The Monkey and the Grasshopper

There was a time when all animals, birds, and insects could speak. The grasshopper lived in the field back then. But the monkey decided to drive him out. "You're small and should live in the mountains," she said to the Grasshopper, "while I'm big, so I deserve to live in the field."
"My mother gave birth to me in the field," the Grasshopper retorted, "so that's why I live here, and I won't go to the mountains!"
"If you won't leave peacefully, then let's fight. Whoever proves stronger will live in the field."

The Grasshopper had no choice but to agree: "Fine, let's fight. Come tomorrow after noon." But the Monkey couldn't wait, and at dawn, she descended from the mountains with her friends. They all carried sticks.
"Where are you?! Come out and fight!" the Monkey shouted. But the Grasshopper replied, "There's dew now; I won't fight. When the sun rises and dries the grass, then I'll come."

The sun rose, and the dew disappeared. "Will you fight now?" asked the Monkey.
"Let's go," answered the Grasshopper, and he immediately jumped onto the tip of one Monkey's nose. Another Monkey saw this and shouted to her friend, "Don't move! There's a Grasshopper on your nose; I'll kill him now." She swung her stick and struck her friend's nose with all her might. The Monkey fell dead. But the Grasshopper had already jumped onto another Monkey.

And so the Grasshopper kept jumping from one Monkey to another, while they, chasing him, ended up killing each other.

In the end, only one Monkey remained alive—the one who had started the dispute. The Grasshopper, however, was unharmed.
"Well, how about it? Who turned out to be stronger?" asked the Grasshopper. "Will you stay in the mountains now, or do you still want to move here?"
"I'll stay in the mountains," the Monkey replied gloomily.
"Maybe you still want to live in the field?"
"You won. I won't live in the field."

And that's why, to this day, monkeys live in the mountains, and grasshoppers live in the field.

More fairy tales

• Huan Xiao
• How the Three Sons-in-Law Congratulated Their Father-in-Law
• The Obedient Student
• When the Earth Turns to Gold
• How the Prince Ate Rice Chaff