The Clever Monkey and the Lazy Bear (A folklore from Nagaland)

In a lush forest, where sunlight dappled through the dense canopy, lived a clever monkey and a large, lazy bear. They decided one sunny morning, perhaps out of a fleeting sense of ambition or simply boredom, to cultivate a field together. They cleared a patch of land with much effort (mostly the monkey's, with the bear offering occasional grunts and heavy lifting when absolutely necessary) and sowed the seeds of their first crop – rice.

As the rice grew tall and golden, swaying gently in the breeze, the time for harvest approached. The bear, despite contributing minimally to the cultivation, was eager for his share. "Friend Monkey," he rumbled, his voice thick with anticipation, "let us divide the harvest fairly. I shall take all that grows below the ground, and you can have whatever grows above." He smirked, imagining a bounty of roots and tubers he was sure lay beneath the soil.

The monkey, perched agilely on a branch, chuckled softly. He knew the bear's laziness had blinded him to the nature of rice. "An excellent plan, my dear Bear," he agreed with a mischievous glint in his eyes. When the harvest was complete, the monkey effortlessly gathered the heavy stalks laden with grains, while the bear dug and dug, finding nothing but the shallow roots of the rice plants. The bear was furious, his initial greed turning into bitter disappointment as he watched the monkey feast on the plump grains. He grumbled and accused the monkey of trickery, but the clever monkey simply reminded him of their agreed-upon division.

Determined to outsmart the monkey the following season, the bear proposed planting yams. "This time, Monkey," he declared with newfound confidence, "I will take everything that grows above the ground, and you can have what's below!" He envisioned mountains of leafy greens, completely oblivious to the fact that the valuable part of the yam plant lies beneath the soil.

The monkey, ever the astute observer, readily consented. As the yam plants flourished, the bear eagerly awaited his share of the leafy vines, while the monkey busied himself tending to the growing tubers beneath the earth. When the time came to harvest, the bear was dismayed to find the vines were rather sparse and not particularly palatable. Meanwhile, the monkey unearthed a rich harvest of starchy yams.

The lazy bear was beside himself with frustration. He stomped his feet and roared in anger, accusing the monkey of somehow manipulating the plants. But the monkey, with a patient smile, explained that he had simply agreed to the bear's terms. The bear finally realized that his attempts to exploit the situation based on his assumptions had backfired spectacularly due to his lack of understanding and his inherent laziness.

Humiliated and defeated, the bear finally understood that cleverness and hard work often triumph over brute strength and indolence. He gave up on their partnership, deciding it was perhaps better to forage for himself, though he never quite lost his envy for the monkey's quick wit and resourcefulness. 

The tale of the clever monkey and the lazy bear became a popular story among the Ao Naga tribe, a humorous yet insightful reminder that true reward comes not from trying to outsmart others through laziness, but through understanding and diligence.