The afternoon sun shone warmly over the quiet village, painting the wooden houses and the tall banana trees in soft golden light. CUTIS, the playful farmer boy with sparkling eyes and a smile always ready to appear, was not alone today. As usual, a tiny baby monkey clung to his shoulder, its curious little face peeking out from behind CUTIS’s cheek.
The monkey was still very young, not long out of its mother’s arms, but already it followed CUTIS everywhere. The two had become inseparable—like brothers who could not spend even a moment apart. Wherever CUTIS went, the monkey went too: to the fields, to the river, to the market, and even into the small wooden house where CUTIS’s family lived.
But something special had just happened in the family: a newborn baby had arrived. CUTIS’s mother had given birth a few days earlier, and the whole household was filled with excitement, laughter, and the sweet smell of boiled rice and herbs that neighbors brought as gifts.
CUTIS adored the tiny baby, though he was still learning how to be gentle. The baby monkey, however, was even more fascinated. Every time the little one cried, the monkey’s big round eyes widened, its ears perked up, and it would tilt its head as though trying to understand why such a small human could make such a loud sound.
One evening, while CUTIS’s mother was resting, CUTIS tiptoed into the bedroom to check on the newborn. The baby lay peacefully wrapped in a soft cloth, tiny fists curled, breathing slowly. CUTIS smiled and motioned for the baby monkey to come closer.
“Shhh,” he whispered, “we must be quiet. Baby is sleeping.”
But the monkey didn’t understand what “quiet” meant. It jumped onto the wooden bed frame and leaned over the baby, sniffing curiously. Its tiny hands reached out, and CUTIS quickly pulled it back.
“No, no,” CUTIS said gently. “We must protect the baby, not disturb it.”
The monkey pouted for a moment, but then something caught its attention. Beneath the baby’s blanket, there was a small pouch tied with a red string. CUTIS noticed it too. He had seen it when the midwife tied it onto the baby a few days ago but hadn’t thought much about it.
The baby monkey reached for the pouch and tugged at the string. CUTIS gasped.
“Wait! That’s the baby’s secret pouch!” he said, eyes wide. “Mama said it’s very special. Maybe… maybe it has a secret inside.”
The baby monkey squealed softly, as though agreeing. CUTIS looked at the sleeping newborn, then at the pouch again. His curiosity was stronger than ever. Why would the midwife tie a pouch on the baby’s body? What could be inside? Herbs? A charm? A treasure?
CUTIS carefully untied the string and opened the little pouch. Inside was a folded piece of yellow paper with faded letters written in ink. CUTIS unfolded it slowly, while the monkey leaned so close that its nose nearly touched the paper.
The words were hard to read, but CUTIS recognized some of them. It wasn’t just an ordinary piece of paper—it was a blessing note, written by the village elder. It spoke of protection, happiness, and health for the newborn. But at the bottom, CUTIS noticed something even stranger: a small drawing of a star and a symbol he had never seen before.
“What’s this?” CUTIS whispered. “A star? A secret sign?”
The monkey squeaked, tugging at the paper with its little fingers. CUTIS quickly pulled it back before the monkey could chew it.
“No, silly! We can’t eat the secret!”
Suddenly, the newborn stirred, making soft noises as though sensing the discovery. CUTIS quickly tucked the paper back into the pouch and tied it around the baby again. He didn’t want to upset his mother.
But CUTIS’s mind buzzed with questions. Why a star? Why a strange symbol? Why was it hidden with the baby?
The baby monkey jumped off the bed and landed on the floor with a little thump. It scampered toward the old chest in the corner of the room. CUTIS frowned.
“What are you doing?” he whispered, following. The monkey scratched at the chest until the lid creaked open slightly. Inside were folded clothes, baby blankets, and… another piece of yellow paper.
CUTIS’s heart raced as he pulled it out. This paper also had a star symbol, just like the one in the pouch. It seemed older, darker, as if it had been there for many years.
“Could this be… another secret?” CUTIS muttered.
The baby monkey clapped its hands, excited. It jumped onto CUTIS’s shoulder, urging him to open it. When CUTIS did, he found more writing. This one mentioned his own name.
“CUTIS,” it read, “will one day protect his younger sibling. Together, they will bring light and laughter to the family.”
CUTIS’s eyes widened. It was a prophecy, written long ago, maybe before he was even born. And now, with the arrival of the newborn, the words were starting to come true.
The monkey tilted its head and chattered, as if saying, See? You and the baby have a big secret destiny!
CUTIS felt his chest swell with pride. He looked at the newborn again, so small and fragile, and then at the silly monkey by his side. The three of them—boy, monkey, and baby—were tied together by something bigger than they had imagined.
From that day on, CUTIS became even more protective of his sibling. Every cry from the newborn made him rush to check. Every laugh made him laugh too. And the monkey—oh, the monkey became the funniest guardian anyone had ever seen.
Whenever strangers approached the baby, the monkey puffed up its chest and waved its arms to scare them away. If the baby cried at night, the monkey would rock itself back and forth, imitating CUTIS’s mother, until the baby calmed down. Sometimes it even brought little gifts: a leaf, a flower, or a shiny pebble from the garden, laying them gently beside the newborn as if they were treasures.
The funniest moment came one afternoon when CUTIS’s uncle visited. The baby monkey thought the uncle’s beard was a dangerous animal trying to get too close to the baby. It leapt forward, tugging at the beard so fiercely that the poor man yelped in surprise while everyone laughed until their stomachs hurt.
Through all the laughter and mischief, CUTIS never forgot the secret they had discovered—the prophecy and the star symbol. He didn’t fully understand it yet, but he knew one thing: he and the baby were meant to share something special. And with the baby monkey by their side, life would never be boring.
The newborn grew stronger each day, while CUTIS and the monkey grew wiser in their role as protectors. The secret no longer felt heavy or mysterious—it felt like a promise. A promise of joy, laughter, and a bond that could never be broken.
And so, under the gentle glow of the moon one night, as the baby slept peacefully, CUTIS whispered softly:
“Don’t worry, little one. I’ll always protect you. Me, and our silly monkey too. That’s our big secret.”
The monkey squeaked happily in agreement, curled up at CUTIS’s side. And in that small wooden house, a new chapter of family, love, and laughter quietly began.
