The Monkey and the Crocodile

Part One · Two Friends

Long ago in India, a big rose-apple tree grew on the bank of a wide, muddy river. Its branches were heavy with sweet purple fruit, and in those branches lived a clever monkey. All day long he swung from branch to branch, munching rose-apples and watching the river flow by. He was never hungry, and he was rarely lonely.

One hot afternoon, a crocodile swam slowly to the shore and climbed out to rest in the shade of the tree. He looked tired and thirsty after his long swim. "Welcome, friend," called the monkey from above. "You look as if you have come a long way. Would you like something sweet to eat?" And he tossed down a handful of ripe rose-apples.

The crocodile had never tasted anything so delicious. "Thank you, kind monkey!" he said with his mouth full. "These are the sweetest fruits in the whole world." After that, the crocodile came back every day. The monkey dropped fruit down to him, and the two of them talked for hours about the forest, the river and the world beyond it.

They became the best of friends. The monkey told funny stories about the birds and the bees, and the crocodile told the monkey about the fish and the frogs down in the deep water. Each evening, when the sun turned the river gold, the monkey gave the crocodile an extra bundle of rose-apples to carry home to his wife.

Part Two · The Crocodile's Wife

The crocodile's wife ate the fruit greedily and licked her lips. "If these rose-apples are so sweet," she said slowly, "think how sweet your friend's heart must be. He eats them every day. I want to eat that monkey's heart!" The crocodile was shocked, and his eyes grew wide. "But he is my friend," he said. "He gives us fruit every day!"

His wife would not listen. She sulked and groaned and refused to eat a thing. "If you will not bring me the monkey's heart," she wailed, "then I shall starve!" The crocodile loved his wife, and he did not know what to do. At last, with a heavy heart, he gave in, and he swam back to the rose-apple tree.

"Dear friend," said the crocodile, "my wife wants to thank you for all the fruit. She has made a feast, and she has invited you to dinner at our home." The monkey scratched his head. "That is very kind," he said, "but I cannot swim. How will I cross the river?" "Easy," said the crocodile. "Just climb on my back."

Part Three · The Middle of the River

So the monkey hopped onto the crocodile's scaly back, and away they went across the river. At first, the monkey enjoyed the ride very much, with the cool water splashing around him and the silver fish darting below. But when they reached the middle of the river, where the water was deepest, the crocodile suddenly began to sink lower and lower.

"Stop!" cried the monkey, holding on tight. "What are you doing? The water is up to my knees!" The crocodile sighed. "I am sorry, my friend," he said, "but you will not escape now. My wife wants to eat your heart, because she thinks it must be as sweet as the rose-apples. That is why I have brought you here."

The monkey's heart thumped wildly, but he kept calm and thought fast. Then he laughed out loud. "Oh, you silly crocodile! Why did you not tell me before? Don't you know that monkeys never carry their hearts with them? I left my heart hanging up in the rose-apple tree, where it stays safe and cool."

"Is that true?" asked the crocodile, puzzled. "Of course it is," said the monkey. "Take me back to the tree, and I will fetch my heart for your wife right away. I would be happy to give it to her." The foolish crocodile believed every word. He turned around and swam as fast as he could back to the bank.

Part Four · Up the Tree

As soon as they reached the shore, the monkey leaped off the crocodile's back, scrambled up the trunk and climbed to the very highest branch, where he was perfectly safe. The crocodile waited and waited at the bottom of the tree, swishing his long tail. "Hurry up, friend!" he called. "My wife is waiting! Bring down your heart!"

The monkey looked down from his branch, and he laughed until the leaves shook. "You foolish crocodile!" he said. "Whoever heard of anybody leaving his heart in a tree? My heart was inside me all along! I trusted you as a friend, but you tried to trick me. Go home to your wife, and never come back to my tree again."

The crocodile hung his head, because he knew he had lost the best friend he had ever had, and all for nothing. He slid back into the muddy water and swam slowly away. The monkey stayed up in his rose-apple tree, eating sweet fruit and watching the river flow by. He had saved himself with nothing but his quick wits.