In the heart of the jungle, Poki the young monkey loved spending time with his mom. She always cuddled him before bedtime, scratched behind his ears, and sang the sweetest lullabies. He felt safe, happy, and special.
One warm morning, everything changed.
Poki returned from playing in the banana grove and stopped in his tracks. There, in their favorite cuddle spot, sat his mom—and in her arms was Pupu, his baby cousin! Mom was rocking Pupu gently and whispering softly, just like she used to do with Poki.
Poki’s heart sank. His eyes narrowed, and his tail drooped. “Why is she getting my cuddles?” he thought.
Without saying a word, Poki climbed to a low branch nearby and crossed his arms. He didn’t want to talk. He didn’t want to smile. He just felt…left out.
His mom noticed. “Poki?” she called softly. “What’s the matter, sweetie?”
“You don’t cuddle me anymore,” Poki mumbled, avoiding her eyes. “You only love Pupu now.”
His mom looked surprised, then gently placed Pupu in a little nest of leaves nearby. She climbed up to Poki’s branch and sat beside him.
“Oh, Poki,” she said, pulling him into a warm hug. “I love you just as much as always. Pupu’s just a baby and needs help right now, like you did when you were little. But you will always be my Poki—my big, brave monkey.”
Poki leaned into her hug, his jealousy starting to melt away. “So… you still have time for cuddles with me?”
She smiled and gave him a big squeeze. “Always. And now you get something special too—you get to be the awesome big cousin who helps teach Pupu how to swing, climb, and laugh.”
Poki grinned. That didn’t sound too bad.
From then on, Poki still got his cuddles—but now, he also had a new friend to share adventures with.
