The Crocodile and The Monkey

Once upon a time, while Brahmadatta was king of
Benares, the Bodhisatta came to life at the foot of Hima-
laya as a Monkey. He grew strong and sturdy, big of
frame, well-to-do, and lived by a curve of the river Ganges
in a forest haunt.

Now at that time there was a Crocodile dwelling in the
Ganges. The Crocodile's mate saw the great frame of the
monkey, and she conceived a longing for his heart to eat.
So she said to her lord : " Sir, I desire to eat the heart of
that great king of the monkeys ! "

" Good wife," said the Crocodile, " we live in the water
and he lives on dry land : how can we catch him ? "

" By hook or by crook," she replied, " caught he must
be. If I don't get him, I shall die."

"All right," answered the Crocodile, consoling her,
" don't trouble yourself. I have a plan ; I will give you his
heart to eat."

So when the Bodhisatta was sitting on the bank of the
Ganges, after taking a drink of water, the Crocodile drew
near, and said :

" Sir Monkey, why do you live on bad fruits in this old
familiar place ? On the other side of the Ganges there is
no end to the mango trees, and bread-fruit trees 1 , with fruit
sweet as honey ! Is it not better to cross over and have all
kinds of wild fruit to eat ? "

" Lord Crocodile," the Monkey made answer, "deep and
wide is the Ganges : how shall I get across ? "

" If you will go, I will mount you on my back, and carry
you over."

The Monkey trusted him, and agreed. "Come here,
then," said the other, " up on my back with you ! " and up
the monkey climbed. But when the Crocodile had swum
a little way, he plunged the Monkey under the water.

"Good friend, you are letting me sink!" cried the
Monkey. "What is that for?"

Said the Crocodile, " You think I am carrying you out
of pure good nature ? Not a bit of it ! My wife has
a longing for your heart, and I want to give it her to
eat ! "

" Friend," said the Monkey, " it is nice of you to tell
me. Why, if our heart were inside us when we go jumping
among the tree-tops, it would be all knocked to pieces ! "

" Well, where do you keep them ? " asked the other.

The Bodhisatta pointed out a fig-tree, with clusters of
ripe fruit, standing not far off. " See," said he, " there are
our hearts hanging on yon fig-tree."

" If you will shew me your heart," said the Crocodile,
" then I won't kill you."

" Take me to the tree, then, and I will point it out to
you hanging upon it."

The Crocodile brought him to the place. The Monkey
leapt off his back, and climbing up the fig-tree sat upon it.
" O silly Crocodile ! " said he, " you thought that there were
creatures that kept their hearts in a tree-top ! You are a
fool, and I have outwitted you ! You may keep your fruit
to yourself. Your body is great, but you have no sense."
And then to explain this idea he uttered the following
stanzas :

Kose-apple, bread-fruit, mangoes too across the water there I see;
Enough of them, I want them not; my fig is good enough for me!

Great is your body, verily, but how much smaller is your wit!
Now go your ways, Sir Crocodile, for I have had the best of it.

The Crocodile, feeling as sad and miserable as if he had
lost a thousand pieces of money, went back sorrowing to
the place where he lived.