The afternoon sun shined through the thick branches of the tall tree, where little Yuri sat, looking miserable. Other baby monkeys jumped and played, swinging from branch to branch, but Yuri wasn’t interested. She sat on the lowest branch, her tiny hands gripping the bark, her lips trembling.
Then, out of nowhere—
“WAAAAAAAHH!!”
A deafening cry echoed through the trees, startling everyone. The other baby monkeys stopped playing and turned to stare at Yuri. Even the birds nearby flapped their wings and flew away from the loud noise.
Mom, who had been gathering food on the ground, immediately turned her head, her heart racing. “Yuri?” she called. But Yuri only cried louder, shaking her body in frustration.
Mom rushed toward the tree, climbing quickly with her strong arms. When she reached Yuri, the little one was already sobbing uncontrollably, her small chest rising and falling as she gasped for air.
“What happened, my baby?” Mom asked gently, stroking Yuri’s soft fur. But Yuri didn’t answer—she just lifted her arms desperately, wanting to be picked up.
Mom sighed but smiled softly. “You don’t want to play on the tree?” she asked, already knowing the answer.
Yuri shook her head quickly and let out another dramatic wail, her eyes full of tears.
“Alright, alright, come here,” Mom whispered, scooping Yuri into her arms. As soon as she was held, Yuri calmed down, resting her head against Mom’s chest.
The other baby monkeys giggled, whispering to each other, “Yuri is such a spoiled baby!”
But Yuri didn’t care. She had what she wanted—her mom’s warm embrace.
And that was all that mattered.
