Jupiter and the Monkey

Jupiter issued a proclamation to all the beasts of the forest, promising a royal reward to the one whose offspring would be deemed the handsomest.

Among the crowd, the Monkey arrived with her fellow creatures, presenting her young one with all the tenderness a mother could muster. However, the young Monkey was flat-nosed, hairless, and ill-featured, making him an unusual candidate for the promised reward. When she unveiled her son, a general laugh erupted among the other animals.

Undeterred by the mockery, the Monkey stood her ground and declared, "I know not whether Jupiter will allot the prize to my son, but this I do know: in my eyes, as his mother, he is the dearest, handsomest, and most beautiful of all."