The Monkey and the Crocodile – A Panchatantra Story for Kids

It’s time for a wonderful Panchatantra story! Let’s read it.

Once upon a time, on the banks of a big, beautiful river, there was a huge Java plum tree. What’s this Java plum? You must be wondering, it’s our Jamun or Jambu, as we call it in India! This Jamun tree was laden with plump and juicy, deep purple fruits that looked like shiny jewels hanging from the branches.

With the other birds and small animals, the tree was also home to a monkey. His name was Raktamukha, (meaning Red-face - you know, Macaque is a type of monkey found in India; having a red face!) He spent his days cheerfully swinging through his happy home. Every morning, Raktamukha would leap from branch to branch, singing songs and eating tasty jamuns.

One sunny afternoon, a large crocodile named Karalamukha (meaning Ferocious face - after all he was a terrible looking, fearsome crocodile!) swam up to the riverbank and lay down under the shade of the Jamun tree. He looked exhausted and very hungry. Raktamukha saw him. Being very kind hearted, he called down, “O Crocodile! This is my home, and since you’ve crawled here, you’re my guest. You look very tired and hungry. I want to welcome you with the sweetest jamun fruits. Please eat them and get some rest!”

Raktamukha plucked a bunch of ripe jamuns and tossed them down into the river. The crocodile snapped them up. SQUISH, SQUISH!

“How delicious these fruits are!” Karalamukha thought. He thanked the monkey for the generous sweet treat. In the evening, he left for his home.

Now, Karalamukha started visiting Raktamukha everyday. They became best of friends! Every afternoon, Karalamukha would swim across the river to visit Raktamukha. They would chat for hours about the river, the forest, and the monkey would share the freshest fruits with his dear friend.

One day, Karalamukha told Raktamukha that he wanted to take some jamuns for his wife. Listening to his dear friend’s wish, Raktamukha happily plucked some more fruits for Karalamukha’s wife. The crocodile carried a mouthful of fruits home. When his wife tasted the sweet jamun fruits, she felt super happy. “O dear husband! Have you ever thought, if the monkey gets to eat these sweet fruits every day, how sweet and tender his heart must taste?” She demanded greedily, “I want to eat the monkey’s heart!”

Karalamukha was horrified! “He is my dearest friend!” he pleaded. “I can not betray him.”

But his wife kept demanding and she refused to eat anything until she got the monkey’s heart. Reluctantly, the crocodile had to hatch a plan for bringing Raktamukha’s heart to his wife.

The next day, Karalamukha swam back to the tree and said, “O my dear friend! My wife is so delighted by tasting the delicious jamuns you sent. Now she wants to thank you personally, and so she has prepared a grand feast for you today. You must come to our home across the river for dinner!”

Raktamukha always wondered about the crocodile’s home so, feeling thrilled by the offer he smiled and said, “I would love to, but you know I cannot swim!”

“Don’t worry,” replied the crocodile readily. “You just hop onto my back, and I will carry you safely across!”

Without doubting Karalamukha’s intentions, Raktamukha climbed down the tree and he gladly hopped onto the crocodile’s back. Karalamukha glided into the deep water.

SPLASH, SPLASH!

When they reached the middle of the river, where the water was deep and dark, Raktamukha was sitting tight, he never experienced so much water all around. Slowing down, Karalamukha observed that his friend was feeling nervous. Now the crocodile decided to reveal his evil plan. He told Raktamukha, “Don’t mind my friend, but after eating the sweet jamun fruits, my wife wants to taste your yummy heart! I definitely thought about our friendship first, but how could I refuse my dear wife’s demand? That is why I am taking you to her.”

Raktamukha’s heart missed a bit, but he did not panic! He took a deep breath and used his sharp presence of mind.

He let out a casual laugh, “Oh, my dear Karalamukha! Why didn’t you tell me earlier? Of course I would gladly give my heart to your wife! But we monkeys keep our hearts safely stored in the hollow of our tree during the day. I also have left my heart back on the Jamun tree!”

The foolish crocodile gasped, “Really? You left it behind?”

“Yes!” replied Raktamukha confidently. “Turn around and get me back to home immediately so, I can fetch my heart from the hollow of the tree, and then we can go to your house. We must not keep your wife waiting.”

Without giving it a second thought, the silly crocodile turned around and swam as fast as he could. They rushed back to the riverbank.

SWOOSH, SWOOSH!

Just as they reached the shallow water near the shore, Raktamukha leaped off the crocodile’s back, scrambling up the bank, he climbed up the Jamun tree as fast as lightning!

Clever monkey sitting safely in tree laughing at crocodile

Raktamukha safely perched on the highest branch. Karalamukha asked him in a sweet tone, “What’s taking so long? Just grab your heart from the hollow, so that we can leave. My wife must be waiting for us.”

Raktamukha looked down and laughed loudly. “Ha ha ha! You foolish crocodile! Can anyone ever separate the heart from his body and keep it on a tree? You deceived a friend who trusted you, but your own stupidity has tricked you! Just leave and never come back. We’re not friends anymore.”

Karalamukha really felt ashamed. Realizing he had lost both a true friend and the delicious fruits forever, he silently sagged back into the deep water.

SLOOSH, SLOOSH!

The End.

The moral

Presence of mind and quick thinking can save you from the greatest dangers. Never trust a traitor, for deceit and greed will always lead to foolish downfall!

Read more short stories for kids at Swati’s Journal.