Three wise monkeys

In very olden days, a wise and good Monkey King lived on one side of a mountain. A Great Evil was on the other. The King's councillors were three very old, wizened and very wise monkeys. Only they, by tradition, knew about the Great Evil. They also knew that if anyone heard or looked on It, his heart would be hardened forever, and woe would befall the Monkey Kingdom. They were gathering rare wild flowers for the King one day. They peered through some bushes and unwittingly gazed upon the Great Evil, hearing Its awesome shrieks. One covered his eyes, but he could hear. One covered his ears, but he could see. One could both see and hear, but covered his lips and pressed back the dreadful secret deeply within himself. They stole back into the forest knowing their own hearts were spoiled forever. They huddled together on a drooping willow branch. All their wrinkles were shaking. They chattered and whispered dolefully for hours. By nightfall they had decided to follow the counsel of the one who had seen and heard all but would not talk about it and, by emulating him, keep the horrible secret from becoming known, and thereby spare the King and his people a terrible fate.