THE MONKEY AND THE CROCODILE
Once upon a time, a monkey lived on a jamun tree beside a river. In the same river lived a huge crocodile. As time passed, the monkey and the crocodile became close friends. Every day, the monkey plucked sweet jamun fruits from the tree and shared them with the crocodile.
One day, the crocodile took some of the fruits home and offered them to his wife.
"These are from my friend," he said. "He gives me these delicious fruits every day."
The crocodile's wife tasted the fruits and was delighted by their sweetness. But soon, greed took hold of her. She said, "If these fruits are so sweet, just imagine how sweet the monkey's heart must be after eating them every day. I want his heart, no matter what."
The crocodile was shocked by her cruel wish, but she insisted until he reluctantly agreed.
The next day, the crocodile went to the monkey and said, "Brother Monkey, my wife has heard so much about you. She wishes to meet you and has invited you to our home for a grand feast."
Trusting his friend completely, the monkey happily jumped onto the crocodile's back, and together they began crossing the river.
When they reached the middle of the river, the crocodile could no longer hide the truth. "Forgive me, my friend," he confessed. "The real reason I brought you here is that my wife wants to eat your heart."
The monkey was terrified, but he remained calm and quickly thought of a plan.
He laughed and said, "Brother, if that is all, you should have told me earlier. I always leave my heart hanging safely on my jamun tree. Since I have such a brave friend as you, I don't need to carry it with me all the time. Let us return so I can fetch it."
The foolish crocodile believed every word and immediately turned back.
As soon as they reached the riverbank, the monkey sprang off the crocodile's back and climbed high into the branches of the jamun tree. Looking down, he called out, "You deceiver! I trusted you as my friend, but you betrayed that trust. How can anyone live without a heart? You have lost both a friend and my respect."
The crocodile hung his head in shame. Realising his foolishness, he quietly swam away, never to return.
MORAL: True friendship is built on trust and loyalty. Intelligence and presence of mind can save us from even the greatest danger, but we must also learn to be cautious, for blind trust in the wrong person can lead to betrayal.
RELEVANCE OF THE STORY IN OUR LIVES
Although The Monkey and the Crocodile was written centuries ago, its message remains just as meaningful today. In our daily lives, we meet many people—at school, at work, in our neighbourhood, and even online. While most people are honest and kind, not everyone has good intentions. Some may pretend to be our friends only to take advantage of us for their own benefit.
The monkey trusted the crocodile because he had always treated him with kindness. However, when the crocodile allowed greed to overcome friendship, he betrayed that trust. This reminds us that trust is precious and should be placed wisely. At the same time, the monkey teaches us another valuable lesson: when faced with danger or betrayal, we should not panic. Calm thinking, presence of mind, and intelligence often help us find solutions to difficult situations.
The story also warns us against greed. The crocodile's wife allowed her selfish desire to cloud her judgment, and in the end, the crocodile lost a true friend because of it. Greed and dishonesty may promise temporary gain, but they often result in lasting loss.
In today's world, where people interact both in person and through social media, this story encourages us to be kind but cautious, trusting but wise. It reminds us to value genuine friendships, stay alert to deception, and use our intelligence to overcome life's challenges.
