The Monkey and the Crocodile Story for Kids (Panchatantra)
- Ages 4–9
- 4 min read
- Panchatantra (India)
The Monkey and the Crocodile Story
On the bank of a wide river stood a tall jamun tree, heavy with sweet purple fruit. In its branches lived a cheerful monkey called Raktamukha.
One afternoon, a crocodile swam slowly up the river and rested under the tree. He looked tired and hungry.
"Hello, friend!" called the monkey. "You look like you've come a long way. Would you like some jamuns?" And he threw down a handful of the ripest fruit.
The crocodile gobbled them up. "Delicious!" he said. "Thank you!"
The next day the crocodile came back, and the monkey threw him more fruit. And the next day, and the next. They sat together every afternoon, the monkey in his tree and the crocodile in the water, telling stories and laughing. Soon they were the best of friends.
One day, the monkey gave the crocodile an extra bundle of jamuns. "Take these home to your wife," he said.
The crocodile's wife ate the fruit and licked her lips. "If the fruit is this sweet," she said, "imagine how sweet the monkey's heart must be, after eating jamuns every day. Bring me his heart!"
"But he's my friend," said the crocodile.
His wife sulked and wouldn't speak to him. In the end, the crocodile gave in.
The next day he said to the monkey, "My wife wants to thank you for the fruit. She's invited you to dinner. Climb on my back, and I'll carry you across the river."
The monkey was delighted. He jumped onto the crocodile's back, and off they went.
When they reached the middle of the river, where the water was deepest, the crocodile stopped. "I'm sorry, friend," he said. "My wife doesn't really want to have dinner with you. She wants to eat your heart."
The monkey's heart thumped. All around him was deep water, and he couldn't swim. But he didn't scream, and he didn't cry. He stayed calm and thought very quickly.
"Oh, what a shame!" said the monkey. "Why didn't you tell me before? We monkeys always keep our hearts safe up in our trees. I've left mine hanging on a branch of the jamun tree. Take me back, and I'll fetch it for your wife."
The foolish crocodile believed him. He turned around and swam all the way back to the jamun tree.
As soon as they reached the bank, the monkey leapt off the crocodile's back and scrambled up to the very highest branch.
"Come on, then," called the crocodile. "Fetch your heart!"
The monkey looked down at him. "You silly crocodile! Nobody can take their heart out and leave it in a tree. You tried to trick me — and a true friend would never do that. Goodbye!"
The crocodile swam away, ashamed. And the monkey stayed safe in his tree, eating sweet jamuns, a little wiser than before.
The Moral of the Monkey and the Crocodile
Stay calm and think quickly when you're in trouble. The monkey was in danger in the middle of a river, but a calm mind saved him. The story also teaches:
- A true friend never tricks you. The crocodile broke his friend's trust.
- Think for yourself. The crocodile did something wrong because someone else told him to.
- Your mind is your best tool. The monkey couldn't swim or fight, but he could think.
The Moral in 6 Languages
| Language | The moral |
|---|---|
| English | Stay calm and think quickly when you're in trouble. |
| Spanish | Mantén la calma y piensa rápido cuando estés en apuros. |
| French | Garde ton calme et réfléchis vite quand tu es en danger. |
| German | Bleib ruhig und denk schnell nach, wenn du in Not bist. |
| Italian | Mantieni la calma e pensa in fretta quando sei nei guai. |
| Hindi | मुसीबत में शांत रहो और जल्दी सोचो। |
Key Words From the Story
| English | Spanish | French | German | Italian | Hindi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| monkey | mono | singe | Affe | scimmia | बंदर (bandar) |
| crocodile | cocodrilo | crocodile | Krokodil | coccodrillo | मगरमच्छ (magarmachh) |
| river | río | rivière | Fluss | fiume | नदी (nadi) |
| tree | árbol | arbre | Baum | albero | पेड़ (ped) |
| heart | corazón | cœur | Herz | cuore | दिल (dil) |
Questions to Ask Your Child
- Why were the monkey and the crocodile friends at first?
- Why did the crocodile take the monkey into the river?
- How did the monkey escape?
- Was the crocodile a good friend? Why or why not?
- What can you do if you feel scared and need to think?
Try It: The Calm-Down Breath
Teach your child the monkey's trick for staying calm: breathe in slowly while you count to four, hold for two, then breathe out for four. Practise it together now, when everyone is relaxed, so it's ready the next time your child feels worried.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the moral of the Monkey and the Crocodile story?
The moral is to stay calm and think quickly when you're in trouble, and to choose your friends wisely. The monkey escapes the crocodile by keeping a cool head and using a clever trick.
Where does the Monkey and the Crocodile story come from?
It comes from the Panchatantra, a collection of Indian animal fables more than 2,000 years old. It is the opening story of the fourth book of the Panchatantra, and a similar version appears in the Buddhist Jataka tales.
What fruit does the monkey give the crocodile?
In most Indian versions it's jamun, a sweet purple fruit also called the Java plum or black plum. Some English retellings call it rose apples or figs.
