--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But no sooner had he walked to the city…" description: "\"“But no sooner had he walked to the city wall than the monkeys pulled him back, telling him that he did not know how happy he was, and pinching him to ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68d/rudyard-kipling-527_grateful_but-no-sooner-had-he-walked-to-the-city_1711713.png" --- # But no sooner had he walked to the city wall than the… ![“But no sooner had he walked to the city wall than the monkeys pulled him back, telling him that he did not know how happy he was, and pinching him to make him grateful.” quote by Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68d/rudyard-kipling-527_grateful_but-no-sooner-had-he-walked-to-the-city_1711713.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68d/rudyard-kipling-527_grateful_but-no-sooner-had-he-walked-to-the-city_1711713.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68d/rudyard-kipling-527_grateful_but-no-sooner-had-he-walked-to-the-city_1711713.png) > ““But no sooner had he walked to the city wall than the monkeys pulled him back, telling him that he did not know how happy he was, and pinching him to make him grateful.”” [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A character is forced to confront his own happiness when a monkey drags him back and reminds him to be grateful for his circumstances. **In simple terms:** A monkey makes him realize he should appreciate his life. Key Takeaway Recognize and cherish your blessings. Themes gratitude humility selfawareness Mood reflective thoughtful Type aphilosophical inspirational When to use this quote - travel - personal growth - adversity - reflection Key Concepts contentment perspective humility Questions to Reflect On - What are you overlooking in your daily life? - How can you practice gratitude when faced with setbacks? A Different Perspective The lesson may be lost if the monkey’s lesson is taken literally rather than metaphorically. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Grateful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grateful/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Monkeys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monkeys/) [Monkeys Pulled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monkeys-pulled-1253025/) [Race relations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race-relations/) [Sooner Walked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sooner-walked-1253027/) [Wall Monkeys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wall-monkeys-1253026/) ## Related quotes > [“Well, of course," Camilo said, and grinned back at JohnRolandJoseph and his long line of bought and paid for ancestors, as friendly and unselfconscious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-petry/well-of-course-camilo-said-and-grinned-back-at-johnrolandjoseph-and/) [Ann Petry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-petry/) > [“We of the jungle have no dealings with them. 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And all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-maraniss/you-also-had-in-detroit-that-summer-an-early-variation-of-ferguson-a/) [David Maraniss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-maraniss/) > [“was my first indication that the policies of Mamaw’s “party of the working man”—the Democrats—weren’t all they were cracked up to be. Political scientists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance/was-my-first-indication-that-the-policies-of-mamaw-s-party-of-the/) [J.D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance/) > [In a manner akin to the influence of Tiger Woods on the other side of the Atlantic, Thierry Henry has helped kick down a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-gill/in-a-manner-akin-to-the-influence-of-tiger-woods-on-the-other-side-of/) [Pete Gill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-gill/) > [“Love is not coercion, and the state is only an agent of coercion. It has no other function and can work no other way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-mcdurmon/love-is-not-coercion-and-the-state-is-only-an-agent-of-coercion-it/) [Joel McDurmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-mcdurmon/) > [The growth of race relations management, diversity training and 'promoting good relations' has come at a cost. We are more sensitized to racism, yet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/munira-mirza/the-growth-of-race-relations-management-diversity-training-and/) [Munira Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/munira-mirza/) ## More by Rudyard Kipling > [Borrow trouble for yourself, if that's your nature, but don't lend it to your neighbours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/borrow-trouble-for-yourself-if-that-s-your-nature-but-don-t-lend-it/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“I follow the Law—the Most Excellent Law.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/i-follow-the-law-the-most-excellent-law/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Brothers and Sisters, I bid you beware Of giving your heart to a dog to tear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/brothers-and-sisters-i-bid-you-beware-of-giving-your-heart-to-a-dog/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [O it's Tommy this, and Tommy that, and Tommy 'ow's your soul/But it's thin red line of heroes when the drums begin to roll.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/o-it-s-tommy-this-and-tommy-that-and-tommy-ow-s-your-soul-but-it-s/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Believe the best of everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/believe-the-best-of-everybody/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Oh, Adam was a gardener, and God who made him sees That half a proper gardener's work is done upon his knees, So when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/oh-adam-was-a-gardener-and-god-who-made-him-sees-that-half-a-proper/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Adam was a gardener, and God, who made him, sees that half of all good gardening is done upon the knees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/adam-was-a-gardener-and-god-who-made-him-sees-that-half-of-all-good/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Call a truce, then, to our labors - let us feast with friends and neighbors, and be merry as the custom of our caste;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/call-a-truce-then-to-our-labors-let-us-feast-with-friends-and/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [No one accuses the gunner of maudlin affection for anything except his beasts and his weapons. He serves as least three jealous gods-his horse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/no-one-accuses-the-gunner-of-maudlin-affection-for-anything-except/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“One of these days, Strickland is going to write a little book on his experiences. That book will be worth buying; and even more,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/one-of-these-days-strickland-is-going-to-write-a-little-book-on-his/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“Good work does not matter, because a man is judged by his worst output and another man takes all the credit of his best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/good-work-does-not-matter-because-a-man-is-judged-by-his-worst-output/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“Those who kill snakes get killed by snakes, said Chuchundra, more sorrowfully than ever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/those-who-kill-snakes-get-killed-by-snakes-said-chuchundra-more/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“Like everything else in the world, it is one man's work.