Monkey Traps

In todays's tarot reading, I came across a card titled The Devil. The Devil is used not as the Judeo Christian character who commands the forces of evil, but more of being enslaved to earthly passions. In its description, it mentions the monkey trap.

I remember hearing about the monkey trap as a young boy. I asked my father what it was, and he told me this;

"The monkey trap is a jar with a narrow opening and some kind of a prize in it, like a piece of fruit. The monkey can put its hand in with it open, but when it holds the prize, it cannot pull it out. You can then just walk up to the monkey and capture him, because it's so intent on getting the prize, and won't let go. "

I remember asking him, "Why doesn't the monkey turn the jar over and spill it out, or break the jar?"

"That's part of the trap. The monkey only thinks of one way to get the prize. You see them howling and struggling, and it still wont' let go, even though it sees the human coming."

It's always a nice surprise when I remember things like this. As an American, I am rootless by nature, constantly looking forward, focusing my energies on the future and what it will bring.