It was a bright and peaceful afternoon, and little Cubis the monkey was feeling extra curious. As usual, he followed Dad around the kitchen, watching closely as he prepared lunch. Everything smelled delicious, and Cubis couldn’t help but climb up on the counter to sneak a better view.
But then—CRASH!
In a blink, Cubis had accidentally knocked over a ceramic bowl with his tail. It tumbled to the floor and shattered into dozens of tiny pieces. The room went silent. Cubis froze, eyes wide, mouth slightly open in pure shock. His little hands flew up to cover his face, and he let out a panicked squeak.
“Oh no… oh no… I didn’t mean to!” he seemed to say as he scurried off the counter and hid behind the kitchen stool. His heart pounded, and he peeked out nervously, waiting to see if Dad was upset.
But instead of yelling, Dad walked over calmly, looked at the broken bowl, and then turned to Cubis with a gentle smile. “Hey, buddy. Accidents happen.”
Cubis blinked in surprise. Was he… not in trouble?
Dad knelt down and held out his hand. “Come on, let’s clean this up together.”
Slowly, Cubis crept out from his hiding spot, still looking guilty. He watched as Dad carefully swept up the broken pieces, and then handed him a soft cloth to help wipe the floor. Cubis helped the best he could, determined to make things right.
When the mess was gone, Dad gave Cubis a reassuring pat on the head. “See? No big deal. It’s just a bowl. I’m glad you’re okay.”
Cubis’s face lit up with relief. He jumped into Dad’s arms, wrapping him in a grateful monkey hug.
From that day on, Cubis learned two important things: to be more careful near the dishes—and that love and understanding matter far more than any broken bowl.
