On a peaceful morning in the quiet countryside, CUTIS the farmer was up early, tending to his garden. The air was fresh, the sky was a soft blue, and birds chirped in the trees. It was a perfect day for harvesting. But what no one expected was that a mischievous baby monkey would turn this day into a whirlwind of surprise, betrayal, and an angry mother’s wrath.
CUTIS had raised the baby monkey ever since it was abandoned near the river. The two had become inseparable. Wherever CUTIS went, the little monkey followed—riding on his shoulder, helping with farm chores, and playing pranks on the other animals. CUTIS named him Momo, short for “Morning Monkey,” because of his habit of waking up early and shaking CUTIS awake by the ears.
But lately, Momo had become more aware of the tensions in the household—especially the silent war between CUTIS and his wife, Linh. Linh was a strong, no-nonsense woman who took care of everything in the house, including the precious jackfruit tree in the backyard. That tree was her pride and joy. Every season, she counted each jackfruit like treasure. To her, they weren’t just fruits—they were symbols of her hard work and patience.
This year, the biggest jackfruit on the tree was something special. It had grown massive, almost as big as Momo himself. Everyone in the village had heard about it. Linh had even turned down offers to sell it, saying, “That one’s for a special occasion.”
But CUTIS had a different plan.
The night before, as Linh cooked dinner, CUTIS whispered to Momo, “Tomorrow, we’ll take the big jackfruit. We’ll sell it at the market. Just imagine the money we’ll make! Enough to buy your favorite bananas and maybe a new hat for me.”
Momo tilted his head, confused. “But Mom said no,” he murmured.
“She won’t know,” CUTIS replied with a wink. “It’ll be our little secret.”
The next morning, as Linh was busy washing clothes at the river, CUTIS crept to the tree with a ladder. Momo kept lookout, nervously twirling his tail. CUTIS worked quickly, slicing the stem and lowering the giant jackfruit into a basket. The two hurried off to the village market with their treasure bouncing on a small cart.
At the market, the jackfruit attracted a crowd. Children gasped. Old women clapped their hands in disbelief. A fruit vendor offered CUTIS a handsome amount of money.
“We’re rich!” CUTIS whispered to Momo, dancing around the cart.
Momo laughed, his anxiety melting into excitement as they enjoyed fresh sugarcane juice and watched people admire their prize.
But back at home, Linh returned from the river to an empty tree. Her eyes widened. She rushed to count the jackfruits. One… two… three… wait—where was the giant one?
She froze. Her heart pounded. “CUTIS!” she yelled. No answer. “Momo!”
Still no response.
She stormed through the house, realizing what had happened. “He took it… HE TOOK MY JACKFRUIT!” she roared, her voice echoing through the village.
Meanwhile, Momo sat on CUTIS’s shoulder, licking mango juice off his fingers when he heard a faint, familiar sound. A voice… sharp, furious, and unmistakably his mom’s.
“CUTIIIIIIIS!!!”
Momo’s eyes widened. His tiny heart thudded. “We’re in trouble,” he squeaked.
CUTIS gulped. “Uh oh.”
The crowd at the market turned toward the road leading from the village. There, in her full fury, came Linh—storming through the dust, her hair tied back, eyes blazing like fire.
“Momo! CUTIS!” she growled. “You stole my jackfruit!”
CUTIS panicked. “Run!”
He grabbed the money and started pushing the cart, Momo clinging to the side. But the wheels wobbled, and the jackfruit began to roll. It tumbled off the cart and burst open on the ground, the sweet smell filling the air.
Linh arrived just as the fruit splattered. She looked at CUTIS. Then at Momo. Her gaze narrowed. “You!” she hissed, pointing at her husband. “And you,” she added, glaring at the monkey.
Momo began to cry. He jumped off the cart and ran to Linh. “I’m sorry, Mom! I told him not to! I told him! But he said it was a secret!”
Linh’s face softened for a second. “You told him not to?” she asked.
“Yes! He made me watch the road!” Momo sniffled. “I didn’t want to steal the jackfruit!”
CUTIS’s mouth dropped open. “Momo! You told on me?!”
“I had to!” Momo sobbed. “She’s scary!”
The crowd couldn’t hold back their laughter. The big, proud CUTIS—betrayed by a baby monkey—and now facing the full wrath of his wife.
Linh picked up Momo and kissed his little forehead. “You did the right thing, baby,” she said. “Next time, just come tell me sooner.”
CUTIS, ashamed and defeated, hung his head. “I’m sorry, Linh. I just thought… maybe we could use the money…”
Linh folded her arms. “By stealing my jackfruit? That fruit was for my father’s memorial dinner. You ruined it.”
“I didn’t know…” CUTIS muttered.
“Well now you do,” she snapped. Then she sighed. “Let’s clean this mess up.”
The villagers offered to help, scooping up the jackfruit pieces. One kind old vendor said, “At least we’ll all get to taste the famous fruit.”
Momo smiled. “Can I still have bananas?”
Linh rolled her eyes. “Only if you help carry the rest of the fruit home.”
Momo saluted. “Yes, ma’am!”
As the sun set, the little family walked home—CUTIS dragging the empty cart, Linh holding Momo, and the villagers waving goodbye with sticky fingers and jackfruit-stained smiles.
Though the day had begun with secrecy and ended in a dramatic confrontation, it reminded them all of one important truth: sometimes, even a baby monkey can be the voice of reason in a world full of grown-up foolishness.
And as for CUTIS—he never tried to sell a jackfruit behind Linh’s back again. Especially not with Momo around. The little monkey had learned how to speak up, and his loyalty to “Mom” was far stronger than any secret pact with CUTIS.
Because when it came to choosing between bananas and the truth, Momo had made the right call.
Even if it meant facing… Mother’s Wrath.
