Lala the monkey was known far and wide for her enormous appetite. Her keepers at the animal sanctuary loved her dearly, but they could never understand how such a small creature could eat so much. Lala had a special fondness for dumplings. Steamed, fried, filled with vegetables, meat, or sweet red bean paste—Lala adored them all.
One bright afternoon, as the sun streamed through the bamboo trees, Lala woke up from her nap feeling ravenously hungry. She rubbed her tummy and let out a dramatic sigh. She leapt off her perch and dashed toward the kitchen area of the sanctuary, where the keepers often prepared meals for the animals.
But today, the kitchen was empty.
“Where is everybody?” Lala wondered, scanning the room with wide eyes.
The counters were clean, the floor was spotless, and not a single banana or peanut could be seen. But just as she was about to leave in disappointment, her eyes caught sight of a large silver tray on the far end of the counter. Curious, she hopped over and sniffed.
Dumplings!
Dozens of them! Plump, round, and perfectly shaped, they sat neatly arranged in rows. Lala’s eyes sparkled with delight. Without a moment’s hesitation, she reached out and popped one into her mouth.
It didn’t taste like the dumplings she usually ate. It was cold, floury, and sticky. But Lala was too hungry to care. She gobbled it down and reached for another. Then another. And another.
Before she knew it, half the tray was empty.
Suddenly, Lala paused. Her belly started to feel funny. She clutched her stomach and let out a quiet “Oooohhh…” Something wasn’t right.
Just then, Ms. Thuy, one of the caretakers, entered the kitchen.
“Lala! What are you doing?” she cried.
Lala looked up guiltily, her cheeks still stuffed with half a dumpling. Ms. Thuy rushed over and saw the half-eaten tray.
“Oh no!” she gasped. “Those were raw! I hadn’t steamed them yet!”
Lala blinked in confusion. Raw? Dumplings were dumplings, weren’t they?
Ms. Thuy quickly scooped Lala into her arms and called over her walkie-talkie for help. Within minutes, Mr. Kien and Nurse Mei came running. They gently laid Lala on a soft towel and checked her pulse, temperature, and tummy.
Lala groaned again and patted her swollen stomach.
“She’ll be okay,” Nurse Mei said reassuringly. “She just needs to rest and drink plenty of water. But no more raw dough for you, Lala!”
The caretakers placed a warm blanket over Lala and sat beside her to keep her company. Lala, feeling a little embarrassed, looked up at them with big, apologetic eyes. She hadn’t meant to cause trouble—she was just so hungry!
Later that evening, after Lala had taken a nap and sipped some warm tea, the caretakers sat together and laughed.
“You know,” said Mr. Kien, “only Lala would be bold enough to eat uncooked dumplings.”
“She really is the glutton of the sanctuary,” Ms. Thuy chuckled.
Lala peeked out from under her blanket and gave a tiny, sheepish grin.
From that day on, the kitchen staff made sure to place clear signs on every dish, especially ones that hadn’t been cooked yet. “Raw! Not ready to eat!” the labels would shout. And Lala? She became a little more cautious.
Well… a little.
Two days later, she tried to sneak a bite of a raw pie crust.
Old habits die hard.
But the incident taught everyone—humans and animals alike—a few important lessons. For the keepers, it was a reminder to keep curious critters like Lala safe from kitchen mishaps. For Lala, it was a lesson in patience. Good things—like hot, delicious dumplings—are worth waiting for.
And wait she did.
The next weekend, Ms. Thuy made a special batch of dumplings just for Lala. These ones were steamed to perfection and filled with mashed banana and peanut butter—Lala’s absolute favorite.
As she munched happily in the shade of her favorite tree, Lala closed her eyes in pure delight. Warm, soft, and flavorful—this was how dumplings were meant to be eaten!
And the best part? No bellyache this time.
From then on, every time the sanctuary prepared dumplings, Lala would watch patiently from the side, waiting for the steam to rise and the scent to fill the air. She’d tap her fingers together with excitement and sway her tail as she waited.
Lala’s story soon became a favorite among the sanctuary’s visitors. Children would giggle when they heard about the “greedy monkey who ate raw dumplings.” Tour guides would point to Lala and say, “There’s our little chef-in-training—always ready for a taste test!”
Despite her infamous mistake, Lala remained the beloved heart of the sanctuary. Her curiosity, her hunger, and her lovable gluttony made her unforgettable. And although she never quite gave up her sneaky ways, she learned to sniff a little more carefully and maybe—just maybe—wait until the food was actually cooked.
Because even for the biggest gluttons, patience can be rewarding.
And for Lala, nothing was more rewarding than a plate of warm, banana-filled dumplings.
