BiBi was curled up under the shade of the big mango tree, eyes shut tight, breathing slow and steady—anyone passing by would assume he was fast asleep. But BiBi was no ordinary napper. Behind those closed eyelids, he was listening carefully, keeping an ear out for LaLa’s latest scheme.
LaLa, ever the energetic little monkey, had been whispering and giggling all morning. She’d been gathering sticks, ropes, and a rickety old basket, clearly up to something. BiBi knew her well—if LaLa was being quiet, something mischievous was brewing.
Sure enough, she tiptoed past BiBi, not realizing he was only pretending to sleep. With her tools in hand, she made her way toward the fruit grove just beyond the clearing. Her target? The juiciest bananas and ripest papayas hanging high above.
LaLa’s plan was surprisingly well thought out. She had tied sticks together to make a long reaching pole, with a hook at the end for twisting off the fruit. She’d even brought a blanket to catch whatever might fall. As she worked with intense focus, BiBi couldn’t help but crack open one eye, then quickly shut it again when she glanced his way.
Minutes passed, and LaLa’s plan was working! She’d already harvested two bananas and one papaya, all without making much noise. Just as she was reaching for a stubborn mango, her pole slipped, and the fruit fell—landing with a loud thud right near BiBi’s tail.
Startled, LaLa gasped. BiBi stretched, yawned dramatically, and sat up as if waking from a deep slumber.
“Oh? What’s going on here?” he asked innocently, though a smirk played on his lips.
LaLa froze, then giggled. “You were faking it, weren’t you?”
BiBi laughed, finally giving in. “I just wanted to see how far you’d get without my help.”
The two monkeys burst into laughter, and before long, they were harvesting fruit together—LaLa with her clever tools, and BiBi with his height and strength. The plan may have started solo, but the harvest ended up being a team effort—and twice as fun.
