“Gyp, the monkey,” said daddy, “was ill. He had hurt his right foot and it had been bandaged by the doctor.
“Gyp had been very good while this was done and had taken his medicine like a little man, or rather, I should say, like a little monkey.
“But how the bandage did annoy him! He had to stay quite still and not move his leg at all. That was so hard! He tried to keep still and yet he longed to play, for the nice liniment which had been put on the bandage quickly made the horrid foot feel so much better.
“Yes, he was quite sure that if he hadn’t the bandage on he would be better. And so he tugged at the bandage and got it off.
“Then how the foot did hurt! No longer was it protected by the soft rags and the soothing liniment! Whew, how it did hurt! And Gyp did not know what to make of it.
“He felt very sad to think that his foot was really no better, and there, he had thought it was just about well. He cried a little, for even though he was a very brave monkey the pain was so hard to bear.
“Now, his master came along and saw what had happened.
“‘You have taken off your bandage,’ he said.
“The monkey did not say anything, but he curled up by his master and tried with his eyes to say:
“‘The foot aches, the pain is very bad, master.’
“‘I understand,’ said the master. ‘But we must have a fresh bandage.’
“The master sent for the doctor again, and once more a bandage was put on Gyp’s foot, and once more the foot began to feel much much better.
“After a little while Gyp said to himself: ‘I am sure it must be really well this time. It feels better than ever. In fact, there is no horrid pain there now.’
“So he yanked off the bandage and once more the pain set in. This time he howled, and quickly his master came to him.
“‘Oh, Gyp,’ he said, ‘you’ve worked off that bandage again. Oh, Gyp, why did you do such a thing?’ And Gyp looked very sad. For he felt he had been naughty from the tone of his master’s voice, and yet he hadn’t meant to be. He just had thought his foot was all well, and the bandage did get in his way and made him stay so still—so awfully still for a monkey to stay.
“‘We’ll have to have another bandage,’ said his master.
“Pretty soon the doctor came again.
“‘What!’ he exclaimed. ‘You don’t mean to tell me that the monkey has taken off his bandage again? What a bad monkey.’
“AFTER A LONG TIME THE LOVELY DAWN FAIRIES CAME OUT FROM THEIR SLEEPING PLACES”—Page 229
“Gyp hung his head in shame, but his master understood. ‘Gyp didn’t mean to be naughty,’ he said. ‘We must be patient with him, for he wants to get well.’
“And Gyp, who was watching the other monkey, his chief friend and companion, playing and jumping and swinging, would have told the master and doctor if he had known how, that he certainly did not want to be ill.
“‘Once more, doctor, just once more,’ said the master. ‘This time the bandage won’t come off.’
“‘How do you know it won’t?’ asked the doctor. ‘In fact, I don’t see why you don’t say that you know it is bound to come off.’
“‘You bandage it nicely, doctor,’ said the master, ‘and in a moment I will come back.’
“The doctor bandaged the foot and the monkey was very patient. The doctor was really kind and talked in gentle tones to Gyp while he was caring for the foot. That kept Gyp from being frightened. How fine the bandage and soothing liniment did feel! He knew he would be all well soon!
“Just then the master came back carrying a little round collar—it was rather wide and yet it was not at all heavy and rough. He put it around Gyp’s neck, just holding in Gyp’s arms enough so that he could not reach his bandage. The wide collar got in his way. But Gyp understood, and when the foot was all well, off came the collar which had helped so much.”