The Monkey and the Crocodile
There was a tree in a village on which many monkeys lived. The tree was on the bank of a pond. In the pond lived a pair of crocodiles. They were husband and wife. One day the wife fell ill. The doctor was called in. He prescribed only a single medicine which would cure the ailing crocodile. It was the heart of a monkey which would have a soothing effect on the patient and she would get well. Now the crocodile knew there were many monkeys on the tree. So he offered each of them to accompany him for a joy ride in the pond but none of them agreed to his offer for the fear of it. There was an old monkey who had never been for a joy ride in any pond, was tempted to go with the crocodile. So he came down and sat on the back of the crocodile and they became soon good friends. The monkey enjoyed the ride too much and while they had reached the deep waters, the crocodile stopped to tell him his purpose. He requested him to give him his heart for his ailing wife. He related him all his woe. The monkey was alarmed but he was no fool. He reacted very soon, “Oh friend, It is so nice that I can be of any help to you. It is my pleasure, but for that you will have to take me back to my home as I have left my heart there on the top of my tree for its safety. I can give it to you. You simply take me back to the bank.” The foolish crocodile believed his words. He took him happily to the bank and the monkey hurriedly went up to his tree and disappeared there. Thus the clever monkey was saved from the clutches of a dangerous crocodile.
Moral: A proper presence of mind saves one from a great danger.
