The Monkey and the Crocodile

1. ASIA The Monkey and the Crocodile A folktale from India Illustrations and text adaptation by Lori Langer de Ramirez: miscositas.com

2. Once upon a time a monkey lived happily by the edge of a big swamp. A crocodile lived on a small island in the middle of the swamp. Day after day, the crocodile would watch the monkey and think about what a tasty meal he would make. 2

3. One day the crocodile swam over to the monkey. “Monkey, you look thirsty. I would like to invite you to my home for some tea.” 3

4. So the monkey jumped on the crocodile's back and off they went. The monkey held on tightly. “Don't worry about not being able to swim. I am a champion swimmer. You can ride safely on my back,” responded the crocodile. 4

5. After a few minutes, the crocodile felt guilty about his dishonest trick. He decided to confess his crime before eating the monkey. “If I’m honest, I'll be able to eat my monkey-lunch with a clear conscience,” he thought to himself. “Monkey, I must tell you that as soon as we reach my island, I plan to eat you. I want to start with the tastiest part first -- your monkey-heart.” 5

6. The monkey was horrified. He thought of a quick answer. "My heart? Oh, Mr. Crocodile, why didn't you tell me? I never leave home with my heart. It's back home, hidden in a tree. If you like, we can go back and I'll get it for you.” The crocodile thought about it. 6

7. Greedy for the tasty heart, the crocodile agreed. They swam back to land. As soon as they reached the shore, the monkey jumped off the crocodile's back and ran up the tree to safety. The hungry crocodile waited down on the ground. When he finally realized he'd been tricked, he swam away, with his empty stomach growling. 7