Monkey Moon, a playful and endlessly curious young monkey, was always up for an adventure. He couldn’t sit still for long, even on the hottest days. So when he spotted a piece of fruit lying on the open ground, just beyond the shadow of the trees, his eyes lit up with excitement. He didn’t think twice. He leapt down from the low branch he was sitting on and dashed toward the prize.
But the moment his bare feet touched the sun-soaked ground, Moon froze.
“EEEKKK!” he squealed, hopping back and forth in total panic. The dry earth was scorching hot — like stepping on fire! His eyes widened in shock as he scrambled to lift his feet off the ground, but there was nowhere to go but forward or back. He jumped wildly, trying to keep his feet from touching the ground for more than a split second at a time.
From the safety of the trees, a few other monkeys watched in surprise, then burst into laughter. To them, it looked like Moon was doing a silly dance — hopping, spinning, flailing his arms, and screeching all at once. But for poor Moon, it wasn’t funny at all.
Realizing he couldn’t stay on the hot ground for long, Moon made a wild leap back into the shade. He landed awkwardly but safely, then immediately sat down and lifted his feet to inspect them. His expression was priceless — part confusion, part frustration, and just a little bit of embarrassment.
A nearby elder monkey came over and gently patted him on the back as if to say, “Lesson learned, little one.” Moon sulked for a moment, then began to laugh along with the others. Even he couldn’t deny how ridiculous he must have looked, hopping around like he was on hot coals.
From that moment on, Moon was much more careful about where he stepped on sunny days. He stuck to the trees, the shadows, and the cool rocks by the stream. And every time he saw someone else eyeing fruit on the open ground, he’d shake his head and chirp a warning, as if saying, “Don’t be like me!”
It was a simple but unforgettable lesson — the forest has rules, and even the sun can teach you one the hard way.
