In a quiet village surrounded by green fields, tall coconut trees, and warm sunshine, lived a tiny baby monkey named Toto. Toto was the smallest monkey in his family, but he had the biggest curiosity. Every day, he explored the world with bright eyes, a twitching nose, and a belly that always seemed a little hungry.
Most baby monkeys loved fruitâsweet bananas, juicy mangoes, soft papayas. But Toto was different. Toto loved something unexpected, something simple, something that made everyone laugh the first time they saw it:
Toto loved rice.

Not just liked itâhe LOVED it. Whenever Toto smelled freshly cooked rice, his tail curled happily, his eyes sparkled, and he made cute little âmmm mmmâ noises that made the villagers giggle.
The First Time Toto Tasted Rice
Totoâs love for rice began on a warm afternoon. The farmers had gathered outside a small wooden house to eat their lunch after working in the rice fields. They sat in a circle, talking and laughing, with bowls of steaming white rice in front of them.
Toto, curious as always, climbed up the bamboo fence and peeked over. His nose twitched.
What is that amazing smell? he wondered.
He hopped closer, inch by inch, until he was right beside an old farmer named Dara. Dara saw the tiny monkey staring at his food with big, sparkling eyes.
âYou want to try?â Dara asked gently.

Toto didnât understand the words, but he understood the rice. He nodded excitedly and reached out his little hands.
Dara softly placed a small ball of sticky rice into Totoâs palms.
Toto sniffed itâŚ
touched itâŚ
and then took his first bite.
His whole face lit up.
His tail curled like a cinnamon roll.
His eyes closed.
He made a happy sound:
âMmmm! đâ
Everyone burst into laughter. They had never seen a monkey enjoy rice like that.
From that moment on, Toto was officially known as âthe rice-loving monkey.â

A Daily Routine of Rice Adventures
Every morning, as the village woke up, Toto began his little adventure. He waited on the fence outside the kitchen, listening for the sound of rice cookingâthe soft bubbling of the pot.
When the aroma drifted out, he climbed up with excitement.
The village moms would smile when they saw him.
âOh look, Toto is here again!â
âDidnât you eat enough yesterday?â
âYou little rice thief!â
But Toto wasnât a thief. He always waited patiently until someone handed him a small spoonful or a tiny ball of warm rice.
He would hold it carefully with both hands, sit down like a polite baby, and enjoy every bite. The villagers loved watching him, and he loved being around them.
Toto Helps in the Kitchen
One day, the village aunties were preparing a huge meal for a celebration. There were vegetables, fish, fruits, cakesâand of course, big pots of rice.
Toto, curious as ever, climbed into the kitchen to watch. He kept his distance because the fire was hot, but he loved watching the aunties work.
When they washed the rice in water, Toto leaned forward, fascinated by the way the grains swirled.
When they poured the washed rice into the pot, Toto clapped.
When the pot started steaming, Toto made tiny happy noises because he knew something delicious was coming.
The aunties noticed how much he enjoyed being there.
One of them said, âToto is such a good helper. He watches like heâs learning to cook!â
Another replied, âSoon he will make his own rice!â
Everyone laughed. Toto didnât understand the words, but he smiled anyway.
When the rice finished cooking, Toto received his special little bowl as a reward for being such a good âhelper.â He ate proudly, with a straight back and tiny, serious expressionâas if he were a grandmaster of rice tasting.
A Big Bowl for a Small Monkey
As Toto grew, his love for rice grew too.
Some days he liked soft jasmine rice.
Some days he liked rice mixed with vegetables.
Some days he liked rice dipped in a bit of sweet coconut milk.
But his favorite was rice fed to him gently by the villagers. Whenever someone cupped rice in their hand and brought it close, Toto would lean forward, press his lips together in his cute âđâ face, and nibble happily.
It became a daily tradition.
The people felt joy feeding him.
And Toto felt safe and loved.
Totoâs Rice Picnic
One sunny day, the children of the village decided to make Toto a surprise.
They gathered bamboo leaves, fresh bananas, and cooked a small pot of rice just for him. Then they set it all under a big mango tree like a tiny picnic.
When Toto arrived, he froze in shock.
The children shouted:
âToto! This is for you!â
âA rice picnic!â
âCome eat!â
Toto jumped with excitement. His tail danced behind him as he hurried toward the food.
He took one bite⌠then another⌠then another.
He was so happy he rolled on the grass, hugging his belly, making silly noises. The children laughed so hard they cried.
It was the perfect day for Totoâsunshine, friends, and his favorite food in the world.
A Monkey with a Special Taste
Most monkeys preferred fruits.
Some loved insects.
Others liked leaves.
But Toto?
Toto loved rice, and everyone respected that.
His uniqueness made him special in the village. He wasnât just another baby monkey in the trees. He was Totoâthe little monkey with the warm heart, cute smile, and a belly full of rice.
And whenever someone cooked rice, they always set aside a tiny portion. Because they knew, without a doubt, Toto would come running with his happy âđđâ face.
A Happy Monkey, A Happy Village
Toto grew up surrounded by kindness, laughter, and food he loved. The villagers treated him like a little friend. The children played with him. The aunties fed him. The farmers let him sit on their shoulders while they rested.
Toto gave the village something too:
joy.
His tiny hands holding riceâŚ
His cute little chewing faceâŚ
His silly dances when he was excitedâŚ
All of it made everyone smile.
He reminded them that even simple thingsâlike a warm bowl of riceâcould bring happiness.
And so, every day, the village echoed with a cheerful sound:
âToto! Rice time!â
And a tiny monkey would come running, ready to enjoy his favorite food in the whole wide world.
