Beware the fist under the elbow begins as you start to rotate your torso at the waist, around to the left (W), lifting your right heel to do so (9), then pivoting on the ball of your right foot, turning it towards the left (W), until both feet are again parallel and pointing North, when your right heel lowers back down to the floor again (11).  As you turn your torso, your arms remain positioned as before, moving as one.  At about the point where you start pivoting on the ball of your right foot, the right hand, up to now with the fingertips formed as a beak, pointing downwards, begins to relax that pose by flattening out the hand: palm down, fingers out. (9)  The left hand remains in the same pose throughout the rotation: palm away, fingers upward. [W= even]
     As your right heel lowers, raise your left toes up (11) and pivot on your left heel [W= 60L] in that same direction (W) (11-14) until your left foot points West (now at a 90° angle to the right foot, which points North.)  As you pivot the left foot, you continue to rotate your entire torso from the waist, until you yourself are facing due West, and you rest your left toes to the floor again. (14) [W=70L]  
     Next, your weight further shifts [W= 80L] onto your left leg, and you lift up (16) your right heel [W= 90L], then toe [W= 100L]¹, and swing your right leg a comfortable, yet considerable, distance to the right (N), placing it to the North of (to the right of) your left leg,² and setting down the right foot, toe first (17) [W= 90L], then heel (18) [W= 70L], pointing it (NW) at about a 45° angle to the left foot (W).
     Simultaneously to the swing of your right foot to your right side, your torso is nearing completion of its 135° ro- tation to the left.  As you finish turning, your left arm begins to bend more at the elbow (17-18), bringing the palm (still facing away from you, fingers upward) up higher until the left fingertips are at about eye level (18); by bending your right elbow more and more, the right hand, palm down, fingers out, arcs further and further leftward until it has almost completely swung [W= 60L] to a position underneath your left elbow, turning the right palm facing inward as it arrives there, at about shoulder height. (19)
     As your right hand is arcing to your left elbow, your left hand turns from facing its palm away (W) to facing the right side (N).  As the right hand arrives under the left elbow, both it and the left hand take the shape of a fist; the two arms are at a 90° angle to each other, the left up (vertical), and the right across the chest (horizontal).  The back of your right fist points forward (W), while the back of your left fist points to your left (S). (20) 
     As your right hand reaches your left elbow, your left foot begins to raise back on its heel again (18-20), continuing the shift in balance from your left side back onto your right side.
[W= even].

Monkey offering fruit (left hand)    (21 through 27)

     In Monkey offering fruit, your weight continues to shift to your right side [W= 60R] as you lift your left toes more (21) and sink down at the waist a bit (22).  At this point your left fist opens, aiming your left palm toward the right corner(NE), its fingers upward and to the right.  Rotate at your waist in that direction (N), carrying your self, as one: head, arms, torso. [W= 70R]  Your left elbow starts to unbend as you move to your right (22) [W= 80R], lowering your left hand from its vertical position into one almost horizontal (23) as you face the corner (NW).  Your right hand remains in a fist here, nestled under your left elbow still, lightly supporting it.
     Next, rotate your torso in an arc, forward (W) and left (S), as you again shift your weight [W= 60R] back onto your left side, and start to lower your left foot back down again. (23)  As your left hand arcs leftward, your left
palm turns from facing NE to facing more upward toward the ceiling. (24-27)
[W= even]
     Monkey offering fruit concludes with your left toes resting back down again firmly against the floor (26) as you finish your rotation leftward (S) with your left hand pointing just to the left side of your left shoulder (W/SW) at about shoulder level, your right fist still resting beneath your left elbow, and your left palm slightly facing upward and to your right (N).³  Your feet are both firmly grounded, with your left foot, pointing due West, comfortably ahead (W) of your right foot. Your right foot is at about a 45° angle to your left foot, aiming toward the corner (NW).  Your left kneecap is aligned directly above (but, in no case further out than) your left toes. (27) [W= 70L]

         ~   ~   ~   ~   ~

(Remember to keep your knees and elbows at least slightly bent and your behind tucked in throughout the set.)

(If at all possible, it is suggested that someone read the text to you - or record it on a tape and play it back - while you slowly practice the form...and slowly is the best way to practice.)

notes:

¹   Here you are completely weighted on the left side; the only way to lift one leg up off of the ground is to have all of your weight balanced on the other leg. _go back_

²   Before the swing, your right leg is to the left of (to the south of) your left leg.  This swing signals the beginning of shifting your weight fully back onto your right side. _go back_

³   At this point, your left palm is just starting to face the N/NW direction (your right), marking the beginning of the next posture, Monkey moving backwards. _go back_
              
                        The links back to the above footnote numbers will only return you to
                                       the very first use of that number in the above text,
                   not to the subsequent references on this page to the same footnote number.