A True Friend Is One Like This

In a dense forest lived a troop of monkeys. Among them were two young monkeys who were extremely mischievous. They were so naughty that even their parents had grown tired of scolding them. In the same forest lived a little giraffe. He was simple, innocent, and kind by nature.

One day, while grazing, the giraffe wandered into a part of the forest where the monkeys were busy jumping from tree to tree, plucking leaves and fruits. When the two mischievous monkeys saw the giraffe, they were astonished, because they had never seen such a strange animal before.

One of them laughed and said, “Look how strange this animal is! Let’s tease and trouble him.”

Both monkeys quickly climbed a tree under which the giraffe was peacefully eating grass. Sitting on a branch, they shouted mockingly, “Hey, long-neck! What’s your name?”

The giraffe replied gently, “I am a giraffe. Will you be my friends? What are your names?”

Hearing this, both monkeys burst into laughter. “Why would we be friends with you?” they said cruelly. “You are so ugly—your neck is like a tower and your legs look like ladders!”

They continued mocking him, and one monkey even plucked a ripe fruit and threw it at the giraffe. The fruit hit his face, bursting and spreading pulp all over. The monkeys laughed loudly and jumped away deeper into the forest.

The poor giraffe felt hurt and humiliated. With a heavy heart and lowered head, he quietly walked away.

A few days later, the two mischievous monkeys decided to go far into the forest alone for adventure. They were tired of their parents’ strictness and wanted freedom. Early in the morning, while everyone was asleep, they slipped away quietly.

They wandered far from their troop. When hunger struck, they ate leaves and fruits from trees and enjoyed themselves greatly. By noon, the heat became intense, so they climbed a tall tree to rest in its shade. Beneath that tree, a lion was sleeping peacefully. Nearby was a green meadow and a flowing river, making the place look beautiful.

Lost in the beauty of the scene, the monkeys failed to notice the lion. But when the lion roared to chase flies off his face, they suddenly saw him. They were terrified at first, but then relaxed, thinking they were safe high up in the tree.

As mischief was part of their nature, they decided to tease again. One monkey plucked a fruit and dropped it straight onto the lion’s nose. The lion roared in pain and anger. Looking up, he saw the monkeys laughing loudly.

Furious, the lion thundered, “Do you know who I am? I am the king of this forest! Come down right now, or I will eat you both!”

The monkeys laughed again, confident of their safety. This made the lion even angrier. Gathering all his strength, he leaped upward. His jaws were open, sharp teeth flashing, and he came dangerously close. The monkeys froze in fear and clung tightly to each other.

The lion tried again and again, roaring fiercely. The monkeys screamed in terror. There were no nearby trees to jump to and no higher branches to climb. They were completely trapped.

Just then, they heard a calm voice say, “Don’t be afraid. I will help you. Carefully slide down my neck and sit on my back.”

To their shock, it was the same giraffe they had mocked earlier. Ashamed, the monkeys lowered their eyes, realizing that the one they had hurt was now saving them

“Quickly,” the giraffe urged. “If the lion sees me, we’ll all be in danger.”

The monkeys slid down his long neck and climbed onto his back. The giraffe ran swiftly away. When the lion noticed, he chased them roaring loudly. The monkeys screamed in fear, but the giraffe reassured them, “Don’t worry. I am fast. He cannot catch us.”

And inded, the giraffe’s long legs carried them far ahead. Reaching a safe place, the giraffe stopped, and the monkeys jumped down

The giraffe then said gently, “You mocked my long neck and legs, but today they saved your lives. Because of my neck, I saw you from afar, and because of my legs, I ran fast.”

The monkeys felt deeply ashamed. Seeing their regret, the giraffe smiled and said kindly, “Forget the past. From today, will you be my friends and play with me?”

The monkeys immediately apologized. “You are our true friend,” they said. “A real friend is one who helps in times of trouble.”

The giraffe danced happily, and from that day onward, the monkeys changed their ways—having learned a powerful lesson about kindness, humility, and true friendship.