Deep in the jungle, under the shade of a giant tree, Mama Lila sat with her baby, Tiko. The little monkey was stubborn—more stubborn than any other baby in the troop.
“Tiko, come drink your milk,” Mama Lila called gently, holding out a fresh bottle she had found from a nearby village.
But Tiko turned his face away, crossing his tiny arms. “No!” he pouted.
Mama sighed. This wasn’t the first time. Every day, she fought to take care of him, to make sure he ate, to protect him from danger. But Tiko always refused, always fought back.
The other monkeys watched from the trees, whispering.
“Why doesn’t he listen to his mother?”
“She is trying so hard.”
“He is too stubborn. What if he gets sick?”
Mama Lila ignored their words. She only cared about her little one. Even if it was difficult, even if her heart ached every time he refused her love, she would never give up.
She tried again, placing the bottle in front of him. “Just a little sip, my love.”
Tiko’s stomach growled. He glanced at the bottle, hesitated… then finally reached out.
Mama Lila’s eyes filled with tears of relief. She stroked his tiny head as he drank.
“My stubborn little boy,” she whispered. “No matter how hard it is, I will always love you.”
The jungle fell silent, and in that moment, all the struggle, all the exhaustion, was worth it—because a mother’s love never fades, no matter how stubborn the child.
