The sun had barely risen when the small wooden house in the countryside came alive with the usual morning chaos. CUTIS, the mischievous yet adorable baby monkey, was already up to his daily antics. He had discovered a peculiar fascination with the family’s soy sauce bottle – a glossy, dark glass container that he loved to roll around on the kitchen floor. To CUTIS, the soy sauce wasn’t just a condiment; it was a toy, a treasure, and, most importantly, a prize worth protecting.
On this particular morning, Dad was in a foul mood. He had spent the entire previous evening fixing a broken fence in the yard and had barely slept. To make matters worse, he had planned a hearty breakfast for the family – fried eggs, fish, and vegetables – all of which required a generous splash of soy sauce. But just when he was ready to season the meal, he discovered that the soy sauce bottle was nowhere to be found.
“Where is it?!” Dad’s voice roared through the kitchen.
Mom, who was busy preparing the rice, looked up calmly. “I saw CUTIS playing with it earlier. Maybe he hid it again.”
Dad’s brows furrowed, and he clenched his fists. This wasn’t the first time CUTIS had turned mealtime into a game of hide-and-seek. “CUTIS! Come here right now!” Dad shouted, his voice deep and stern.
In the corner of the kitchen, CUTIS froze. His little brown eyes widened, and he clutched the soy sauce bottle tightly to his chest. He understood the tone of Dad’s voice – it wasn’t playful this time. Without hesitation, he made a quick decision: Run!
With a swift leap, CUTIS darted across the kitchen floor, the bottle clinking as he bounded toward the door. “Hey! Stop right there!” Dad shouted, dropping the spatula and chasing after him. CUTIS squeaked in alarm and scurried out into the yard, his tiny feet kicking up dust as he went.
The chase was on.
CUTIS was fast, much faster than Dad expected. He zipped past the wooden fence, jumped onto a barrel, and scrambled onto the roof of the chicken coop. Dad followed close behind, panting but determined. “You naughty monkey! That’s not a toy! Bring it back here!” he yelled.
From his perch on the roof, CUTIS tilted his head and grinned cheekily. He held up the soy sauce bottle like a trophy, shaking it slightly as if teasing Dad. The sight of this made Dad’s face turn red with frustration. “I’m warning you, CUTIS! If that bottle breaks, you’ll be in big trouble!”
But CUTIS, ever the playful trickster, didn’t take the warning seriously. With a squeal of delight, he leapt from the roof onto a tree branch, clutching the bottle with one hand while swinging effortlessly. Dad tried to climb the tree after him but slipped on the bark, landing with a thud on the ground.
“ARGH! This monkey will drive me crazy!” Dad groaned, rubbing his back.
Mom, who had been watching the entire scene from the doorway, couldn’t help but chuckle. “Maybe he just wants some attention,” she said softly. “You’re always scolding him, but he’s just a baby.”
“Attention?!” Dad exclaimed, pointing toward CUTIS who was now dangling upside down from the tree, the soy sauce bottle dangling precariously. “He’s going to spill my soy sauce all over the yard! That’s not attention, that’s chaos!”
The chase continued around the yard for another ten minutes. CUTIS, sensing Dad’s growing anger, decided to make things even more exciting. He dashed toward the vegetable garden, weaving through rows of cabbage and carrots while holding the bottle high. Dad chased him, stumbling over a watering can in his haste. CUTIS stopped briefly to glance over his shoulder, his face lit with pure mischief, before disappearing into a pile of firewood.
“Where did he go now?!” Dad muttered, scanning the yard. He crouched low, peering into the shadows of the woodpile. Suddenly, CUTIS burst out, startling Dad so much that he fell backward onto the dirt. With a squeaky giggle, CUTIS scampered away again.
“THAT’S IT! I’ve had enough of this nonsense!” Dad roared, his patience finally snapping. He grabbed a long stick from the side of the shed, not to hurt CUTIS, but to wave it as a sign of authority. “Give me the soy sauce, or no bananas for you tonight!”
CUTIS froze at the mention of bananas. His little mind weighed the threat carefully. He loved bananas more than anything. With a tiny whimper, he sat on the ground, clutching the bottle like it was his life. His eyes darted between the stick and Dad’s furious face. Then, in an instant, CUTIS made his choice – he bolted again, this time heading straight for the open gate.
The sight of CUTIS running toward the village road sent Dad into a panic. “Oh no, no, no! Not outside!” he yelled, sprinting after him. Mom shouted from the kitchen, “Be careful! Don’t scare the neighbors again!”
By the time Dad reached the gate, CUTIS was already halfway down the dusty road, the soy sauce glinting in the sunlight. A couple of neighbors, who were sweeping their front yards, stopped and stared at the strange sight of a monkey running with a bottle while a man chased after him.
“Isn’t that Mr. Kien’s monkey?” one of them asked.
“Yes,” another replied with a laugh. “Looks like the little rascal stole something again!”
Finally, Dad cornered CUTIS near a small bamboo grove. Panting heavily, Dad crouched low, trying to calm his voice. “Listen, CUTIS… I’m not mad anymore. Just give me the soy sauce, okay? I promise I won’t yell.”
CUTIS tilted his head, holding the bottle close. For a moment, it seemed like he might actually give in. But just as Dad reached out his hand, CUTIS let out a cheeky squeal and climbed the nearest bamboo stalk, going higher and higher.
Dad groaned. “I’m too old for this.”
After what felt like hours – though it was probably only 20 minutes – CUTIS finally grew tired of the game. With a big yawn, he climbed down slowly and placed the soy sauce bottle on the ground. Dad, still catching his breath, picked it up carefully and inspected it. “Not a single crack… thank goodness,” he muttered.
CUTIS looked up at him with big innocent eyes, as if to say, See? I was careful.
When they finally returned home, Mom was waiting with a smirk. “Did you catch your soy sauce thief?” she teased.
Dad sighed, placing the bottle on the table. “Yes… but this rascal nearly gave me a heart attack.”
CUTIS climbed onto Dad’s lap and hugged him, chirping softly as if apologizing. Dad’s anger melted almost instantly. “You’re lucky you’re cute,” he said, scratching CUTIS’s head. “But next time, stay away from my soy sauce, okay?”
CUTIS only grinned, and everyone knew that the next round of mischief was just around the corner.
