The Panchatantra stories are some of the most popular because of their virtuous messages. The story about the Monkey and The Crocodile is about how some situations can turn one friend against another for a silly reason. This story indicates how some people sometimes take friendship to please someone close to them for granted. Like all fables, this clever monkey and crocodile story speaks about friendship, betrayal, and intellectual qualities. The Monkey and The Crocodile tale is a wonderful short story that can make children understand the meaning of true friendship and how to stand up for a friend.
Origin & History Of The Monkey & The Crocodile Story
The Panchatantra stories are always centred around valuable messages for children to learn good habits. The original stories were written in Sanskrit, and through the decades, they have been translated and re-written in numerous languages so that everyone can read them. Almost every child across India’s diverse communities is aware of the wonderful lessons of life, which are described in fascinating tales, often between the creatures of the animal world. Every story is written in very simple and easy-to-understand language for little kids to follow the story and its moral.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!
The Monkey And The Crocodile Story
Read on for a colourful exploration of the full monkey and crocodile story in English with pictures:
Once upon a time, a lush forest was situated along the entire stretch of a river. Many beautiful fruit trees grew in that forest, with many fragrant flowers growing! Most of the trees along the bank were mango trees. The mangoes grew throughout the year because of the good quality soil and the water from the river. One monkey thrived on these mangoes, among many animals who came and enjoyed the sweet fruits. He used to have them every single day.
One fine day, as he relished a mango, he saw a crocodile resting near the bank. “What brings you here?” the monkey asked. “I have been trying to hunt for some fish but have not been successful. Now, I am tired and hungry. What are you eating?”
The monkey felt sorry for him and plucked a mango and threw it toward the crocodile. “Here, try this. You will love it.” The crocodile ate it quickly and asked the monkey if he could have more. “Why not? Here, take these,” the monkey said. The monkey plucked a few more mangoes and threw them close to the crocodile.
They soon became friends, and the crocodile started coming every day to enjoy the company of his new friend and the mangoes. He would return home in the evening. One fine day, the crocodile’s wife questioned him, and when he told her about the mangoes, she asked him to get some for her the following day. The next day, when the crocodile visited the monkey, he requested that he give him a few extra mangoes for his wife. The monkey obliged immediately.
The crocodile shared the sweet mangoes with his wife, who enjoyed eating them. This continued for a few more days. However, the crocodile’s wife did not like the idea of her husband spending the entire day with the monkey. Her cunning mind made her think that his heart would be delicious if a monkey ate such sweet mangoes daily. She came up with a plan. She told her husband that she had started suffering from some illness, and the doctor had said that only a monkey’s heart would cure her.
The crocodile was shocked to hear about her condition but was more shocked at hearing about what could heal her. He quickly realised what his wife was saying and told her, “No. Never. I will never kill my friend.”
His wife started crying loudly. “Will you sacrifice your wife for a monkey?”
She told him to carry the monkey on his back and drown him in the river. “Monkeys cannot swim. Bring him home once he is dead, and we will enjoy his heart for dinner.”
The next day, the crocodile visited his friend. “Dear friend, my wife has insisted that I bring you home for lunch today.” “Oh, wonderful”, exclaimed the monkey.
Let me collect some mangoes for her first”.
The innocent monkey was a genuine being and did not suspect anything. However, the crocodile felt very guilty about what he was about to do to his friend. As soon as the monkey plucked enough mangoes for the crocodile’s wife, he sat on his back, and they set out for the crocodile’s home.
As they reached the deep waters of the river, the crocodile started to lower himself.
“Wait, what are you doing? I will drown. I can’t swim. Why are you doing this?” asked the monkey.
“My wife wants to eat your heart which is sweetened by the mangoes you enjoy daily!”
The monkey realised he would perish or have to think of something to save his life.
“Okay, wait, you want my heart, but I have left it on the treetop!” “What!” exclaimed the crocodile. “Yes, we must return for me to collect it.” The crocodile turned around and headed towards the monkey’s favourite spot.
Once they reached the bank, the monkey jumped off the crocodile’s back and ran away. He then quickly climbed onto the treetop.
“You fool, you were going to kill me!”
“First, learn to become a little wise. How can anyone take a heart out of his body and leave it elsewhere? Return to your mean wife!”
The crocodile was ashamed and realised he had lost a genuine friend forever.
Summary Of The Monkey And The Crocodile Story
The Crocodile and the Monkey is a classic Indian fable from the Panchatantra collection. In the story, a crocodile befriends a monkey living on a berry tree by the river. One day, the crocodile’s wife asks for the monkey’s heart, so the crocodile invites the monkey to visit his home. The clever monkey tricks the crocodile and escapes, never to return. This crocodile and monkey story in English teaches kids the importance of being cautious of false friends and not trusting everyone blindly.
Moral Of The Story
“A quick wit can solve most problems”. The Monkey and The Crocodile tale is about using wisdom and not betraying a good friend. You cannot please someone by making another person unhappy. This children’s story also informs little ones about the importance of quickly making the right decisions. If you think fast, you can easily escape a difficult situation. Another significant lesson this story teaches us is to remember the good done to you and never cheat anyone in life.
How Can Children Apply This Moral In Their Life?
- Children should learn to stay calm in every situation and think wisely to get out of a situation with ease.
- Do not forget the good deeds of others.
- Do not take advantage of a good friend.
- What goes around comes around!
FAQs
1. Why did the crocodile befriend the monkey?
At first, the crocodile and monkey became genuine friends after the monkey offered some delicious mangoes to the hungry crocodile. After a while however his intentions changed as his wife wanted to eat the monkey’s heart. So he used their friendship to lure the monkey into the waters.
2. What happens at the end of “The Monkey and The Crocodile” story?
Ultimately, the crocodile’s wife learns the truth, and the crocodile regrets his actions. The monkey forgives the crocodile, emphasizing the value of forgiveness and true friendship.
Through this story, parents can teach their kids how to choose their friends wisely. They can also teach their kids not to react angrily in difficult situations but to think wisely. This will help them come out of a tough situation comfortably.
Also Read:
Cunning Fox Story For Kids
Clever Fish Story With Moral
Talkative Tortoise Story for Kids
Camel and the Jackal Story for Children
