The Monkey and the Crocodile

 


The Monkey and the Crocodile

Once upon a time, on the banks of a great river in India, there was a large and lush tree that bore the juiciest, sweetest fruits. A clever and lively monkey lived in this tree, happily feasting on its fruits every day.

One day, a crocodile swam up to the tree and rested near its roots. The monkey noticed the crocodile looking tired and hungry, so he called out, "Hello, friend! You look like you could use something to eat. Would you like to try some of these delicious fruits?"

The crocodile gratefully accepted. The monkey plucked a few ripe fruits and tossed them down to the crocodile, who gobbled them up. "These are the sweetest fruits I've ever tasted!" said the crocodile. From that day on, the monkey and the crocodile became good friends. Every day, the monkey would share the fruits with the crocodile, and the crocodile would visit the tree to chat with the monkey.

One day, the crocodile mentioned his wife, who lived in a deep pool on the other side of the river. "My wife would love these fruits," he said. "She’s never tasted anything so sweet."

"Take some home to her!" said the monkey, happily tossing down more fruits.

The crocodile took the fruits to his wife, who ate them eagerly. But as she ate, a sly idea crept into her mind. "If these fruits are so delicious," she said to her husband, "imagine how sweet the monkey's heart must be! You must bring me the monkey's heart to eat!"

The crocodile was horrified at his wife’s demand. "But he’s my friend!" he protested. "How can I betray him?"

But his wife insisted, and eventually, the crocodile gave in. He swam back to the tree with a heavy heart.

When he reached the monkey, he said, "Dear friend, my wife was so delighted by the fruits you sent her that she wishes to thank you in person. She has invited you to our home for a feast. Hop onto my back, and I’ll take you across the river to meet her."

The monkey, eager for an adventure, agreed and leapt onto the crocodile’s back. They set off across the river, but as they reached the deep, swirling waters in the middle, the crocodile could no longer keep his secret. "My friend," he said, "I must confess something. My wife doesn’t just want to thank you—she wants to eat your heart. I’m very sorry, but I cannot disobey her."

The monkey was shocked, but being quick-witted, he didn’t panic. Instead, he thought of a clever plan. "Oh, dear friend," he said calmly, "why didn’t you tell me earlier? I would have brought my heart with me!"

The crocodile was confused. "What do you mean?"

The monkey explained, "You see, we monkeys don’t carry our hearts inside our bodies like you do. We leave them safely in the trees while we move around. If you had told me, I would have brought my heart with me. Now we’ll have to go back to the tree so I can fetch it for your wife."

The crocodile, not realizing he was being tricked, believed the monkey. He turned around and swam back to the tree. As soon as they reached the shore, the monkey leapt off the crocodile’s back and scampered up to the highest branch.

"Foolish crocodile!" he called down. "Do you think I’d give you my heart so easily? Go back to your wicked wife and tell her she’ll never taste my heart—or these fruits again!"

The crocodile felt ashamed and knew he had lost his friend forever. From that day on, the monkey stayed in his tree, and the crocodile swam away, never to return.

Moral of the Story:

This tale teaches that wit and intelligence are often more powerful than brute strength. It also highlights the value of friendship and the harm caused by betrayal. The story is part of India’s rich storytelling tradition, which often combines humor, morality, and lessons in cleverness.

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