Monkey Lyly had always been a little ball of energy—curious, playful, and always up to something. But when hunger hit her that day, it sparked a moment no one, especially her mother, could have imagined.
It was a slow afternoon in the jungle, and the sun was high above the trees. Mama Monkey was resting peacefully on a large branch, eyes half-closed, enjoying the breeze. Little did she know, Lyly was rummaging around the base of the tree, stomach growling louder by the minute. She had already eaten her snack earlier, but it hadn’t been enough. She needed more—and fast.
In her desperate search, Lyly stumbled across something strange: a small food basket Mama had tucked away for dinner. It was carefully hidden behind leaves and twigs, but Lyly’s hungry nose found it instantly. Without a second thought, she opened it and gobbled down everything—bananas, berries, even the sweet treats Mama had saved for a special occasion.
Minutes later, Mama climbed down to check on Lyly and gasped at the sight of the empty basket. Her mouth dropped open. “Lyly! What did you do?!”
Lyly looked up with innocent eyes and a berry-stained mouth, unsure how to respond. “I was just… really hungry, Mama.”
Mama Monkey stood in stunned silence, not angry, but completely caught off guard. “That was for our dinner, baby! And those coconut cookies were for Uncle Cubis’ birthday!”
Realizing what she had done, Lyly’s face fell. “I didn’t know… I’m sorry, Mama.”
But then, Mama couldn’t help but laugh. It was impossible to stay mad at her baby, especially when Lyly offered her the last crumb she had saved. “Next time,” Mama said with a smile, “we ask first… no matter how hungry we are.”
That day, Monkey Lyly learned an important lesson—and Mama learned to hide the food basket just a little bit better.
