The warm afternoon was perfect for playing, and LYLY the little monkey couldn’t resist spending extra time with her friends. They climbed trees, played hide-and-seek, and laughed as they swung from vine to vine. Time flew by so quickly that LYLY completely forgot the promise she had made to return home before sunset.
As the sky slowly turned orange, LYLY suddenly realized how late it was. “Oh no!” she gasped. “Mom is going to be worried!” She quickly said goodbye to her friends and hurried home as fast as she could.
On the way, LYLY began thinking about what might happen. Her mother had reminded her several times to come home on time. She knew her mom wasn’t strict to be mean—she simply wanted LYLY to be safe. Still, LYLY felt nervous about being scolded.
Just before reaching the house, LYLY came up with a plan. She decided to pretend that one of her legs was sore. She started walking very slowly, limping dramatically and making little sounds as if she were in pain.
When her mother saw LYLY approaching, she immediately ran over with concern. “LYLY, what happened? Are you hurt?” she asked, carefully checking her daughter’s leg.
LYLY nodded and quietly said, “My leg started hurting while I was coming home.”
Her mother gently helped her sit down and examined the leg. She couldn’t find any scratches, swelling, or bruises. After giving it another careful look, she smiled kindly and asked, “Are you sure your leg hurts, or are you afraid I’ll be upset because you came home late?”
LYLY looked down at the ground. Her face turned red with embarrassment. She knew her mother had figured out the truth. After a long moment of silence, LYLY admitted everything. She confessed that she had been having so much fun playing that she lost track of time and pretended to be injured because she didn’t want to get into trouble.
Instead of becoming angry, her mother gently hugged her. She explained that honesty is always better than making up stories. “I was more worried about your safety than about the time,” she said. “If you’re truthful, we can always solve problems together.”
Feeling relieved, LYLY apologized sincerely and promised to come home on time in the future. Her mother forgave her with a warm smile, and the two shared a peaceful dinner together. From that day on, LYLY remembered that telling the truth always brings more comfort than pretending, even after making a mistake.
