I was reading my book while sitting next to the orangutan's cage in the zoo, when a small, brown female sidled up and engaged me in conversation.

"Do you know," she said as she adjusted her jaunty cap, "My fiance is coming to visit today?"

I looked up from my book and smiled at the elfin face watching me intently with big, brown eyes. It had been a while since I had communicated with animals, and I was delighted that the opportunity had arisen again.

The little Orangutan went on,

"He is very clever and doesn't like to be regarded as just a general run of the mill type of chimpanzee "

I knew I needed to show I was impressed, so I nodded and smiled at the headgear she wore.

"Does he like to wear hats too?" I asked.

"Oh yes, he makes them himself out of anything he can find. Newspaper, or a hessian bag, he is so versatile. The keepers get him to make hats for them too."

"Did he make the one you're wearing?" I asked .

Her face lit up as she answered

"No,it was a present from his keeper and he gave it to me but I didn't wear it at first, because one of the baboons said it made my bum look too big. "

She sniggered as she went on

"At least mine isn't bright red."

I laughed at the way her little face registered disgust and she laughed with me.

"Horace said she was just jealous because all they have over there are ripped up paper bags and they aren't any good to make things with."

"Horace?"

"Yes, Horace is his name. The keepers say he is a real gentleman, and THEY should know. In fact I have been informed that he is the very epitome of simian chivalry."

I must have looked suitably impressed because she came over to the perimeter and said, with a faraway look in her soft brown eyes.

"The definition of a gentleman monkey is a monkey that doesn't monkey with another monkey's monkey. And that," she said with a note of triumph, "Is my Horace to a 'T.""