chosen for entertainment rather than judgment, decided to test him. She found a stash of food hidden in a trap and reported it eagerly to the new monkey king, suggesting he claim the "royal" find for himself as befitted his new status. Delighted and flattered, the monkey rushed to the trap and grabbed at the food without a moment's caution, springing the hidden trap and catching himself firmly by the tail.

As he struggled helplessly, humiliated in front of the very animals who had just crowned him, the fox remarked to the gathered crowd, "You chose a king who could dance beautifully, but never asked whether he could think carefully. A ruler who leaps at every glittering opportunity without checking for the trap beneath it will lead his subjects into exactly the same danger, sooner or later." The animals, chastened, began looking instead for wisdom rather than mere charm in choosing their next ruler.