Lala was a golden retriever with a heart full of curiosity. Ever since she was a tiny pup, she had loved sniffing out new things, exploring her surroundings, and tasting whatever her humans let her try. Her tail wagged at the mere thought of something new and exciting.
One sunny afternoon, Lala sat in the kitchen, watching her human, Mia, chop up something bright orange on a wooden cutting board. The fruit gleamed under the light, its skin greenish-yellow and its inside a juicy, inviting orange. Lala tilted her head, her golden ears flopping to the side. She had never seen this fruit before, but it smelled sweet and tropical.
Mia smiled as she noticed Lala’s intense gaze. “You’re curious about this, huh, Lala?” she asked, holding up a chunk of the fruit. “It’s called papaya. Wanna try some?”
Lala’s tail thumped against the floor in eager anticipation. She watched as Mia removed the black seeds, ensuring the fruit was safe for her beloved pup. Then, Mia placed a small piece in front of Lala. The golden retriever sniffed it carefully, her nose twitching as she analyzed the unfamiliar scent. It was sweet, but also a little musky, unlike any fruit she had tasted before.
With a tiny lick, Lala sampled the papaya. Her tongue flicked over its soft flesh, and her brown eyes widened slightly. The texture was smooth and slightly mushy, not as crunchy as an apple or as firm as a banana. She licked it again, this time taking a small nibble. A burst of sweetness spread across her tongue, followed by an earthy aftertaste.
Mia giggled. “What do you think, Lala? Do you like it?”
Lala wasn’t sure at first. She had never tasted anything quite like this before. But as she chewed, her tail started wagging faster. The flavor was growing on her! She gobbled up the rest of the piece and looked up at Mia expectantly, licking her lips as if to say, ‘More, please!’
“You like it, don’t you?” Mia chuckled, offering another small piece. Lala eagerly accepted it, savoring the new flavor that she had so curiously discovered.
From that day on, Lala’s love for papaya grew. Whenever Mia brought the fruit home, Lala would sit patiently in the kitchen, her tail swishing in excitement. She had officially become a papaya-loving pup!
But Lala’s curiosity didn’t stop there. One day, as Mia was making a fruit salad, Lala noticed that the papaya had come from a round, greenish-yellow fruit that Mia had sliced open. Lala sniffed the whole fruit on the counter, wondering how it transformed into the delicious orange pieces she loved so much.
Mia laughed at her inquisitive pup. “You’re such a curious girl, Lala,” she said, giving her a gentle pat. “Maybe one day, we’ll plant a papaya tree in the backyard.”
Lala didn’t know what that meant exactly, but she did know one thing—she would always be ready to try new things. And if papaya was on the menu, she would happily take another bite!
