Life on CUTIS Farmer’s tropical farm was always full of surprises, but nothing could have prepared him for the clever trick his baby monkey pulled off one warm summer morning. CUTIS had been harvesting a giant jackfruit — so massive that it had caught the attention of neighboring farmers and even a few greedy fruit smugglers. Jackfruit of that size could sell for a handsome price, and everyone wanted a piece of it. But CUTIS wasn’t interested in selling it. He wanted to save it for the local temple’s festival feast, where it would bring joy to many.
However, rumors spread quickly. By late afternoon, CUTIS started hearing whispers in the village that some people were planning to sneak onto his land at night and steal the prized jackfruit. CUTIS, concerned for the safety of his crop, decided he needed a plan to hide the jackfruit until the festival. What he didn’t expect was that his baby monkey, a playful and sharp little creature named Momo, would be the key to pulling it off.
A Monkey with a Mission
Momo had been with CUTIS since she was a tiny orphan, rescued during a storm. She’d grown up swinging from mango trees, stealing sips of coconut water, and following CUTIS around the farm like a shadow. They shared a bond that went beyond words. Momo could understand CUTIS’s moods and often responded with gestures that left him wondering just how smart she really was.
That afternoon, as CUTIS sat under a shady banana tree thinking of where he could hide the enormous jackfruit, Momo approached with a tilted head and curious eyes. She noticed the tension in CUTIS’s face and climbed onto his lap, patting his chest gently. CUTIS looked at her and sighed, “We’ve got a problem, Momo. That jackfruit’s too big to move alone, and there’s too many eyes watching.”
As if she understood every word, Momo suddenly jumped up, ran in circles, and dramatically flopped onto the ground. She lay still, eyes closed, her little body limp. At first, CUTIS panicked. “Momo?! Are you okay?” he cried, rushing to her side. But then, he noticed the tiny smirk forming on her lips. She opened one eye and winked at him before going limp again.
That’s when it hit him — Momo was pretending to be sick. An idea sparked in CUTIS’s mind.
The Distraction
The next morning, CUTIS went to the village market and loudly announced that his baby monkey had fallen gravely ill. He said she wouldn’t eat or play and that she needed complete rest. He even carried Momo in a little hammock on his shoulder, wrapped in a warm cloth, looking pale and weak (Momo’s acting was worthy of an award). The villagers, many of whom loved the mischievous little monkey, were deeply concerned. Some brought herbs, others suggested healers.
While everyone’s attention was on Momo’s sudden illness, CUTIS quietly returned to the farm under the cover of dusk and began preparing a hiding place for the jackfruit. He used bamboo stalks to create a false wall in the back of his storage shed. Behind it, he carefully rolled the giant jackfruit and covered it with banana leaves and drying laundry to camouflage the scent.
Meanwhile, Momo stayed in her hammock, occasionally making soft whining noises, sticking her tongue out, or pretending to shiver whenever someone came close. The performance was so convincing that even CUTIS’s nosy neighbor, who had his eyes set on the jackfruit, backed off his plans. “Poor little Momo,” he muttered. “Let’s not bother CUTIS during this difficult time.”
A Close Call
The plan was working perfectly — until one night, two men tried sneaking onto CUTIS’s property. Momo, ever alert even in her “sick” state, heard the faint crunch of footsteps near the shed. Without breaking character, she let out a high-pitched screech that echoed through the yard. CUTIS, who had been half-asleep on his porch, shot up and grabbed his flashlight.
The men scrambled away in fear, thinking the monkey’s cry was a warning signal — maybe even a curse. CUTIS chased them off, then turned back to the porch, where Momo had returned to her “sick” role, lying dramatically with one paw on her forehead. CUTIS chuckled quietly and gave her a gentle head scratch. “You’re better than a watchdog, Momo.”
The Grand Reveal
Days passed, and with each one, Momo’s condition appeared to “improve” slightly. By the end of the week, CUTIS declared that she had made a miraculous recovery. The village rejoiced, and even the elders said it was a blessing from the forest spirits.
When the festival day finally arrived, CUTIS proudly brought out the giant jackfruit from its secret hiding place. The villagers were shocked. “Where did you keep it?!” they asked. CUTIS just smiled and said, “With a little help from a very clever monkey.”
Momo was the star of the feast. She sat on a small chair beside CUTIS, wearing a garland of flowers and being hand-fed pieces of the jackfruit she had helped save. The children surrounded her, clapping and laughing, while the adults marveled at her intelligence.
A Bond Beyond Words
After the festival, CUTIS sat on the porch with Momo curled up beside him. He thought about how that little monkey, once weak and helpless, had become his closest ally. She didn’t need to speak to tell him how she felt. Her actions said it all.
In a world where people often underestimated animals, Momo had proven that love, trust, and a bit of mischief could accomplish great things.
CUTIS leaned back, watching the stars appear in the evening sky. “Next time we need to outsmart someone, I know who to call,” he whispered, looking down at Momo. She blinked slowly, then stretched out and wrapped her tiny arms around his wrist, as if to say, “We’re a team.”
And that was the story of how a baby monkey pretended to be sick — not for attention or treats, but to help her beloved CUTIS protect a giant jackfruit and bring joy to the entire village.
