It was just after dawn in the peaceful countryside of Kampong Phluk, where the soft sound of roosters crowing filled the morning air. Cutis, a cheerful and clever man with a wide smile and a heart even bigger than the coconuts he harvested, was preparing for a busy day. He glanced at the small cradle next to his hammock, where a newborn baby monkey named Momo curled up, sleeping peacefully.
Momo had been rescued only a week ago. She was found alone, her mother likely taken by poachers. Cutis couldn’t let her fend for herself. He decided right away: he would take care of her like his own.
But taking care of a baby monkey meant more responsibilities. Momo needed milk. Fresh milk. And to buy that, Cutis needed money.
That’s where the coconuts came in.
The Big Coconut Harvest
Cutis attached his rickety blue rickshaw to the back of his old bicycle and pedaled toward the coconut grove at the edge of the village. The trees stood tall, waving their massive fronds as if cheering him on.
He climbed up the tallest tree with the confidence of someone who had done it a thousand times. With his machete slung over his shoulder and a rope around his waist, he reached the top, inspecting each coconut carefully.
“Ah! This one big like a buffalo head!” he laughed, slicing the stem.
One by one, the coconuts dropped to the ground with soft thuds. By mid-morning, his rickshaw was loaded with at least thirty, some weighing nearly 2kg each.
Heading to the Market
With his cargo tied tightly and a sun hat on his head, Cutis set off toward the local market. The road was bumpy and narrow, but he whistled the whole way. People waved as he passed.
“Hey Cutis! Selling coconuts again?”
“Yes, yes! Big ones today! Come early if you want best price!”
By the time he reached the market, the sun was high in the sky. He parked beside his usual spot near the lotus pond and displayed his coconuts proudly.
One by one, customers arrived. Some wanted coconut water. Some wanted the meat for cooking. One lady even bought four just to use as decorations for her son’s birthday party.
In just under two hours, Cutis sold every single coconut.
The Milk for Momo
With his earnings tucked safely in a cloth pouch, Cutis headed straight to the little grocery stall run by Auntie Chan.
“Cutis! Good sales today?”
“Yes, very lucky. I need goat milk, please. Fresh one, for baby.”
Auntie Chan smiled. She knew about Momo.
“You’re a kind soul, Cutis. Take two bottles. On the house for the little one.”
Cutis bowed with gratitude. “Auntie, may you live a hundred years. Thank you!”
He placed the milk gently in his rickshaw and hurried home.
Feeding Time
Back in the shade of his bamboo hut, Momo was starting to fuss. She was hungry.
Cutis warmed the milk slightly, then poured it into a small bottle with a soft nipple. As he cradled her in his lap, she opened her tiny eyes and latched on to the bottle immediately.
“There you go, little star. Drink up. Strong monkey must grow.”
Her tiny fingers clutched at his shirt as she drank. Her tail wrapped around his wrist. It was a quiet, magical moment.
A Village Hero
Word of Cutis and Momo spread quickly. Children came by to see the baby monkey. Neighbors brought bananas and blankets.
“You treat her like your own baby,” one elder said.
“She is. She has no one else.”
People admired Cutis not just for his hard work, but for his heart.
Every day after that, Cutis kept the same routine. Harvest coconuts, sell them, buy milk, care for Momo. And every day, she grew stronger. Her eyes got brighter. Her tiny leaps turned into little jumps.
Soon, she was climbing his shoulders, stealing his hat, and riding in the rickshaw like royalty.
The Bond Grows
Cutis even made a tiny hammock for Momo beside his own. At night, she would curl up close to his arm, and he would hum lullabies from his childhood.
One evening, as they sat watching the sunset by the riverbank, Cutis said softly, “You know, Momo, you saved me too. Life was quiet before. Now, every day has purpose.”
Momo chattered in response, then rested her head against his chest.
A Beautiful Tomorrow
Weeks turned into months. Momo grew fast. Cutis taught her how to hold a coconut, how to balance on tree branches, even how to hand things to people.
He never stopped selling coconuts. He never stopped feeding her. But now, their trips to the market became a shared adventure.
Everyone knew them.
“There go Cutis and the Coconut Monkey!”
And every time someone asked why he went to all that trouble, Cutis would smile and say,
“Because love, like coconuts, is meant to be shared.”
Final Thought
Cutis never planned to become a parent. Especially not to a monkey. But life has a way of surprising us with joy in the most unexpected forms. Through coconuts, a rickshaw, a little milk, and a whole lot of heart, Cutis found purpose. And Momo found a family.
In a world full of noise and speed, sometimes the quiet story of a man and a monkey is just what we need to remember the power of kindness and care.
The End.
