










The jungle had just started to wake up. Sunlight filtered through the thick canopy of leaves, casting golden rays on the forest floor. Birds chirped their morning songs, and a few sleepy monkeys stretched their limbs, preparing for another day of foraging and fun. But for one little baby monkey named Lino, today was not just any day—it was a day of secrets, worry, and eventually, truth.
Lino was a bright and curious baby monkey, always watching, always learning. He had a close bond with his older friend CUTIS, a gentle and clever teenage monkey who often took him on little adventures. CUTIS had become something of a hero in Lino’s eyes, a big brother who knew how to build nests, climb the tallest trees, and even find the juiciest fruits in the jungle.
But a few days ago, something terrible had happened.
While playing near the riverbank, CUTIS had slipped on a mossy rock and badly injured his leg. The pain was immediate and sharp. He winced, fell, and cried out, scaring away nearby birds. Lino had rushed to him, panicked and wide-eyed.
“CUTIS! Are you okay?!”
CUTIS gritted his teeth. “I think… I twisted it. Maybe worse.”
He tried to stand, but he couldn’t. His leg gave out under him, and he collapsed back to the muddy ground.
“Let’s call Dad,” Lino suggested quickly, referring to his own father—a strict but deeply caring alpha male of their monkey troop. Everyone called him Dad out of respect, even the other young monkeys.
“No!” CUTIS gasped. “Don’t tell him… He’ll just tell me to rest. But I need to go fishing today. I promised Mama Rina I’d bring her something.”
Lino blinked. “But you’re hurt…”
“I can still do it. I know a place where the fish are slow. I can manage.” His voice was firm, almost pleading









Lino hesitated but finally nodded. CUTIS was strong and proud. Maybe he could do it.
That day, CUTIS slowly and painfully made his way to the shallow stream with Lino trailing behind him like a shadow. He limped and sometimes stopped to rest, but his eyes remained determined. With one leg practically useless, he still managed to catch three fat fish, slipping them into a leaf pouch he had carried with him.
Lino thought it was brave—heroic, even.
But that night, CUTIS’s leg swelled twice its size. He groaned in pain and couldn’t sleep. The other monkeys began to worry, especially Dad.
“What happened to his leg?” Dad asked, narrowing his eyes.
“He fell…” Lino mumbled.
“Then why wasn’t he resting all day?”
Lino looked down, nervously scratching his arm. “I… I can’t say.”
Dad leaned in. “Lino. Tell me the truth.”
For a moment, the little monkey shook his head. But CUTIS’s groans were getting louder. He looked over to where CUTIS lay curled under a tree, his face pale with pain.
“He went fishing,” Lino finally whispered. “Even though his leg was hurt.”
The forest went silent. Even the insects seemed to stop humming. Dad’s eyes darkened, his jaw tightened, and his strong arms crossed over his chest.
“Fishing?” Dad growled. “With that leg?!”
Lino flinched. “He wanted to help Mama Rina…”
Dad didn’t say a word. Instead, he marched straight to CUTIS, his face thunderous.
CUTIS looked up, weak but alert. “Dad…”




“You went fishing?” Dad thundered. “With an injured leg?! Do you want to lose it forever? What were you thinking?”
CUTIS tried to sit up, groaning. “I didn’t want to let her down. I promised I’d bring her fish…”
“That’s not bravery, CUTIS. That’s recklessness! You’re no good to anyone if your leg doesn’t heal right.”
“I was just trying to help…” CUTIS’s voice broke, not from fear but from guilt.
Dad knelt beside him and checked the leg carefully. His fingers were gentle despite his anger. After a moment, he sighed deeply.
“You have heart, CUTIS. But heart without wisdom is dangerous. You need to let others help you sometimes. That’s part of being strong too.”
CUTIS nodded slowly, tears stinging his eyes—not from pain, but from the weight of Dad’s disappointment
“And you,” Dad turned to Lino, his voice softer but firm. “You knew and didn’t tell me.”
“I was scared,” Lino admitted. “I didn’t want to betray him.”
“Lino, loyalty is good. But when someone you care about is making a dangerous mistake, telling the truth is the greatest way to protect them. Understand?”
Lino nodded sadly.
Dad stood up, his anger fading into something more caring. He looked around and called out, “Everyone! We need help! CUTIS needs a healer and herbs!”
Soon, several monkeys came running. Aunt Lani brought crushed leaves for swelling, and old Grandpa Tito gently straightened CUTIS’s leg before tying it with jungle twine. The entire troop worked together, showing love and support.
Over the next few days, CUTIS was not allowed to move much. Dad stayed by his side more often than not, occasionally grumbling but clearly worried. Lino brought fruit and even small frogs to cheer him up.
One evening, as the sun set in orange and purple, Dad sat with both of them.
“CUTIS,” he said calmly, “next time you feel you must do something brave, ask yourself—would it still be brave if it meant hurting yourself worse? Bravery doesn’t mean ignoring pain. It means knowing your limits and using your head.”
CUTIS nodded. “I understand now.”
Dad looked at Lino. “And if you ever have to choose between telling a truth that might hurt someone and hiding it—always choose the truth if it protects them.”
Lino nodded too.
Then, surprisingly, Dad smiled. “You two are a handful. But I’m proud. Just don’t make me roar again like that, huh?”
CUTIS and Lino laughed together.
Weeks passed, and CUTIS’s leg healed, though slowly. He would walk with a slight limp for a while, but he was alive, safe, and surrounded by love. Lino remained closer than ever, watching over him like a tiny guardian.
And even though CUTIS didn’t go fishing again for a long time, Lino made him a promise.
“When your leg’s better, we’ll fish together. But next time—only if Dad says okay.”
CUTIS chuckled. “Deal.”
The jungle went quiet under the moonlight, the trees swaying gently as if the forest itself approved of the hard lessons learned, the strong bonds formed, and the love that, even in wrath, protected them all