Stories from the 60's and 70's when I was at a beginning reader age were mostly like this - much harsher and straightforward. The lesson, of course, is stay with the responsible adult if you don't want to get into trouble, deal with unkind, punitive strangers and end up injuring yourself in the process. When I read the Grimm's fairy tales, etc., to the kids, I just always made sure to give some context ... you know, when these stories were told, parents were so worried about something happening to their kids that they often created tales that ...
Your kid's question about where the monkey came from reminds me of my daughter's question in first grade when the teacher was giving the students their first ultra-glossed science lesson about the Big Bang. "And were did all the matter come from that went bang?" Our kids... I love the way their minds work.
