It was another bright afternoon on the farm where CUTIS lived with his animal friends. The ducks waddled around the pond, chickens pecked at the ground, and the air carried the sweet smell of ripe bananas from the trees nearby. Among all the animals, the closest to CUTIS was a lively baby monkey who loved to follow him everywhere. They ate together, played hide and seek in the barn, and even napped side by side.
But on this particular day, something unusual happened—something so strange that it made the baby monkey more confused than ever.
CUTIS, always known for his funny and kind-hearted nature, decided to test a little “game.” He wanted to see how the baby monkey would react if he acted in a very strange way. So, with a mischievous grin, he began his plan.
First, CUTIS stood in the middle of the yard, staring up at the sky with his mouth wide open. He stretched his arms out like a scarecrow and let out a long, “Ooooooohhh…” sound. The baby monkey tilted his head to the side, clutching a banana in his tiny hands. He had no idea what CUTIS was doing.
“Eeee-eee?” the monkey chirped curiously.
CUTIS then started hopping on one leg, spinning in circles, and waving his hands as if shooing away invisible bees. He even pretended to trip over a rock and rolled dramatically on the ground. The ducks stopped quacking and stared. The chickens froze in mid-peck. And the baby monkey? His little eyes grew wide with worry.
Was CUTIS sick? Was he being attacked by something the monkey couldn’t see?
The baby monkey squealed and ran closer, tugging at CUTIS’s sleeve, as if to say, “Stop it! What’s wrong with you?” But CUTIS only made things stranger. He crawled on all fours, stuck his tongue out, and barked like a dog. Then he suddenly stood up tall and let out a loud “Moo!” like a cow.
The baby monkey gasped. He quickly scampered away, jumping onto the wooden fence and looking back nervously. He wasn’t sure if this was still his friend or some strange creature that had replaced him.
CUTIS noticed the monkey’s worried face and chuckled, but instead of stopping, he decided to play along further. He put a basket on his head like a helmet and began marching back and forth like a soldier. He tapped a stick against the ground, saluting the chickens as though they were generals.
The farm animals burst into chaos. The ducks flapped their wings, quacking in alarm. The chickens clucked and scattered into the coop. The baby monkey, overwhelmed by the madness, finally screamed and dashed off toward the farmhouse.
Inside the house, “Mom”—the kind woman who often cared for CUTIS and the baby monkey—was busy preparing lunch. She heard the monkey’s panicked cries and quickly rushed outside. The baby monkey tugged at her hand, jumping up and down, pointing toward the yard where CUTIS continued his bizarre parade with the basket on his head.
Mom followed the monkey’s finger and burst out laughing. “Oh, CUTIS! What on earth are you doing?” she exclaimed, wiping tears from her eyes.
But the baby monkey wasn’t laughing. He clung tightly to Mom’s leg, as if begging her to rescue CUTIS from his strange condition. Mom crouched down, hugging the monkey. “Don’t worry, little one. CUTIS is just playing a silly game.”
CUTIS finally removed the basket from his head and grinned. “Got you, didn’t I?” he said, walking toward them. But the monkey wasn’t convinced. He sniffed CUTIS’s hands, climbed onto his shoulder, and peered closely into his eyes as if searching for the real CUTIS hidden somewhere inside.
The confusion made everyone giggle. Even the ducks, now calmer, waddled back to the pond, shaking their tails as if laughing too.
Mom patted CUTIS on the back. “You really scared him, you know. Look at his face—he thought something terrible happened to you.”
CUTIS crouched down to the baby monkey’s level and gently scratched behind his ear. “I’m sorry, little buddy. I was only trying to make you laugh.”
The monkey puffed his cheeks and crossed his arms, pretending to be upset. But after a moment, CUTIS made a silly face—puckering his lips, squinting one eye, and making a “blop-blop” sound with his tongue. That finally cracked the monkey’s seriousness. He burst into giggles, covering his face with both hands before climbing into CUTIS’s arms.
The two hugged tightly, their bond stronger than ever.
Still, Mom shook her head with a smile. “Next time, CUTIS, maybe don’t act so strange. You nearly gave your little friend a heart attack.”
CUTIS chuckled. “Alright, I promise. No more soldier marches or cow noises—at least not without warning.”
That night, as the farm grew quiet under the silver moon, the baby monkey curled up beside CUTIS, refusing to leave his side. It was as if he wanted to make sure that CUTIS didn’t suddenly start acting strange again.
CUTIS whispered softly, “Don’t worry, I’ll always be your friend, no matter how silly I act.”
The baby monkey yawned, snuggled closer, and finally drifted into peaceful sleep. CUTIS watched the little one’s chest rise and fall, and he smiled warmly. It felt good to know that even his strangest actions couldn’t break the trust between them—if anything, they made it stronger.
From that day forward, whenever CUTIS tried to act funny, the baby monkey was ready. Instead of being confused or scared, he would join in. Sometimes he copied CUTIS’s silly marches, other times he mimicked the cow “Moo!” or the barking dog sounds. Together, they turned the farm into a stage of endless laughter, making even the grumpy rooster chuckle at dawn.
The memory of that first strange day, when CUTIS’s antics had sent the monkey running for help, became a favorite story on the farm. Mom often retold it to visitors, saying, “That was the day CUTIS taught us all that laughter, even if it starts with confusion, brings hearts closer.”
And indeed, it was true—because no matter how silly or strange CUTIS behaved, the baby monkey had learned one important lesson: behind all the odd actions was a friend who loved him dearly.
