Milo was a little monkey with a very big love for bananas. Every evening, Mama Monkey would give him three bright yellow bananas for his bedtime snack. Milo thought bananas were the BEST thing in the whole wide jungle!
One evening, as Milo peeled his first banana, he saw his friends, Leo the lemur and Poppy the parrot, looking a little sad. Leo’s favorite mango tree hadn’t grown any fruit that day, and Poppy hadn’t found any tasty berries. Milo held his banana tightly. Three bananas were *exactly* the right amount for Milo.
He took a big bite, but then he looked at Leo and Poppy again. Leo was trying to cheer Poppy up, but they both looked disappointed. Milo remembered how happy he felt when Leo shared his shiny pebbles with him last week. He thought about how much fun it was to play with Poppy, even when she squawked a little too loudly.
Milo slowly broke off a piece of his banana and offered it to Leo. “Here, Leo,” he said quietly. Leo’s eyes lit up! He took the piece and nibbled it happily. “Thank you, Milo!” he chirped.
Then, Milo broke off another piece and gave it to Poppy. “Here you go, Poppy!” Poppy did a little happy dance. “Oh, Milo, you’re the best!” she squawked with delight. Milo felt a warm, fuzzy feeling inside. It felt even better than eating a whole banana by himself!
He realized that sharing his bananas didn’t make him have less fun; it made his friends happy, and *that* made him happy too. He finished his own banana, feeling content and warm.
Mama Monkey smiled when she saw Milo sharing. “That was very kind of you, Milo,” she said, giving him a gentle hug. “Sharing with friends makes everything sweeter.”
Milo snuggled close to his mama, feeling sleepy and happy. He knew that even though bananas were delicious, sharing and friendship were the sweetest treats of all. He closed his eyes, dreaming of playing with Leo and Poppy, and maybe, just maybe, sharing another banana tomorrow night. Goodnight, Milo!
And goodnight to you too, little one. Remember, sharing with your friends always makes bedtime even better.