THE MONKEY and THE CROCODILE
by Ada M. Skinner · from Merry Tales
Adapted Version
A little monkey lived by a big river. Miko the Monkey lived in a tree. Croc the Crocodile lived in the river. Miko did not feel safe. Croc was big and scary. Miko wanted a new home.
Miko found a new tree. It was a good home. A small island was near his tree. It had yummy fruit. Miko jumped from a big rock. He jumped to the island for fruit.
One day, Miko ate many fruits. It got dark. He looked at the big rock. The rock looked very big. It looked very high now. This was very strange.
Miko looked closer. Oh no! It was not a rock. It was Croc the Crocodile! Croc waited there for Miko. Croc wanted to eat Miko. Miko felt a little scared.
Miko thought very fast. He called out to the rock. "Hello, Big Rock!" he said. "You look big!" Miko pretended not to know Croc. He was very, very clever.
Croc wanted Miko to come very closer. Croc opened his mouth a little. Croc said, "Hello, little monkey." Miko knew it was Croc now. Croc was not a rock.
Miko acted very surprised. "Oh, it is you, Croc!" he said. "I must jump now. Please open your mouth for me. Open it very, very wide. I need a big jump to get inside!"
Miko remembered something very important. Crocodiles close their eyes. They close their eyes when mouths are wide. This was Miko's clever plan! He would use this.
Croc opened his big mouth. It was very, very wide. Croc closed his eyes now. He waited for Miko. He waited for his yummy meal. He thought Miko was caught.
Quickly, Miko jumped! He jumped on Croc's head. Then he jumped to the river bank. Then he jumped to his tall tree. He was safe there now. Croc could not get him. He was very happy.
Miko laughed loudly from his tree. "Thank you, Croc!" he called. Croc was not happy at all. Croc was very angry now. Miko was very, very clever. He tricked Croc.
Miko was clever. Being clever is good!
Original Story
THE MONKEY AND THE CROCODILE
“It is no use trying to live here any longer,” thought the monkey, looking down, from his home in the tree, at a big crocodile sleeping on the sunlit bank of the river. “Whenever that creature opens his great mouth, I shudder to think what might happen if I were near.”
Just then the crocodile yawned. Wider and wider and wider he opened his mouth. Away whisked the monkey to the topmost branch of the tree.
“This very day I shall move farther down the river!” he said.
So the monkey slipped away to a tree about 12half a mile distant. There he lived peaceably for some time. He was delighted with his new home. The water was cool and clear. In the middle of the stream was an island covered with fruit trees.
It was very easy to reach the little island. One leap from his tree brought the monkey to the end of a large rock which jutted out into the river; another leap brought him to the island, where he could get a fine feast and frisk about all the day long. In the evening he went back to his home in the great tree on the river’s bank.
One day he stayed later than usual on the island. When he came to the water’s edge, he looked and blinked and looked and blinked! “How strange that rock looks!” he said to himself. “Surely it was never so high before! What can be the matter with it?” Suddenly the monkey’s heart beat very fast. The crocodile was lying on the top of that rock!
“Oho! Mr. Crocodile,” thought the monkey, “I see I must put my wits to work 13very, very quickly indeed if I am to escape from you!”
“Good evening, Big Rock,” he called.
The crocodile lay very still.
“This is a fine evening, Big Rock!” called the monkey.
The crocodile lay very, very still.
“What is the matter, Big Rock? You have always been a good friend of mine. Why are you so silent this evening?”
Then the crocodile thought, “Now I see I must pretend to be the rock, or the monkey may not come this way to-night.” So with his mouth shut he mumbled as best he could, “Good evening, Mr. Monkey.”
“Oh! Is that you, Mr. Crocodile?” said the monkey, pleasantly. “I’m afraid I have awakened you!”
“Never mind that,” said the crocodile, raising his head. “Come, make your leap! You cannot escape me this time.”
“No, I’m afraid not,” said the monkey, meekly.
And all the time he was thinking, “Crocodiles 14shut their eyes when they open their mouths wide.”
“Come along and make haste, Monkey,” said the crocodile.
“I’m caught, that is sure, for I must leap your way. Well, as you say, I cannot escape you, Crocodile. Open your mouth. Oh, wider than that, please, if I am to leap into it. Wider! There! Here I go! Ready!”
Before the crocodile knew what was happening, the monkey gave three bounds—first to the top of the crocodile’s head,—then to the bank,—then to his tree. Away he whisked to the topmost branch.
“Thank you, Mr. Crocodile,” he called.
Story DNA
Moral
Intelligence and quick thinking can overcome brute force and danger.
