Under the shimmering sun of a hot summer afternoon, the farm was alive with the buzz of cicadas and the scent of freshly watered soil. The days had become hotter than usual, the kind of heat that makes animals retreat into the shade and farmers rise before dawn to avoid the scorching midday rays. But CUTIS, the ever-curious and resourceful farmer, had something unique in mind that day.
CUTIS wasn’t your ordinary farmer. While others might have grown common vegetables like cucumbers, tomatoes, or potatoes, CUTIS liked experimenting with odd and unusual plants. Deep in one of his private plots behind the main barn, he’d been tending to some peculiar greenery for weeks—plants that looked like a cross between a cactus and a sunflower, with rubbery leaves and vibrant, bulbous flowers. No one quite knew where he had gotten the seeds, but CUTIS swore they had cooling properties.
Meanwhile, not far from the field, Baby monkey—an energetic little creature full of joy—was struggling. The summer sun was merciless, and even in the shade of the old banyan tree, Baby monkey panted heavily. His fur, normally fluffed and soft, clung to his body with sweat. He tried splashing around in a small tin tub of water, but it didn’t help for long. The poor thing was overheating, and CUTIS noticed it immediately as he returned with a bundle of the freshly harvested strange plants.
“Whoa there, little one,” CUTIS said gently, rushing over and kneeling beside Baby monkey. “That sun’s doing a number on you, huh?”
He quickly scooped Baby monkey into his arms and carried him inside the cool barn. The interior was dim and much cooler than outside, thanks to thick walls made from clay and straw. But CUTIS knew it still wasn’t enough.
That’s when he had an idea.
He unwrapped the strange plants—each stalk filled with gel-like moisture, their leaves cool to the touch despite the heat. CUTIS sliced open one of the thick stems and carefully applied the jelly-like substance inside onto Baby monkey’s fur. Almost instantly, the little one gave a relieved sigh and relaxed in CUTIS’s arms.
“You see?” CUTIS smiled. “These plants are magic.”
He lined a shallow basket with soft cloth and several crushed leaves of the plant, placing Baby monkey inside like royalty on a cooling throne. The effects were incredible. Within minutes, the monkey was no longer panting and even began to chirp playfully.
The secret behind CUTIS’s strange plants? They were a hybrid aloe–succulent species he had been developing after reading about desert survival plants from Africa and Southeast Asia. These plants could retain moisture for weeks and release it slowly when their leaves were cracked—essentially nature’s air conditioners.
Word spread quickly across the village. When Thuy came to check on CUTIS and Baby monkey later that evening, she was astonished. “What is that smell? It’s like mint and melon mixed together!” she asked, intrigued by the cooling aroma in the barn.
“It’s my cooling aloe hybrids,” CUTIS replied proudly, wiping sweat from his brow. “And they saved this little guy from collapsing in the heat.”
Thuy knelt beside Baby monkey and stroked his now-dry fur. “You’re a little genius, CUTIS. People need to know about this.”
Inspired, CUTIS took things one step further. Over the next few days, he harvested more of his special plants and created little bundles to share with neighbors—especially families with pets and children. He even made “cooling mats” by layering the crushed leaves between breathable fabric, which became an instant hit.
Back at the barn, CUTIS built a shaded area specifically for Baby monkey. He crafted a canopy of palm leaves and installed a drip system from hanging gourds that released cool water droplets slowly into a shallow pond. He even placed several pots of the strange cooling plants around the area to naturally regulate the temperature. It became the perfect oasis—not just for Baby monkey, but also for CUTIS during his midday breaks.
Every day, Baby monkey grew more playful and happy again. He would bounce around CUTIS, nibble playfully at the dangling leaves of the cooling plants, and splash water on his farmer friend. CUTIS often laughed and chased him gently around the shade, sometimes slipping and falling with a dramatic thud just to make the monkey giggle.
The bond between them grew stronger. CUTIS began speaking to him as if he were his own child: “Drink plenty of water,” he’d say. “Don’t go out when the sun’s too high. Stay near the plants.”
Soon, local media picked up the story of “The Farmer Who Grew Air-Conditioning Plants,” and a video of CUTIS and Baby monkey lounging together under their tropical spa went viral. Thousands were touched not just by the innovation but by the love and care CUTIS showed his animal friend.
But CUTIS wasn’t in it for fame. When asked what inspired him to develop the plants, he simply said, “I couldn’t stand to see anyone suffer in the heat—especially not this little guy. He’s family.”
As the summer days rolled on, CUTIS began expanding his planting of the strange crops. He shared seeds with local farmers and even taught a few schoolchildren how to grow them in recycled containers. The once-weird-looking plot behind his barn became a green revolution that made people rethink how to beat the heat using nature.
And as for Baby monkey, he remained the happiest little creature on the farm. No matter how hot the summer got, he always had his cool basket, his leafy fortress, and the loving hands of Farmer CUTIS nearby.
One late afternoon, as the sun set in shades of fire and peach, CUTIS sat on a log, a straw hat shading his face, Baby monkey curled up beside him. The breeze carried the scent of his strange plants, and somewhere in the distance, cicadas sang their summer song.
CUTIS looked down at the sleeping monkey and smiled.
“Strange plants,” he whispered, “for a very special friend.”
And with that, the quiet harmony of farmer and monkey echoed through the summer air, a testament to compassion, creativity, and the simple power of caring.
