The day was bright, the air warm, and the old mango tree in the middle of the village yard was alive with laughter and playful chatter. This tree was more than just a shady spot—it was the playground for three little monkeys who loved spending every afternoon together: Pu, Bon, and Kevin.
Pu was the smallest of the three, with a round face, twinkling eyes, and a mischievous grin that warned everyone trouble was never far behind. Bon, slightly bigger, was calmer but easily coaxed into silly games. Kevin, the oldest, considered himself the “leader” of the group, though his authority was often challenged by Pu’s antics.
That afternoon, the game began as simple climbing practice. The three monkeys scrambled up the branches, racing each other to see who could reach the top first. Kevin, strong and determined, swung his long arms and quickly gained height. Bon followed close behind, grunting with effort. Pu, smaller and lighter, darted upward like a spark, laughing all the way.
“Ha! I’m first!” Kevin declared proudly when he reached the high branch that overlooked the entire yard.
“Not fair, you always get there first,” Bon pouted, clinging to a branch below.
Pu, hanging upside down from a branch, giggled. “Don’t worry, Bon! I’ll help you win next time.”
But the sparkle in Pu’s eyes meant something else entirely.
As Kevin and Bon settled comfortably on their branches, Pu began swinging from one limb to another, circling around them like a little storm. His tail curled around twigs, his hands slapped the leaves, and his giggles rang through the air. He was up to something—everyone could feel it.
Kevin narrowed his eyes. “Pu, what are you doing?”
“Nothing!” Pu sang back, stretching the word until it sounded suspicious.
Bon laughed nervously. “Whenever Pu says ‘nothing,’ it means something.”
And Bon was right.
Without warning, Pu grabbed the branch above Kevin, swung low, and tugged at his tail. Kevin yelped and lost his balance. He flailed his arms, trying to steady himself, but Pu’s playful strength pulled him right off the branch.
“Pu!” Kevin shouted as he tumbled down. Luckily, another branch caught him halfway, and he dangled there, clinging with both arms. His fur puffed up, and his dignity was badly bruised.
Before Kevin could scold him, Pu turned to Bon.
“Your turn!” Pu announced gleefully.
Bon’s eyes went wide. “No, no, no—I’m fine right here!” But Pu, quick as lightning, scurried over. He pulled on Bon’s arm, then tugged on his leg. Bon squealed, wrapping himself around the branch like a terrified coconut.
“Let go, Pu!” Bon cried.
“Come play down below with Kevin!” Pu laughed, yanking harder.
Finally, with one strong pull, Bon slipped off and tumbled down, landing right beside Kevin with a soft “oof!”
The yard filled with the sound of Kevin groaning and Bon complaining, while Pu swung above them, laughing so hard his little belly shook.
“You both look so funny down there!” Pu teased.
Kevin stood up, brushing leaves from his fur. His pride was still wounded. “That’s not funny, Pu! You could’ve hurt us.”
Bon nodded vigorously. “Yeah! My tail still aches!”
But Pu only grinned, hanging upside down by his tail again. “You’re fine! Look, you’re smiling already.”
And indeed, though Bon tried to frown, the corners of his mouth twitched upward. Kevin crossed his arms, pretending to stay angry, but the sight of Pu’s silly upside-down face made even him chuckle.
Still, Kevin wasn’t going to let Pu win so easily. “Alright,” he said slowly, “if Pu wants to pull us down, maybe we should pull Pu down too.”
Bon’s eyes lit up. “Yes! Let’s do it together!”
The two older monkeys hatched a plan. They climbed back up quietly, moving slower this time so Pu wouldn’t suspect anything. Pu, too busy laughing at his own tricks, didn’t notice them creeping closer. He swung happily, humming to himself, until—
“Got you!” Kevin shouted, grabbing Pu’s leg. Bon joined in, pulling Pu’s arms. With one united tug, Pu squealed and came tumbling down, landing in the soft grass with a bounce.
Now it was Kevin and Bon’s turn to laugh. They rolled around, clutching their bellies, as Pu sat there wide-eyed, his fur ruffled and his pride slightly dented.
“You pulled us down, now we pulled you down!” Kevin said, grinning triumphantly.
“That’s called payback!” Bon added, wagging his finger like an elder.
For a moment, Pu pouted. His lower lip jutted out, and his eyes grew watery. The other two monkeys stopped laughing, worried they had gone too far.
But then, suddenly, Pu broke into a mischievous grin. “Okay! Let’s all pull each other down!”
And so began a new game.
The three monkeys climbed the tree again and again, only to tug each other down in turns. Sometimes Pu pulled Bon, sometimes Kevin pulled Pu, and sometimes Bon, finding his courage, pulled Kevin down with surprising strength. Each fall ended with soft landings, heaps of laughter, and playful arguments about who had been “the funniest faller.”
Their giggles echoed through the orchard, catching the attention of nearby villagers. Children gathered to watch, clapping and cheering as if it were a circus act.
“Look at them!” one child said. “They’re playing tag, but in the trees!”
“No, it’s monkey wrestling!” another shouted, laughing so hard he nearly dropped his snack.
The monkeys basked in the attention. Pu especially loved showing off. He even exaggerated his falls, tumbling dramatically to make the children laugh louder. Bon, encouraged, copied him with goofy flops. Kevin, though more serious, couldn’t resist putting on a show too.
As the sun began to sink behind the trees, the three friends lay in the grass, panting from exhaustion. Their fur was messy, their bodies sore, but their hearts were full of joy.
“You know,” Kevin said between breaths, “maybe being pulled down isn’t so bad after all.”
Bon nodded. “Yeah… it makes the game more fun.”
Pu grinned, rolling over onto his back. “See? I told you! Falling together is better than sitting alone.”
The three of them laughed softly, watching the fireflies flicker to life in the dimming light. For all their mischief, scolding, and tumbles, they knew one thing was certain: no matter who pulled who down, they would always end up together, laughing at the bottom, ready to climb back up again.
And so, under the mango tree where the day had begun, the friendship of Pu, Bon, and Kevin grew a little stronger—held together by games, laughter, and the simple joy of pulling each other down, only to rise together once more.