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/like-everything-else-in-the-world-it-is-one-man-s-work/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“Father Wolf looked on amazed. He had almost forgotten the days when he won Mother Wolf in fair fight from five other wolves, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/father-wolf-looked-on-amazed-he-had-almost-forgotten-the-days-when-he/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [If you want something and don't get it, there are only two reasons. You either really didn't want it, or you tried to bargain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/if-you-want-something-and-don-t-get-it-there-are-only-two-reasons-you/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) [Explore all 491 Rudyard Kipling quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) ## More Grateful quotes > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) [Adam Ant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ant/) > [Don't be bitter. Everybody suffers. If you can accept your suffering then you will understand other people better. Be grateful for pain. Love life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/don-t-be-bitter-everybody-suffers-if-you-can-accept-your-suffering/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [Man has an almost infinite capacity for taking things and people for granted and thereby missing out on the pleasure of being grateful that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/man-has-an-almost-infinite-capacity-for-taking-things-and-people-for/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [Obviously I'm very grateful 'Bad Guy' is doing so well - it's shocking and surprising and gratifying - but I do think it's important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finneas/obviously-i-m-very-grateful-bad-guy-is-doing-so-well-it-s-shocking/) [Finneas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finneas/) > [Dear God, I trust that no matter what happens in my life, it is for my highest good. And no matter what happens in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jeffers/dear-god-i-trust-that-no-matter-what-happens-in-my-life-it-is-for-my/) [Susan Jeffers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jeffers/) > [Kenny G, I have to be grateful to him for proving that the instrument can be played all different kinds of ways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-lacy/kenny-g-i-have-to-be-grateful-to-him-for-proving-that-the-instrument/) [Steve Lacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-lacy/) > [Our nation's promise to have veterans' backs must extend to their families, who for their own service and sacrifices, deserve the full support of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-kim/our-nation-s-promise-to-have-veterans-backs-must-extend-to-their/) [Andy Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-kim/) > [“I'm grateful you entrusted me with them. But the day will come when someone will knock the sails out of you. She'll shatter every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senayda-pierre/i-m-grateful-you-entrusted-me-with-them-but-the-day-will-come-when/) [Senayda Pierre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senayda-pierre/) > [Cooking brings me so much joy. I love everything, down to the execution of the plate to picking out fresh ingredients at the market.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-budig/cooking-brings-me-so-much-joy-i-love-everything-down-to-the-execution/) [Kathryn Budig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-budig/) > [I'm just grateful to people who are willing to admit how bad things feel for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-furman/i-m-just-grateful-to-people-who-are-willing-to-admit-how-bad-things/) [Ezra Furman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-furman/) > [Together, we must prioritize the wellbeing of those who have selflessly served our nation. This is the least that a grateful nation can do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-n-green/together-we-must-prioritize-the-wellbeing-of-those-who-have/) [Al N. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-n-green/) > [I am persuaded that there is no affection of the human heart more exquisitely pure, than that which is felt by a grateful son…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-more/i-am-persuaded-that-there-is-no-affection-of-the-human-heart-more/) [Hannah More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-more/) > [Often I'm told I'm an inspiration to people which I will forever be grateful for. But the reality is that I'm only able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lizzie-velasquez/often-i-m-told-i-m-an-inspiration-to-people-which-i-will-forever-be/) [Lizzie Velasquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lizzie-velasquez/) > [Love your family. Love your country. Never stop learning... And always look back and be grateful to where you came from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gokongwei/love-your-family-love-your-country-never-stop-learning-and-always/) [John Gokongwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gokongwei/) > [I'm grateful to Kroger for investing in our community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-e-james/i-m-grateful-to-kroger-for-investing-in-our-community/) [John E. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-e-james/) [Browse all 4,100 Grateful quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grateful/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“But no sooner had he walked to the city wall than the monkeys pulled him back, telling him that he did not know how happy he was, and pinching him to make him grateful.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rudyard Kipling" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/but-no-sooner-had-he-walked-to-the-city-wall-than-the-monkeys-pulled/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Grateful" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/but-no-sooner-had-he-walked-to-the-city-wall-than-the-monkeys-pulled/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68d/rudyard-kipling-527_grateful_but-no-sooner-had-he-walked-to-the-city_1711713.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68d/rudyard-kipling-527_grateful_but-no-sooner-had-he-walked-to-the-city_1711713.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68d/rudyard-kipling-527_grateful_but-no-sooner-had-he-walked-to-the-city_1711713.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“But no sooner had he walked to the city wall than the monkeys pulled him back, telling him that he did not…” — Rudyard Kipling", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Rudyard Kipling", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“But no sooner had he walked...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/but-no-sooner-had-he-walked-to-the-city-wall-than-the-monkeys-pulled/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/but-no-sooner-had-he-walked-to-the-city-wall-than-the-monkeys-pulled/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```