Maggie the Monkey’s Liana Swinging Challenge: A Story About Persistence
Once upon a time, in the heart of a vibrant, green jungle, where the trees towered high, and the rivers flowed with a soothing hum, lived a little monkey
named Maggie. Maggie was full of energy, always curious, and eager to explore every nook and cranny of the jungle.
One sunny morning, as the warm rays of the sun filtered through the thick canopy, Maggie was making her way to meet her friends in the jungle. She found them all swinging gracefully from Liana to Liana – a favorite monkey activity in the whole jungle. Her friends whooshed and giggled, their faces bright with excitement as they moved swiftly; it seemed like they were flying. Mia, the oldest of the group, smiled at Maggie. ‘‘Hi, Maggie! Come join us!’’
Maggie’s nose twitched. She tried swinging on the lianas before, but each time, she ended up tumbling to the ground or losing her grip. Today, however, she felt determined. She wanted to join her friends more than anything. She grabbed a liana, took a deep breath, and leaped into the air. For a moment, she felt the exhilarating rush of the wind as she was stretching her arm to grab another liana, but in a second, her arms grew weaker, and she lost her grip, landing softly on the jungle floor. She felt as if she just didn’t have enough strength in her muscles to support herself while trying to swing.
‘‘I’m no good at this,’’ Maggie said out loud, her eyes welling up with tears. ‘‘I’ll never be able to swing.’’ Heartbroken, she ran back home and curled up on her bed made of soft leaves.
Maggie’s dad, Max, noticing his daughter’s upset, came over and gently patted her on the back. ‘‘What happened, my little monkey?’’ he asked. At that moment, Maggie burst into tears, sharing her disappointment and grief for not being strong enough to swing.
‘‘Don’t be so hard on yourself. Learning to swing on the lianas takes time and practice. First tries are always tricky. Remember how clumsy you were when you were learning to climb trees?’’
Maggie giggled. It was true! Back then, she’d frequently fall with a clumsy plop, much to her frustration. But with practice, climbing had become
second nature to her.
‘‘Exactly!’’ Dad chuckled. ‘‘Just like climbing, swinging takes time and patience. Don’t give up so easily.’’
‘‘But I want to be good at it now!’’ Maggie said, her voice trembling.
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Can you think of a time when you found something really hard to do at first, but you didn’t give up, and you finally mastered it? Like learning to
write a letter, read a tricky word, ride a bike, build a tall tower of blocks, or master a jump or a catch. What kept you going even when it got tough?
(This question helps readers connect the story to their own experiences and recognize their own persistence.)