Max the baby monkey had one big goal that morning: find the perfect round rock to play jungle marbles with. While exploring the backyard, something shiny and white caught his eye in the chicken coop.
“Oooh! A round one!” he gasped, pointing at a freshly laid egg.
Without a second thought, Max tiptoed inside, ignoring the warning clucks of Mama Chicken. She watched him with narrowed eyes, fluffing her feathers. Max reached for the egg with both hands, whispering, “Just one little touch…”
PECK!
“AAAAAAH!” Max screamed, jumping three feet in the air. Mama Chicken wasn’t having it. She flapped her wings, clucked angrily, and chased Max right out of the coop like a tiny feathered tornado.
“MOMMMYYYYY!” Max cried, running in circles with his arms waving. “THE CHICKEN BIT ME!”
Mom rushed over just in time to see Max flop dramatically to the ground, pointing at his finger like he’d been attacked by a dragon.
“There was an egg!” Max sobbed. “I thought it was just for playing!”
His mom held back a giggle, gently checking his finger. “Sweetie, Mama Chicken was just protecting her baby egg.”
Max sniffled, rubbing his finger. “Well, she didn’t have to bite me!”
From behind them, the chicken clucked smugly, sitting back on her egg like a boss.
That day, Max learned two very important things: never mess with a mama chicken, and not everything round is for games.
And as for the chicken? She strutted away proudly, like a queen who’d just won the war.
