The Monkey and the Crocodile

On the bank of a wide river stood a big jamun tree, heavy with sweet purple fruit. In its branches lived a clever, cheerful monkey, who ate jamuns all day and swung from branch to branch.

(Give the crocodile a slow, deep voice and the monkey a bright, bouncy one.)

One day a crocodile came swimming up, tired and hungry. “Hello, friend,” called the monkey kindly. “Would you like some jamuns?” Plop, plop, plop! He threw down sweet purple fruit, and the crocodile gobbled it up. From then on they met every afternoon, and soon they were best friends.

Every day the crocodile took some jamuns home to his wife. “These are so sweet!” she said. Then her eyes grew sly. “If the monkey eats these every day, his heart must be sweeter still. Bring me his heart!”

The crocodile did not want to lose his friend, but his wife kept asking and asking. At last he swam back to the tree. “Dear friend, my wife would love to meet you. Hop on my back and I will take you across the river to our home.”

(Pause here, and whisper the monkey’s thinking.)

The monkey hopped on. They swam out, further and further, into the deep water, with only ripples all around. Then the crocodile said sadly, “I am sorry, my friend. My wife wants to eat your heart.” The monkey’s own heart went thump, thump. But he stayed calm, and he thought fast.

“Oh dear!” said the monkey. “Why didn’t you tell me? I keep my heart in the tree, so it won’t get hurt when I jump around. Take me back and I will fetch it for her.” The foolish crocodile turned and swam back as fast as he could.

As soon as they reached the bank, the monkey leapt into the tree. “Silly crocodile! Nobody keeps their heart in a tree! A friend who tells lies is not a friend.” And he swung up to the very top branch.

(Slow down for the last page.)

The crocodile slid back into the water, ashamed. The monkey sat in his tree, his heart still going thump, thump, but slower now. The sun set and the river turned to gold. The monkey curled up safe in the branches, and the river hummed him to sleep. Goodnight.