Malo and the Forbidden Mangoes

In the savannah, Malo the monkey loved mangoes.

Small mangoes.

Big mangoes.

Nice yellow mangoes.

Still slightly green mangoes.

Actually, Malo loved all mangoes.

One morning, Baya the elephant placed a big basket under a tree.

It was filled with beautiful ripe mangoes.

Baya told him:

"Malo, whatever you do, don't touch them, they're for everyone's snack."

Malo looked at the basket.

Then at Baya.

He replied:

"Promise."

Baya left to fetch the others.

Malo stayed alone.

Well...

Alone with the basket.

He sat down.

He looked away.

He even tried to look very far.

But a smell reached him.

A sweet smell.

Sugary.

Delicious.

Malo slowly turned his head.

The basket was still there.

Malo whispered:

"No."

He turned back.

Then he looked again.

"I promised."

He took three steps.

Then five.

Then he came back.

Just to check that the mangoes were still there.

They were still there.

And they looked even better.

Malo approached.

He told himself:

"I'm not going to eat any."

He picked up a mango.

"I'll just look at it and smell it just a tiny bit."

He brought the mango close.

"Mmmmm..."

Then, without really knowing how...

CRUNCH.

Malo stood still.

He looked at the mango.

A piece was missing.

"Oh."

He looked around.

No one.

Malo thought.

"Well... now that it's already bitten..."

CRUNCH.

Then again.

CRUNCH.

A few seconds later, only the pit remained.

Malo looked at the pit.

"No one must see this."

He looked for a hiding spot.

First under a leaf.

He placed the pit underneath.

But the pit stuck out.

"No."

Then he tried behind a rock.

He ran to the rock.

But Jojo the hippopotamus was just lying behind it.

Jojo asked him:

"What are you doing?"

Malo jumped.

"Nothing!"

He hid the pit behind his back.

Jojo looked at him.

Malo smiled.

Then he left very quickly.

A bit further, Malo spotted a small hole.

"Perfect!"

He approached.

He was about to throw the pit inside when a small voice was heard.

"Hello."

Rami the beetle came out of the hole.

Malo stepped back.

"Ah! You live there?"

Rami answered him:

"Yes."

Malo looked at the pit in his hand.

Then at Rami.

Rami told him:

"Nice pit."

Malo replied:

"Thanks!"

Then he left again.

He ended up hiding the pit under a pile of branches.

This time, nothing could be seen.

Malo sighed.

"There, no one will know."

Then he returned to the basket.

He looked at it.

There was now a small gap in the middle of the mangoes.

Exactly where the one he had eaten was.

Malo opened his eyes wide.

"Oh no, they'll see it!"

He took a mango from the side.

He placed it in the middle.

Then another.

Then yet another.