Now a monkey met a tall giraffe
By the riverside one morn
And he said if you look on the other side
You'll see a field of corn

And you'll also see there's a big tall tree
Where the leaves are green and sweet
The corn's for me and for you, the tree
It looks like a lovely treat

Well my tail is long and my arms are short
Said the monkey with a sigh
And the river is so deep and wide
I'm so hungry I could die

If I hang on your neck I won't get wet
And you could walk right through
So seeing we are so hungry
It's the best thing we can do

Never monkey around with the giraffe
Or you might get it in the neck
Here's the story of how the vervet monkeys
Never ever liked to get wet

The giraffe said yes, hop on my neck
And he reached the other side
And the monkey ate till he was full
His glee he could not hide

So he danced and sang and the valley rang
So loud that the corn all shook
And the farmer picked up a great big stick
And he came to have a look

He saw the giraffe standing there
And he beat him with his cane
While the monkey hid in the neighbour's pit
And the giraffe got the blame

So the monkey said "Have you lost your head"
To the monkey with a cry
But the monkey said we apes do that
When we are satisfied

Never monkey around with a giraffe
Or you might get it in the neck
Here's the story of how the vervet monkeys
Never ever liked to get wet

So the monkey climbed on the giraffe's back
Now let's go home he said
But the giraffe walked to the middle of the stream
And he laid on the riverbed

And the monkey cried with all his might
As he was going down
Why are you doing this to me?
For I'm sure that I'm gonna drown

So the giraffe laughed and he said giraffes
Do this when they've had their fill
The same way that monkeys kick up a din
When they have eaten well

And to this day the monkeys say
It's a lesson that they won't forget
And a river or spring or any wet thing
Is what monkeys really hate

Never monkey around with the giraffe
Or you might get it in the neck
Here's the story of how the vervet monkeys
Never ever liked to get wet