King Leo and the Jingle-Jangle Fruit
King Leo the lion was great friends with his clever monkey advisor, Zuzu. One day, King Leo said, "Zuzu, I have a craving for a Jingle-Jangle Fruit."
Zuzu jumped with excitement. "A magnificent choice! The Jingle-Jangle Fruit is the king of fruits! It tastes like sunshine and honey!"
The king frowned. "But I remember now that it gave me a tummy ache."
Zuzu's face changed in an instant. "The Jingle-Jangle Fruit! Oh, that dreadful thing! It is the sourest fruit in the whole forest!"
King Leo laughed heartily. "Zuzu! How can you praise and insult the same thing in the same moment?" Zuzu answered shyly, "Your Majesty, I am your friend, not the fruit's friend! Your opinion is my opinion." The king patted his shoulder. "A true friend, Zuzu, tells me their honest opinion, not just what I want to hear. That is the treasure of friendship."
Moral Values and Lessons
- Honesty in Friendship: A true friend is someone who shares their honest opinion, even if it's different from yours.
- Think for Yourself: It's important to have your own opinion and not always agree with others just to please them.
- The Value of Different Opinions: Disagreements can enrich a friendship and make it stronger.
- Flattery is Not Friendship: Trying to please someone in everything is not a sign of true friendship.
Comprehension Questions
- Who were the two friends in the story?
- What fruit did the king want to eat?
- What good things did Zuzu say about the fruit at first?
- Why did Zuzu suddenly change his opinion?
- What lesson did King Leo teach his friend about friendship?
Critical Thinking Questions
- Why did Zuzu change his opinion so quickly?
- Do you think he was being a good friend at the beginning of the story? Why?
- Why did the king laugh instead of getting angry?
Questions to Connect the Story to Daily Life
- Have you ever agreed with a friend just to make them happy, even if you felt differently?
- Why is it sometimes hard to share your real opinion with a friend?
- How can you disagree with a friend politely and respectfully?
Fun Activities
- Draw: Draw the imaginary "Jingle-Jangle Fruit." What do you think it looks like?
- Agree/Disagree Game: Take turns making simple statements (e.g., "Blue is the best color"). The other person practices disagreeing politely (e.g., "That's interesting, I actually prefer red because...").
- Act it Out: Act out the scene. One person is the King, changing his mind. The other is the Monkey, dramatically changing his praise to insults.