Monkey Lyly stood in the middle of the room, staring at the bright new dress her mother had just given her. It was colorful, neatly sewn, and carefully chosen—but Lyly didn’t like it at all. She crossed her arms, her little face scrunched with dissatisfaction.
“Try it on, Lyly,” her mother said gently, smiling with hope.
Reluctantly, Lyly slipped into the dress. It fit perfectly, but to her, it felt uncomfortable and far from her style. She glanced at herself and frowned even deeper. In her mind, she had already decided—she wasn’t going to wear it.
Instead of saying how she felt, Lyly came up with a mischievous plan.
She quietly stepped outside, looking around to make sure no one was watching. Then, with a determined little grin, she sat down in a patch of dirt and began to rub her dress against the ground. Dust, mud, and tiny stains quickly covered the once-clean fabric. She even added a few leaves for extra effect.
When she returned home, she tried to look innocent, but the mess told the whole story.
“Oh no! What happened to your dress?” her mother exclaimed, surprised and confused.
Lyly shrugged, pretending not to know. But her mother wasn’t convinced. She sighed softly, realizing what had really happened. Lyly hadn’t wanted the dress—and instead of saying it, she chose to ruin it.
For a moment, her mother didn’t know what to say. She felt a mix of helplessness and disappointment. Kneeling down, she gently held Lyly’s hands and said, “If you don’t like something, you can tell me. You don’t have to destroy it.”
Lyly looked down, her cheeks turning red. Guilt slowly replaced her stubbornness.
“I… I didn’t like it,” she admitted quietly.
Her mother smiled softly, brushing a bit of dirt from Lyly’s cheek. “That’s okay. Next time, just be honest.”
Lyly nodded, realizing her mistake. Sometimes, speaking the truth is much better than making a mess to avoid it.
