Toto was full of energy but easily scared. One thing he feared the most? Snakes. He’d seen them slither across the jungle floor and heard the warnings from older monkeys: “Never go near a snake!”
Jago and Bilu knew this all too well. So, one sunny morning, while the troop rested on the warm forest floor, they hatched a brilliant idea for a prank.
“Let’s make a fake snake,” whispered Jago, eyes twinkling with mischief.
“Yes! And scare the baby out of his fur!” giggled Bilu.
The two quickly got to work. Using some dried banana leaves, twisty vines, and a bit of mud for coloring, they crafted a long, wiggly shape that looked surprisingly real. They even added a little forked tongue made from red petals. It looked just like a baby python!
Once their masterpiece was complete, they laid the fake snake on a well-used monkey path and waited for Toto to return from his nap.
Sure enough, a few minutes later, little Toto came hopping along, humming a tune only monkeys understand. He was carrying a piece of mango, clearly excited for his afternoon snack.
Suddenly, he froze. His wide eyes locked onto the “snake” lying across the path.
“Ee-ee-eeek!! S-s-s-snake!” he shrieked, leaping straight up into the air. The mango flew from his hand and landed on a branch. Toto scrambled up the nearest tree in full panic mode, making wild alarm sounds.
Jago and Bilu couldn’t hold it in—they burst into howls of laughter, rolling around and clapping their hands. Even the older monkeys nearby began chuckling once they saw the fake snake.
From the tree, Toto peeked down, confused. Then he saw Jago holding the “snake” and wiggling it like a puppet. It took Toto a few seconds… and then realization hit.
“You tricked me!” he squeaked.
Everyone laughed even harder.
But instead of staying mad, Toto did something unexpected—he laughed too. With a cheeky grin, he slid down the tree and picked up his mango. “Okay, okay! You got me good. But just wait—I’ll prank you next time!”
The jungle was filled with laughter for the rest of the day. The prank had not only worked, but it brought the whole troop together in fun.
And guess what? The next week, Jago woke up to find his tail tied to a branch, thanks to a clever baby monkey with a good memory and a playful heart.
