The morning sun filtered softly through the jungle canopy. The air was fresh, the birds chirped happily, and CUTIS the mischievous little monkey was already up to something. He swung from tree to tree, humming a tune and thinking about breakfast.
His eyes lit up when he spotted a big bunch of yellow bananas hanging near Dad’s hut. “Ooooh, perfect!” CUTIS whispered to himself. “Dad’s special bananas! They’re so sweet! He said they’re only for guests, but… guests aren’t here yet. So technically, they’re available!”
He rubbed his hands together like a little chef and quietly climbed the banana tree. One by one, he pulled them down, peeled, and ate them with big, satisfied bites. “Mmm… delicious! Best breakfast ever!”
But just as he was about to grab the last one, he heard a deep voice behind him.
“CUTIS!”
CUTIS froze mid-bite. Slowly, he turned his head to see Dad standing there, arms crossed, eyebrows raised. Behind him stood baby monkey, trying not to laugh.
“Uh-oh…” CUTIS said weakly.
Dad walked closer, his tone serious. “Didn’t I tell you those bananas were for the guests?”
CUTIS quickly hid the banana peel behind his back. “Uh… I was… taste-testing them! You know, to make sure they’re safe for guests!”
Dad sighed. “CUTIS, you always have an excuse.”
Baby monkey giggled. “Yeah, last time he said he was ‘saving the fruit from falling.’”
CUTIS glared at him. “You’re supposed to be on my side!”
Dad shook his head. “You’re not getting away this time, CUTIS. You’re grounded.”
CUTIS gasped dramatically. “Grounded?! That’s… that’s torture! You can’t take away my tree-swinging privileges!”
Dad folded his arms. “Then maybe you should’ve thought before eating the bananas.”
CUTIS frowned. He looked around, then suddenly smirked. “Fine! If I’m grounded here, then I’ll leave home! You’ll all miss me when I’m gone!”
Dad rolled his eyes. “Oh, CUTIS, stop being dramatic.”
But CUTIS was already marching away with exaggerated steps, carrying a leaf bag on his shoulder. “Goodbye, cruel jungle! I’ll find a new home where monkeys are appreciated for their talents!”
Baby monkey tried to stop laughing. “CUTIS! You can’t even survive a night without snacks!”
CUTIS turned around proudly. “Then I’ll invent snacks! You’ll see!”
And with that, he disappeared into the jungle, determined to “start a new life.”
The forest was quiet as CUTIS wandered deeper in. He felt brave — for about five minutes. Then he tripped over a root and rolled into a bush. “Ow! Okay… maybe this new home thing isn’t easy.”
He stood up, brushed himself off, and began looking for a place to stay. Finally, he found a hollow log. “Perfect! A jungle palace fit for a genius like me!”
He climbed inside, but a loud SNORE came from within. A wild boar popped his head out, snorting.
“Uh… wrong house! Sorry, sir!” CUTIS yelped and scrambled away.
Next, he tried to make a bed out of leaves under a big tree. He plopped down proudly. “There! Who needs home when you’ve got nature?”
Then — PLOP! — something cold and wet hit his head. He looked up and saw a flock of birds above him.
“Oh come on!” CUTIS groaned, wiping his fur.
After several failed attempts to find shelter, he sighed and sat by the river. “Maybe leaving home wasn’t such a great idea…”
But then he saw his reflection in the water — messy fur, banana stains on his cheeks, and leaves sticking out of his head. He looked ridiculous!
CUTIS burst out laughing. “Haha! I look like a fruit salad!”
His laughter echoed through the forest — and that’s when a group of animals nearby heard him.
A parrot flew over. “What’s so funny, little monkey?”
CUTIS grinned. “My life!”
Soon, more animals gathered — rabbits, squirrels, even a curious deer. CUTIS decided to show off his “survival skills.”
“Ladies and gentlemen of the jungle!” he announced dramatically. “You’re about to witness the amazing, talented, and slightly hungry CUTIS — performing the art of living alone!”
