Monkey and the Banana Stand

Momo the monkey swung into the jungle market with three shiny coins. "Three coins for three bananas, please!" he told Mr. Tortoise at the banana stand.

Mr. Tortoise was very old and very slow, and his eyes weren't as sharp as they used to be. He counted out the bananas and handed Momo the bunch.

Momo swung home, happy. But when he counted his bananas — one, two, three, four, five, six! — there were six instead of three.

"Woo-hoo!" Momo cheered. "Free bananas!"

Then he stopped. He thought about Mr. Tortoise, who worked every day in the hot sun. If Momo kept the extra bananas, Mr. Tortoise would have less to sell.

Momo's tummy felt funny, and it wasn't because he was hungry.

He swung all the way back to the market. "Mr. Tortoise, you gave me too many bananas. Here are three back."

Mr. Tortoise blinked slowly. Then he smiled a slow, wide smile. "Thank you, Momo. Most folks wouldn't come back. You're an honest monkey."

The next day, Mr. Tortoise put up a new sign: "HELPER WANTED." And guess who he asked first?

Now Momo works at the banana stand every Saturday. He counts the bananas carefully — and Mr. Tortoise pays him in the best bananas in the jungle.

"Being honest," Momo says, "is always the sweetest choice."

⭐ The End ⭐