monkey Xuka was usually the happiest and most energetic monkey in the village. Every morning, he loved climbing trees, chasing butterflies, and helping his father work in the garden. His cheerful laughter could always be heard echoing through the forest.
But one strange morning, something unexpected happened to Xuka.
When his mother called him for breakfast, Xuka didn’t come running like usual. Instead, he slowly walked out of his little room looking tired and unusually quiet. His fur was messy, his eyes looked sleepy, and he held his tiny tummy with both hands.
“Xuka, what happened to you?” his mother asked worriedly.
Xuka sighed softly and sat down beside the table. “My stomach hurts,” he whispered sadly.
His parents immediately became concerned. Normally, Xuka could eat three bananas before breakfast even started, but this time he refused his favorite food completely. He only drank a little warm water and curled up quietly beside his mother.
Soon, the entire family began wondering what had happened to the playful little monkey.
After thinking carefully, Xuka finally admitted something embarrassing. The night before, while everyone was sleeping, he had secretly sneaked into the kitchen and eaten too many ripe mangoes and sweet cakes by himself.
“I only wanted one bite,” Xuka explained nervously. “But they were too delicious!”
His father couldn’t help laughing a little, even though he was worried. “Oh, Xuka,” he said gently. “Too much sweetness can make your tummy very sick.”
The family spent the whole day taking care of him. His mother prepared warm ginger tea while his father placed a cool towel on his forehead. Even little Lyly sat beside him, fanning him carefully with a banana leaf.
At first, Xuka felt miserable and guilty for sneaking food without permission. But seeing everyone care for him made him feel loved and comforted.
By evening, Xuka finally started feeling better. His stomach pain slowly disappeared, and his cheerful smile returned again. The first thing he did was apologize honestly to his parents for secretly overeating.
His mother hugged him warmly and smiled. “The important thing is that you learned your lesson.”
From that day on, little monkey Xuka never secretly ate too many sweets again — although he still loved mangoes more than anything in the world!
