There were three men stranded on a deserted island, and they were starting to get desperate for food. One of the men, who happened to be a professional hunter, suggested that they try hunting for the wild animals on the island.
The second man, who was a vegetarian, was not too thrilled about the idea of hunting. But he eventually agreed to go along with it, figuring that they didn't have much of a choice.
So the three men set out into the jungle, armed with makeshift weapons and a lot of determination. They searched high and low, but just couldn't seem to find any animals to hunt.
After hours of fruitless searching, they were all getting pretty hungry and frustrated. Finally, the hunter spotted a monkey high up in a tree.
Excitedly, he raised his weapon and took aim. But just as he was about to pull the trigger, the monkey suddenly spoke up.
"Wait! Wait! I'm not just any monkey, I'm a magic monkey! If you spare my life, I'll grant each of you one wish."
The men were stunned. A magic monkey? This was truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. They quickly huddled together to discuss their wishes.
The hunter went first. "I wish to be the richest man in the world," he declared.
Poof! In an instant, he was surrounded by piles of gold and jewels, living out his wildest dreams.
The vegetarian hesitated for a moment, then said, "I wish for an endless supply of the most delicious fruits and vegetables, so that I never have to harm another living creature again."
Poof! He was suddenly standing in the middle of a lush garden, filled with every fruit and vegetable imaginable.
The third man, who had been silent up until that point, finally spoke up. "I'm feeling pretty lonely here on this island. I wish for my two friends to be with me again."
And poof! The other two men were back by his side, stranded once again on the deserted island.
The moral of the story? Be careful what you wish for, and always watch out for magic monkeys with a mischievous streak.