Morning sunlight filtered through the bamboo curtains of the small countryside home where CUTIS, the kind-hearted farmer, lived with his unusual but beloved companion — a lively baby monkey. Their life was filled with laughter, playful surprises, and small schemes that kept every day far from ordinary.
One cool morning, while CUTIS prepared his tools to head out to the rice fields, the baby monkey noticed something. Dad looked tired. He had been working long hours under the sun, carrying bundles of rice, fixing fences, and taking care of the ducks and chickens. The baby monkey’s little heart was full of love and concern. He didn’t want Dad to push himself too hard.
But what could a tiny monkey do to keep Dad at home?
The baby monkey’s eyes sparkled mischievously as he clutched CUTIS’s pant leg. “Eee-eee!” he cried, tugging for attention. CUTIS knelt down and rubbed the monkey’s furry head.
“What’s wrong, little one?” CUTIS asked gently. “Dad has to go to work today. The rice won’t take care of itself.”
The monkey tilted his head, eyes rolling as though an idea had just popped into his mind. He wrapped both arms around his belly and gave a dramatic whimper. Then, he lay flat on the floor, sticking his tongue out as though he were terribly ill.
CUTIS blinked in surprise, then chuckled softly. “Are you… pretending to be sick?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.
The baby monkey coughed — a very fake cough — and then covered his eyes with his little hands. It was clear he was acting. CUTIS sighed, shaking his head with a smile. “You naughty fellow. Do you really think this will keep me from going to the field?”
The monkey peeked through his fingers, nodding quickly. He didn’t say words, but his gestures spoke volumes: Yes, Dad. Stay home. Play with me. Rest a little.
CUTIS sat down cross-legged beside him, looking deeply into the monkey’s big brown eyes. “Listen, little one,” he said. “Work is important. If I don’t go, we won’t have rice for the season. The ducks won’t have enough grain. The market won’t have vegetables to sell. We can’t just stop.”
The monkey frowned, ears drooping. He threw his tiny arms around CUTIS’s neck, clinging tightly. It was as if he were saying: But I don’t care about rice or market. I only care about you, Dad.
Moved by the baby monkey’s affection, CUTIS sighed again and hugged him back. “Alright, let’s discuss this,” he said, pretending they were equals in a serious meeting. “If you pretend to be sick, what happens? I stay home. The field waits. The weeds grow. We have less food. That’s not good, right?”
The monkey tapped his chin, pretending to think. Then, he shook his head stubbornly.
“Okay,” CUTIS continued, smiling at the monkey’s determination. “But what if Dad gets too tired from working every single day? Then who will play with you in the evenings? Who will sing you songs before bed?”
The monkey’s eyes widened. He hadn’t thought of that! His little plan to keep Dad home might actually make things worse if Dad was exhausted later.
Still, the monkey didn’t give up. He rolled dramatically on the floor again, clutching his belly as though he were in agony. CUTIS laughed so hard he nearly fell over.
“You are too clever for your own good,” CUTIS said, patting the monkey’s back. “But I know you don’t want me to go because you love me. And that,” he added, “makes me the luckiest Dad in the world.”
The monkey squealed happily at those words.
CUTIS thought for a moment. “Alright, I have an idea. Instead of pretending to be sick, why don’t we make a deal? I’ll go to work this morning, but I’ll come back early. Then, we’ll spend the whole afternoon together. We can cook bananas, play by the river, and maybe even visit the market. How does that sound?”
The monkey tilted his head, weighing the offer like a little negotiator. CUTIS reached into his pocket and pulled out a tiny mango slice he had saved. “And if you let me go now,” CUTIS teased, “this mango is yours.”
The monkey snatched the mango eagerly, chomping away while nodding. His fake sickness was forgotten instantly. CUTIS chuckled. “See? A healthy monkey after all!”
With the baby monkey perched on his shoulder, CUTIS carried his tools to the field. Along the way, the monkey occasionally pretended to cough, just to see if CUTIS would change his mind. But CUTIS only shook his head with a grin, reminding him: “Patience, little one. The sooner I finish, the sooner I’m back.”
At the rice field, CUTIS worked diligently while the monkey played nearby, chasing butterflies and splashing water from the paddies. Every now and then, he’d look back at CUTIS, as though making sure Dad wasn’t working too hard.
True to his promise, CUTIS wrapped up earlier than usual. The monkey clapped his hands excitedly when he saw Dad putting away his tools. On the way home, they bought sweet bananas at the market, and the monkey proudly carried the bag as if he had contributed to the day’s success.
That afternoon, CUTIS kept his word. They cooked, played, and rested under the shade of a mango tree. The monkey climbed up and dropped fruits into CUTIS’s hands, while CUTIS peeled them and shared slices. Laughter filled the air.
Before bed, as CUTIS tucked the monkey into his soft blanket, he whispered: “See, my little one, we don’t need to pretend to be sick to be together. All we need is love and balance. Work in the morning, play in the afternoon. That way, we both stay happy.”
The monkey, already half-asleep, curled into CUTIS’s arms and gave a contented sigh. His earlier plan of pretending sick seemed silly now. What mattered most was that Dad listened, understood, and gave him time.
And so, CUTIS and the baby monkey learned something important that day: sometimes, love isn’t about stopping someone from doing their duty — it’s about finding ways to share time together without taking away what needs to be done.
From then on, the baby monkey no longer pretended to be sick. Instead, whenever CUTIS prepared for work, the monkey would wave him off cheerfully, knowing that soon after, they’d share laughter, games, and stories again.
