The Monkey and the Crocodile

A clever escape by the river

A monkey lived in a tree beside a river and ate its sweet fruit. A crocodile became his friend, so the monkey shared fruit with him each day. The crocodile's wife grew jealous and said she wanted to eat the monkey's heart. The crocodile carried the monkey across the river and told him the truth. The monkey stayed calm. He said that he had left his heart in the tree and asked the crocodile to take him back. When they reached the bank, the monkey leapt safely onto the tree and told the crocodile that a heart cannot be left behind. Lesson: A calm mind and quick thinking can help us out of trouble.

Read, retell and talk together

Read the story aloud first, showing the pictures as you go. Pause when the crocodile invites the monkey across the river and ask your child what might happen next. After reading, help your child place the main events in order: meeting, friendship, the river crossing, the clever idea and the safe escape. Talk about the difference between being kind and trusting someone without thinking. Older children can explain why the monkey did not panic, while younger children can name the characters, setting and fruit tree. You can also read the wider collection through Panchatantra Stories.

Activities after the story

Use the printables for colouring, matching, sequencing and simple comprehension. Your child can draw the river scene, label the monkey, crocodile, tree and river, or write speech bubbles for the two friends. Ask younger children to retell the story with picture prompts. Older children can write a new ending, compare the monkey's plan with another solution, or explain the lesson in their own words. For a class activity, let pairs act out the conversation without showing fear or danger. Add a maths link by counting fruit, river stones or repeated patterns in the tree leaves.