Milo was a playful monkey who loved life in the jungle. Every day was an adventure—swinging from tree to tree, playing with his friends, and finding tasty treats to eat. His best friends were Zara the zebra, Leo the lion, and Tilly the toucan. Together, they spent their days laughing, exploring, and having fun under the sun.

But lately, something felt different.

Milo noticed his friends weren’t as happy to play with him as they used to be. When he swung down to join them, they didn’t seem as cheerful. Instead of greeting him with smiles, they were quiet, sometimes even walking away. Maybe they’re just tired, Milo thought.

He kept swinging from tree to tree, looking for fun. But after a while, Milo started to feel confused. Why don’t they want to play with me?

One morning, Milo spotted Zara the zebra lying in the shade of a big mango tree, enjoying a snack of fresh leaves and fruit. Perfect! Milo thought, feeling hungry. He swung down next to her, grabbed a mango from her plate, and took a big bite.

Zara blinked and said softly, "Oh, Milo… I was eating that."

Milo paused, with mango juice dripping from his chin. "But I was hungry," he said, chewing slowly. He didn’t understand why Zara didn’t seem happy to share.

Zara sighed and got up. "I’ll just find something else to eat," she said quietly, walking away.

Milo stood there, holding the half-eaten mango. I was just hungry… why didn’t she want to stay? he thought, scratching his head.

Later, Milo saw Leo the lion lounging by the river, enjoying the quiet. Milo felt excited again and dashed over to splash water at Leo, laughing as the water hit his mane.

Leo lifted his head and blinked as the water dripped down his fur. "I wasn’t ready for that," he said quietly.

Milo’s laughter faded. "I just thought it’d be fun to splash," he said, expecting Leo to laugh too.

Leo shook the water off and smiled a little, but his tone was gentle. "It’s fun to play, but sometimes I need a bit of quiet first." Leo yawned and laid back down, turning his head toward the river.

Milo tilted his head. Quiet? he thought. Why did Leo need quiet before playing? He skipped away, but the thought stayed with him. Is it something I did?

Milo swung through the trees and saw Tilly the toucan high up, singing her soft song. Singing is always fun! Without thinking, Milo started singing loudly, copying her notes.

Tilly stopped mid-song and looked down. "Oh, Milo, I was singing quietly."

Milo’s voice trailed off. "I just wanted to sing too," he said, feeling a little sad. Why didn’t Tilly want me to sing with her?

Tilly flapped her wings and flew to another branch. "Sometimes it’s nice to enjoy things quietly, Milo," she said as she flew off.

Later that day, Milo sat down under a tree, thinking about what his friends had said. They didn’t seem mad, but they all walked away. Why didn’t they want to play with me? He scratched his head again. I just wanted to have fun, but maybe they didn’t.

As he sat there, a gentle hoot came from above. The wise old owl swooped down onto a branch nearby.

"Why do you look so thoughtful, Milo?" the owl asked softly.

Milo sighed. "I just wanted to play and have fun with my friends, but they didn’t seem happy. Every time, they just walked away. I don’t understand why."

The owl smiled kindly. "Your friends like playing with you, Milo, but they also like to know you’re thinking about them. Sometimes it’s not about jumping in right away—it’s about making sure everyone’s ready to join in."

Milo’s eyes widened. "So, I should wait a bit or check if they’re ready to play too?"

"Exactly," the owl said. "That way, you’re showing you care about them, and they’ll be excited to join in with you."

The next day, when Milo saw Tilly with a pile of mangoes, he paused. His tummy rumbled, but instead of grabbing one, he asked, "Tilly, do you mind if I have a mango?"

Tilly smiled brightly. "Of course, Milo! Thanks for asking."

Milo grinned, feeling happy. After he finished eating, he said, "Thank you, Tilly! That was so delicious!"

From then on, Milo always paused before jumping into a game or grabbing a treat. He made sure his friends were ready, and they were happier to play with him. Zara, Leo, and Tilly smiled more, and the jungle felt like a happier place.

Milo learned that being thoughtful made everything more fun, and with his new manners, his friendships became even stronger.