The golden morning sun rose slowly over the small farm where Lala the little monkey lived with her kind human mother, Ms. Anna. Every morning, the air was filled with the sounds of chirping birds, rustling leaves, and happy animal chatter. But today, everything felt unusually quiet.
Lala opened her eyes sleepily, stretching her tiny arms and legs as she sat up in the soft little bed beside her mom’s. She rubbed her eyes and looked over at Ms. Anna. Normally, Mom would already be up, smiling, preparing breakfast, or talking gently to the animals. But today, she was still lying in bed, curled up under a thin sheet, not moving much.
“Hmm?” Lala blinked. Something didn’t feel right.
She hopped quietly off her bed and padded over to the side of Ms. Anna’s mattress. Her mom’s eyes were closed, and her face looked pale. Lala gently touched her mom’s forehead with her little paw and pulled back in surprise. It felt hot. Too hot.
“Eee? Mama?” Lala squeaked softly, poking her gently.
Ms. Anna stirred a little and opened her eyes halfway. “Oh, sweet Lala… I’m okay,” she whispered with a tired voice. “Just feeling a bit cold…”
Cold? But her skin was hot! Lala didn’t understand everything about humans, but she had lived with Ms. Anna long enough to know something was wrong.
She looked around the room, thinking hard. What do you do when someone’s cold? Her little eyes spotted the thick, soft blanket folded at the end of the bed. Normally, Mom used it in the winter. Without wasting another second, Lala grabbed the heavy blanket and began dragging it toward the bed.
It was big. Much bigger than her. The blanket flopped and folded over itself as she struggled across the floor. She grunted, tugged, pulled, and even climbed on top to push it along. It wasn’t easy for a little monkey like her, but she didn’t care. Mom needed help.
Finally, she reached the side of the bed and began climbing up with one corner of the blanket in her hand. She tossed it over her mother clumsily, making sure to cover her from her shoulders all the way to her feet. Then, Lala carefully patted the blanket down, making sure it was snug and warm.
Ms. Anna opened her eyes again and saw what Lala had done. A tired but gentle smile appeared on her lips. “Oh, my sweet little one,” she whispered. “Thank you…”
Lala curled up beside her and held her tiny arms around Mom’s hand. She didn’t say anything—just stayed close and watched over her.
As the hours passed, Ms. Anna drifted in and out of sleep. Lala stayed by her side the entire time. She brought water, though she spilled a bit trying to carry the cup. She got a wet cloth and placed it on Mom’s forehead like she had seen her do when baby ducks had fevers. Lala even shooed away the rooster when he tried to come in and make noise.
Later in the day, Mr. CUTIS the farmer came by to check on them. He saw the closed curtains and knocked softly on the door. “Anna?” he called.
Lala rushed to the door and pointed toward the bed. CUTIS stepped in and quickly understood.
“Oh no, she’s sick,” he said gently, kneeling beside the bed. He felt Ms. Anna’s forehead. “Fever. I’ll get the medicine.”
Lala watched carefully. She wanted to know everything about how to help Mom. CUTIS gave Ms. Anna some fever medicine and told Lala to keep her warm, which Lala proudly showed she had already done with the blanket.
“You’re a smart little helper, Lala,” CUTIS said, scratching her head fondly.
As night came, the air grew cooler. Lala lit the little lantern the way Mom had taught her, carefully using the match and keeping her tail away. The soft glow lit up the room warmly. She sat beside the bed, nibbling a banana, but she wasn’t hungry. She only ate because she knew she needed to stay strong to care for Mom.
When Ms. Anna woke again, she looked better. Her cheeks had a bit more color, and she smiled weakly. “Lala, you’ve been here all day?”
Lala nodded.
“You covered me with the blanket, brought water, even stayed up to protect me…” Mom’s eyes filled with tears. “You’re such a good girl.”
Lala leaned forward and hugged her tightly, not too tight so as not to hurt her. She was just so happy that Mom could talk and smile again.
That night, Lala slept right beside her, one paw still holding Mom’s hand. She didn’t mind the late hour, or the fact that she missed playing with the ducks or eating snacks. All that mattered was Mom. The next morning, Ms. Anna’s fever had gone down even more. She sat up, drank tea, and gently petted Lala’s head.
“I think I’m getting better,” she said softly. “Thanks to you, my sweet nurse.”
Lala clapped her little hands and jumped with joy.
Over the next few days, Lala continued to care for Mom. She learned how to pour juice without spilling too much, how to warm up soup, and even how to fluff the pillows. She felt proud—like a big girl. She didn’t need to go on adventures or play hide and seek. Taking care of Mom was the most important job in the world.
By the end of the week, Ms. Anna was walking around again, smiling fully, and laughing. “I’ve never been taken care of so well!” she said as she lifted Lala and kissed her on the forehead. “You’re not just my little girl—you’re my hero.”
Lala hugged her tight, happy tears filling her eyes.
And every night after that, even when Ms. Anna was feeling strong and healthy, Lala made sure the warm blanket was always folded at the foot of the bed. Just in case.
Because she had learned something very special—that love isn’t just about hugs and games. Sometimes, love is about quietly dragging a heavy blanket across the floor because someone you love needs it.
And Lala would do it a thousand times over—because nothing made her happier than making sure Mom was safe, warm, and loved.