The animals blinked, intrigued.
CUTIS began his “demonstration.” First, he tried to build a fire by rubbing sticks together. After two minutes, smoke puffed out — straight into his face. He coughed and fell backward.
The animals burst into laughter.
CUTIS stood up proudly, pretending it was part of the act. “Step one — smoke signal! To call for help — I mean, to cook dinner!”
Next, he tried to climb a tree to pick fruit. He slipped halfway up and landed in a bush again.
The parrots laughed so hard they nearly fell from their branches.
CUTIS, covered in twigs, raised a paw. “Ta-da! This is… leaf camouflage!”
Now even the deer was laughing. CUTIS realized that although he’d left home to avoid punishment, he’d somehow become the jungle’s funniest entertainer.
He started to play along. He grabbed two coconuts and used them as drums, singing a silly song:
🎵 “No more bananas for naughty CUTIS,
He left home ‘cause Dad was furious!
Now he’s the jungle’s funniest star,
Eating leaves and dreaming of a banana bar!” 🎵
The whole forest erupted in laughter. Even the normally serious owl hooted in delight.
CUTIS danced wildly, shaking his tail and making funny faces. He mimicked his dad’s serious voice: “CUTIS! Don’t do that!” Then he imitated baby monkey’s whining voice: “But Daddy, CUTIS did it again!”
The animals laughed louder, rolling on the ground. CUTIS couldn’t stop — he was on a roll!
He pretended to cook invisible food, tossing imaginary bananas in the air and catching them in his mouth. Then he acted like a “fancy chef,” saying, “Tonight’s menu: invisible banana soup, with a side of disappointment!”
The parrots laughed so hard they mimicked him: “Invisible banana soup! Invisible banana soup!”
CUTIS took a bow. “Thank you, thank you! I’ll be here all week — because I’m too scared to go home!”
Meanwhile, back at home, Dad and baby monkey were getting worried.
“It’s getting late,” Dad said softly. “Maybe I was too harsh.”
Baby monkey nodded. “He always says he’s leaving, but he’s never gone this long…”
They decided to look for him. As they walked through the jungle, they started hearing laughter — loud, uncontrollable laughter.
Baby monkey tilted his head. “What’s that?”
They followed the sound until they found a crowd of animals gathered around a small clearing. In the middle stood CUTIS, doing a dramatic dance with a banana peel hat.
Dad blinked in disbelief. “Is he… performing?”
CUTIS spun around, spotted them, and froze. “Uh-oh…”
The crowd cheered. “Encore! Encore!”
Dad crossed his arms. “So this is where you went.”
CUTIS scratched his head nervously. “Hehe… surprise?”
Baby monkey was laughing so hard he fell over. “CUTIS! You turned your punishment into a comedy show!”
Dad tried to look stern, but even he couldn’t hold back a smile. “You’re lucky everyone’s laughing, or you’d still be grounded.”
CUTIS grinned sheepishly. “So… I’m forgiven?”
Dad sighed, shaking his head. “You’re impossible. Come on, funny boy, let’s go home.”
CUTIS saluted dramatically. “Yes, sir! The show must go home!”
The crowd of animals clapped and cheered as CUTIS took one last bow. “Thank you, my jungle fans! Remember — laugh every day, or you’ll end up as serious as my dad!”
Dad rolled his eyes. “CUTIS!”
CUTIS and baby monkey laughed all the way back home.
That night, after dinner, Dad finally smiled and said, “Well, CUTIS, I must admit — you made the whole jungle laugh.”
CUTIS puffed up proudly. “So… no punishment?”
Dad chuckled. “Your punishment is to perform for us every night.”
Baby monkey cheered. “Yes! Comedy every evening!”
CUTIS groaned playfully. “Oh no, what have I done?”
But deep down, he was happy. Even though he’d left home to escape trouble, he had learned something much better — laughter can fix almost anything.
