Nobody in the village ever suspected CUTIS of being a prankster. He was known as the responsible one—the caring son, the gentle big brother, the hardworking helper who always stepped up when needed. That was exactly why what happened that day shocked everyone so completely. No one expected that behind CUTIS’ calm smile lived a clever mind capable of pulling off a trick so funny it left the entire village laughing until their stomachs hurt.
It all started on an ordinary morning. The sun rose slowly, the roosters crowed, and people went about their usual routines. Mom was busy in the kitchen, the baby monkey was hopping around playfully, and neighbors were chatting near the gate. CUTIS sat quietly on the wooden steps, watching everything with innocent eyes. But inside his head, a plan was forming—one he had been thinking about for days.
The baby monkey had recently learned how to steal food. Bananas, sweet potatoes, even rice balls were no longer safe. Every time someone turned their back, poof!—food disappeared. Everyone blamed each other.
“It must be the monkey!” someone shouted.
“No, I just saw you take it!” another argued.
The baby monkey sat in the corner, cheeks puffed out, pretending to be innocent while clearly chewing something. CUTIS tried hard not to laugh. Instead of scolding, an idea popped into his head. What if I teach everyone a lesson… in a funny way?
That afternoon, CUTIS quietly prepared his trick. He didn’t tell Mom. He didn’t tell the neighbors. Not even the baby monkey suspected anything. CUTIS gathered a basket, some banana peels, a small mirror, and a string. Everything looked harmless—almost useless. But in CUTIS’ hands, it was about to become legendary.
As evening approached, CUTIS announced loudly, “I found a way to stop food from disappearing!”
Everyone gathered around immediately.
“Really?”
“How?”
“Did you build a cage?”
CUTIS shook his head seriously. “No cage. Just a smart idea.”
He placed the basket in the middle of the yard and covered it with cloth. Inside, he secretly arranged the mirror and banana peels just right. Then he tied the string to the cloth and led it quietly behind a post where he could pull it later.
“Inside this basket,” CUTIS said with a straight face, “is a special food trap. Whoever steals food will be revealed.”
The neighbors gasped.
Mom crossed her arms. “Are you serious, CUTIS?”
CUTIS nodded confidently. “Very serious.”
The baby monkey tilted its head, curious. Its tail flicked back and forth. Food trap? That sounded suspicious—but also exciting.
CUTIS placed a fresh banana on top of the basket. “Now we wait,” he said.
Everyone sat down, watching closely. Minutes passed. Nothing happened. Some people began to whisper.
“I don’t think it works.”
“Maybe CUTIS is joking.”
Just then, the baby monkey slowly crept forward. Step by step. It looked around to see if anyone was watching. Everyone held their breath.
The baby monkey grabbed the banana.
At that exact moment, CUTIS pulled the string.
WHOOSH!
The cloth flew off the basket, and suddenly the baby monkey froze, staring straight into the mirror. It saw its own face, banana in hand, eyes wide in shock. Startled, it let out a loud squeak and jumped backward—slipping on the banana peels inside the basket.
PLAP!
The baby monkey landed on its bottom, completely unharmed but utterly confused.
For one second, the yard was silent.
Then everyone burst out laughing.
“Hahaha!”
“Oh my goodness!”
“Did you see its face?!”
The baby monkey blinked, then looked at the mirror again. Slowly, it realized the “thief” it saw was actually itself. It squeaked softly, then—surprisingly—started laughing too, bouncing up and down like it found the whole situation hilarious.
Mom covered her mouth, laughing harder than anyone. “CUTIS! You little trickster!”
CUTIS scratched his head shyly, but his grin gave him away. “I didn’t want to punish anyone. I just wanted to make it… unforgettable.”
The neighbors wiped tears from their eyes. “We blamed each other for days, and it was the baby monkey all along!”
The baby monkey waddled over to CUTIS and climbed onto his shoulder, hugging his neck tightly. It wasn’t angry. If anything, it seemed proud—like it had just starred in the best comedy show ever.
But CUTIS wasn’t finished.
“Wait,” he said, raising a finger. “There’s one more surprise.”
Everyone leaned in again.
CUTIS reached behind the basket and pulled out a bunch of bananas tied together like a gift. “This is for everyone,” he said. “No more stealing. We share.”
That simple gesture made the laughter even warmer. The baby monkey clapped its hands excitedly, squeaking happily as CUTIS peeled a banana and handed it over gently.
As the sun set, people sat together eating bananas, retelling the moment again and again.
“Did you see how it jumped?”
“I thought the mirror was another monkey!”
“I’ve never laughed so much!”
CUTIS sat quietly, watching everyone enjoy the moment he created. His trick wasn’t about embarrassment. It wasn’t about proving he was smart. It was about bringing joy, teaching gently, and turning a problem into a memory everyone would cherish.
Later that night, Mom sat beside him. “You surprised us today,” she said softly.
CUTIS smiled. “Life is heavy sometimes. A little laughter helps.”
The baby monkey curled up next to him, fast asleep, a banana peel still clutched in its tiny hand.
And from that day on, whenever food went missing, no one argued anymore. They just laughed and said, “Remember CUTIS’ trick?”
Because sometimes, the best surprises aren’t loud or proud—they’re clever, kind, and end with laughter echoing long after the joke is over. 😂💛
