Deep inside the green heart of the forest, where sunlight dripped gently between the tall trees, lived a tiny baby monkey named Susu. Susu was playful, curious, and always bouncing from one branch to another. But he was also still little—small enough that sometimes the world felt too big and too confusing for him.
Luckily, Susu had someone who loved him more than anything: his mother, Mama Lala. She was wise, gentle, and always alert to every danger around them. Every morning, she would hold Susu close and whisper soft clicks and chirps, reminding him that she would always protect him.
A Morning of Curiosity
That morning, Susu woke up earlier than usual. He stretched his tiny arms, blinked his big round eyes, and immediately felt hungry. He wanted fruit—sweet, soft, juicy fruit!
But Mama Lala wasn’t awake yet.
Susu peeked outside the nest and spotted a ripe cluster of forest berries hanging on a low branch. They looked shiny and delicious. Without thinking twice, Susu reached for the branch, ready to pull it toward him.
But then—crack!
A sound whispered from behind the bushes. Susu froze. He didn’t know what it was, but his little heart started to beat faster.
Mama Lala woke up instantly. As soon as she saw Susu reaching outside the nest alone, her eyes widened. She moved quickly, grabbed him gently but firmly, and pulled him close.
“Susu,” she chirped softly, touching his cheek. “Little one, you must not reach for fruit on your own. The forest isn’t always safe.”
Susu blinked up at her, confused but trusting.
The Dangerous Seeds
Mama Lala hopped to the edge of the nest and pointed at the berries. “See those seeds inside the fruit?” she explained. “Some seeds are hard to swallow. They can hurt your tummy. And some seeds attract other animals if dropped near us.”
Susu tilted his head. He didn’t really understand, but he knew Mama Lala did. She always knew.
So Mama Lala decided: She would get Susu’s fruit for him. And she would make sure the seeds were removed to protect him.
With one quick leap, she landed on the berry branch. She carefully picked a handful of berries—making sure they were soft, ripe, and safe. Then she returned to Susu and sat with him on the nest’s edge.
Mama’s Special Way of Caring
Mama Lala pressed each berry gently between her fingers. She opened them and removed the seeds, dropping them far away from the nest so no predators would come sniffing around.
Susu watched with big eyes. He didn’t know Mama’s job was this hard. She wasn’t just feeding him—she was protecting him in small ways he couldn’t see.
After removing the seeds, she handed the soft fruit pieces to Susu. He took them happily, chewing with tiny squeaks of delight.
“Mama!” he chattered, placing his little hands on her arm in gratitude.
Mama Lala smiled, grooming his head gently. “You’re growing, baby. One day, you’ll learn to protect yourself. But for now, I’ll help you.”
A Visitor in the Trees
As they finished the fruit, a rustling sound echoed above them. Mama Lala tensed, pulling Susu close. A large shadow moved across the branches.
It was Raka, the big male monkey from the other side of the forest. He was known for stealing food from smaller monkeys and causing trouble.
Raka peered down at them, his eyes landing on the leftover berry seeds on the ground beneath the nest.
He snorted loudly.
Mama Lala felt a shiver. If she had not thrown the seeds far away earlier, Raka might have suspected they had food and come closer.
But now, there was nothing for him to steal.
After a moment, he lost interest and leaped away, disappearing into the trees.
Mama Lala exhaled slowly, her heart calming.
Susu, who had been holding onto her fur tightly, looked up at her with confused, worried eyes.
“It’s all right, baby,” Mama Lala said softly. “This is why we remove fruit seeds. They can bring danger.”
Now Susu understood a little better.
A Journey for More Fruit
Later that afternoon, Mama Lala decided it was time to teach Susu more about safe fruit gathering. She placed him on her back, secured him with her tail, and climbed through the forest.
Other monkeys chattered in the treetops. Some babies swung confidently from branch to branch. Susu watched them with open-mouthed admiration.
But Mama shook her head gently. “Not yet, little one. You must grow stronger first.”
They reached a tree bursting with bright yellow fruits. Mama tested each one by sniffing and squeezing it. She only picked the best.
Then she peeled the skin, split the fruit open, and showed Susu the seeds inside.
“These seeds are too hard and sharp,” she explained. “If you swallow them, you will get hurt. Mama always checks first.”
Susu reached out and touched the seed carefully. It was smooth, but very firm. Now he understood why Mama was so careful.
Mama Lala continued to remove the seeds one by one. Susu helped by holding the fruit shell, pretending he was helping—though his tiny hands mostly just wobbled around. Still, Mama praised him.
“Good little helper,” she chirped.
Susu squeaked proudly.
A Scary Moment
As they returned home, jumping gently from branch to branch, a sudden screech tore through the forest.
A hawk swooped above their heads.
Mama Lala reacted instantly. She clutched Susu close to her chest and jumped down into thick leaves, hiding him beneath her body.
Susu felt her heart beating fast, but she stayed calm for him.
The hawk circled once more, then flew away.
Only when it was safe did Mama stand up again.
Susu clung to her tightly, trembling.
She kissed his forehead. “This is why Mama always protects you. The forest is beautiful, but full of danger.”
Back Home, Safe and Loved
When they returned to the nest, the sky had turned orange. The soft evening breeze cooled the air, and other monkeys were settling down for the night.
Mama Lala groomed Susu gently, brushing dust and leaves from his fur. Susu relaxed, his eyes half-closed.
After grooming, Mama gave him one last piece of fruit—carefully cleaned and seed-free. Susu ate it happily, then curled into her arms.
Mama whispered softly, “You will grow brave and strong, my Susu. But until then, I’ll always help you.”
Susu snuggled closer, feeling warm, safe, and loved.
In the quiet forest, under the golden sunset, Mama Lala held her tiny baby close—protecting him, teaching him, loving him in every small way, even through something as simple as removing the seeds from his fruit.
Because to a mother, nothing was small when it came to keeping her baby safe.
And to Susu, Mama was his whole world.
