





In the peaceful countryside of a small village, a little monkey named Lala lived with her mother and a kind-hearted farmer named Cutis. Life had always been full of gentle rhythmsâsunrise breakfasts, playful afternoons, and cozy evenings. Lala had been the center of attention, adored by her mom and cherished by Cutis, who often fed her juicy fruits and tickled her until she squealed with laughter.
But something had changed.
Cutis had recently rescued another baby monkey, one that was smaller, weaker, and clearly in need of care. The new arrivalâwhom Cutis named Luâwas frightened and clung tightly to anyone who showed kindness. Lala had been curious at first, watching from the tree branches as Cutis gently carried Lu in his arms and fed him milk from a tiny bottle. But what made Lalaâs heart twist was how her own mother began to act.
At first, Lala didnât think much of it. Her mom had always been loving, always there. But now, whenever she reached for her mom, the arms that used to wrap tightly around her were holding Lu instead. When Lala would call for her, her mom would glance overâbut only brieflyâbefore turning her attention back to the new baby.
Lala felt invisible.
She watched as Lu snuggled close to her motherâs chest, nestled in the very spot where she used to rest. She watched her mom gently stroke Luâs head, whispering soft monkey murmurs to comfort him. It was a sight Lala had seen many times beforeâbut she had always been the one receiving that love.
One afternoon, as golden sunlight filtered through the banana leaves, Lala sat alone on a low branch. Her eyes were fixed on the ground where Cutis and her mom played with Lu. Her tiny hands clutched a wilted banana flowerâher favorite toyâbut even that didnât bring comfort now.
Cutis noticed the change in her. He saw how Lala no longer leapt into his arms with the same excitement. She no longer chirped or giggled when he offered her a treat. Instead, she sat quietly, her tail curled tightly around herself, her eyes wide and sad.






âLala?â Cutis whispered gently, crouching near her. He reached out, but Lala pulled back just slightly. She didnât want to be angryâshe loved Cutisâbut something heavy was pressing on her little heart.
Cutis knew what was wrong. He could feel it. And though he loved Lu deeply and knew the little one needed a lot of attention, he also understood that Lala was grieving something she couldnât explain.
She wasnât just jealousâshe was heartbroken.
That night, under the stars, Lala curled up alone on a soft blanket near the porch. She could hear her mother humming gently to Lu, who was already asleep. Tears welled up in Lalaâs eyes. She remembered when her mother used to hum her to sleep, her warm body wrapped around Lala like a promise.
Now it felt like she had been replaced.
The next morning, Cutis had a plan. He gently approached Lala with her favorite snackâa ripe mangoâand placed it beside her. But instead of walking away, he sat beside her, patiently waiting. Lala hesitated, but eventually crept toward the mango and began to nibble. Cutis didnât touch her, didnât force anythingâhe just sat there, humming softly.
Then, slowly, he pulled out something from his pocket: a soft red ribbon that used to be tied around Lalaâs wrist when she was smaller. He gently reached out and tied it back on. âYouâre still special,â he whispered. âYou always will be.â








That small gesture brought a tiny spark back to Lalaâs eyes.
Later that day, something unexpected happened. Lu, the baby monkey, toddled over to where Lala sat. He looked up at her with big, innocent eyes and reached out a tiny hand. At first, Lala hesitated, unsure of what to do. But then she remembered what it felt like to be the one who needed love. Slowly, cautiously, she reached out and touched his hand.
Her mother watched from a short distance. A look of relief crossed her faceâperhaps she hadnât realized just how deeply Lala had been hurting. She walked over and gently pulled both babies close, wrapping her arms around them. For the first time in days, Lala felt that warmth againâthe warmth of her motherâs love, now shared but still present.




Cutis smiled as he watched them, his heart full.
From that moment on, things began to change. Lala still had moments when she felt unsure, but slowly she began to understand: her mother hadnât stopped loving her. She was just trying to care for another little one who needed help. There was room for all of them.
Days passed, and Lala and Lu started playing togetherâchasing butterflies, sharing bananas, and cuddling under Cutisâs old straw hat when it rained. Cutis often laughed as he watched the two tumble around the garden like playful shadows.
Still, some nights, Lala would climb onto Cutisâs lap and snuggle close, looking up at the stars. He would stroke her back and whisper, âYouâre brave, little one. And your heart? Itâs the biggest of all.â
And as Lala drifted off to sleep in his arms, she realized something important: love didnât shrink when it was shared. In fact, it grew biggerâso big it could hold her, Lu, her mom, and Cutis, all in one warm embrace.