Of course the people had taken great care to build their houses out of reach of the highest tide which might be driven on shore by a west wind , but on the very edge of the town there had sprung up a tree so large that half its boughs hung over the huts and the other half over the deep sea right under the cliff , where sharks loved to come and splash in the clear water . The branches of the tree itself were laden with fruit , and every day at sunrise a big grey monkey might have been seen sitting in the topmost branches having his breakfast , and chattering to himself with delight . After he had eaten all the fruit on the town side of the tree the monkey swung himself along the branches to the part which hung over the water . While he was looking out for a nice shady place where he might perch comfortably he noticed a shark watching him from below with greedy eyes . ` Can I do anything for you , my friend ? ' asked the monkey politely . ` Oh ! if you only would thrown me down some of those delicious things , I should be so grateful , ' answered the shark . ` After you have lived on fish for fifty years you begin to feel you would like a change . And I am so very , very tired of the taste of salt . ' ` Well , I do n't like salt myself , ' said the monkey ; ` so if you will open your mouth I will throw this beautiful juicy kuyu into it , ' and , as he spoke , he pulled one off the branch just over his head . But it was not so easy to hit the shark 's mouth as he supposed , even when the creature had turned on his back , and the first kuyu only struck one of his teeth and rolled into the water . However , the second time the monkey had better luck , and the fruit fell right in . ` Ah , how good ! ' cried the shark . ` Send me another , please . ' And the monkey grew tired of picking the kuyu long before the shark was tired of eating them . ` It is getting late , and I must be going home to my children , ' he said , at length , ` but if you are here at the same time to-morrow I will give you another treat . ' ` Thank you , thank you , ' said the shark , showing all his great ugly teeth as he grinned with delight ; ` you ca n't guess how happy you have made me , ' and he swam away into the shadow , hoping to sleep away the time till the monkey came again . For weeks the monkey and the shark breakfasted together , and it was a wonder that the tree had any fruit left for them .
They became fast friends , and told each other about their homes and their children , and how XXXXX teach them all they ought to know .
For along as at before down if in over to