Plot Summary
A monkey, fearing a crocodile, moves to a new home near a fruit island. One day, he discovers the crocodile disguised as the rock he uses to reach the island. Realizing he's trapped, the clever monkey pretends to be caught and asks the crocodile to open its mouth wider for his leap. Knowing crocodiles close their eyes when their mouths are wide, the monkey uses the crocodile's head as a stepping stone to escape to safety, outsmarting the predator.
Themes
Emotional Arc
fear to relief
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
This story is a common variant of fables found in collections like the Panchatantra, which originated in ancient India and spread globally.
Plot Beats (11)
- The monkey lives in fear of a crocodile and decides to move to a new tree downriver.
- He finds a new home and a nearby island with fruit, which he accesses by leaping from a rock.
- One evening, the monkey stays late on the island and notices the rock looks unusually high.
- He realizes the 'rock' is the crocodile, waiting to catch him.
- The monkey calls out to the 'Big Rock,' pretending not to know it's the crocodile.
- The crocodile, wanting to lure the monkey closer, mumbles a greeting, revealing its identity.
- The monkey feigns surprise and meekly accepts his fate, asking the crocodile to open its mouth wider for his leap.
- Remembering that crocodiles shut their eyes when their mouths are wide, the monkey prepares to jump.
- The crocodile opens its mouth as wide as possible, closing its eyes.
- The monkey quickly leaps onto the crocodile's head, then to the bank, and finally to his tree.
- The monkey thanks the tricked crocodile from the safety of his tree.
Characters
The Monkey ★ protagonist
A nimble and agile monkey, likely of a medium size, with a lithe build suitable for leaping and climbing. His fur is probably a common brown or reddish-brown, allowing for camouflage in trees. He possesses quick reflexes and a keen sense of observation.
Attire: None, as he is an animal.
Wants: To live peacefully and safely, enjoying the abundance of nature, particularly the fruit on the island.
Flaw: His physical vulnerability compared to larger predators like the crocodile; he relies solely on his wit for survival.
He starts as a cautious creature seeking a safer home and evolves into a master of deception, using his intellect to overcome a direct threat.
Clever, quick-witted, cautious, resourceful, and a bit mischievous. He prioritizes his safety and uses his intelligence to outsmart threats.
Image Prompt & Upload
A medium-sized brown monkey standing upright, facing forward, full body visible from head to toe. He has intelligent, dark brown eyes, a small nose, and a slightly open mouth revealing small teeth. His fur is a uniform reddish-brown, short and sleek. He stands with a slight crouch, hands poised, as if ready to leap. His expression is alert and cunning. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Crocodile ⚔ antagonist
A very large, powerful crocodile with rough, scaly, dark green skin, a long, muscular tail, and short, powerful legs. His most prominent feature is his enormous mouth, filled with sharp teeth, and his ability to lie perfectly still, camouflaged as a rock.
Attire: None, as he is an animal.
Wants: To catch and eat the monkey.
Flaw: His overconfidence and a crucial physiological detail (closing eyes when opening mouth wide) that the monkey exploits. He is easily tricked by clever words.
He remains largely unchanged, a persistent predator who is outsmarted but likely to continue his predatory ways.
Patient, predatory, cunning (though less so than the monkey), and somewhat slow-witted. He is driven by hunger and a desire to catch his prey.
Image Prompt & Upload
A very large, dark green crocodile lying flat, facing forward, full body visible from head to toe. His skin is rough and scaly, with visible plates along his back. He has small, yellow, predatory eyes set high on his broad snout. His powerful jaws are slightly ajar, revealing sharp, conical teeth. He is positioned low to the ground, appearing like a part of the riverbank. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Locations
Monkey's Original Tree Home
A tall, ancient banyan tree with sprawling branches, its roots possibly exposed near the riverbank. The river flows nearby, and the bank is sunlit, providing a basking spot.
Mood: Initially tense and watchful, later peaceful after the monkey moves.
The monkey observes the crocodile and decides to move due to fear.
Image Prompt & Upload
A massive, ancient banyan tree with thick, gnarled aerial roots descending towards a sun-drenched, sandy riverbank. The slow-moving, clear river reflects the bright morning sky. Lush tropical foliage lines the far bank. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
River with Island and Jutting Rock
A clear, cool river with a small, verdant island in its middle, covered with fruit trees. A large, grey rock juts out from the riverbank, serving as a stepping stone to the island.
Mood: Initially idyllic and bountiful, becoming suspenseful and dangerous.
The monkey enjoys the island's fruits, and later, the crocodile ambushes him on the rock.
Image Prompt & Upload
A wide, clear tropical river with gentle currents, reflecting a bright, sunny sky. In the middle, a small, lush island bursts with vibrant green fruit trees. From the near bank, a large, weathered grey granite rock juts sharply into the water, its surface smooth from erosion. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
