Children will love reading this classic Panchatantra tale of the clever monkey and the crocodile, filled with riverbank adventures and a lesson about quick thinking and friendship!
The Sweet Rose Apple Tree
On the banks of the beautiful Narmada River stood a grand, spreading rose apple tree. Its branches were heavy with sweet, juicy red fruits that tasted like honey.
In this tree lived Koko, a cheerful and clever monkey. Koko spent his days swinging from branch to branch, eating the delicious rose apples, and watching the sparkling river flow by.
Koko was very happy, but he often felt lonely. He wished he had a friend to talk to and share the abundant sweet fruits that grew on his tree.
Every evening, Koko would sit on the lowest branch, looking out at the water, hoping that someone would come visit him on the riverbank.
An Unexpected Visitor
One afternoon, a large green crocodile named Sheru swam near the riverbank. Sheru looked very tired and hungry, having swam a long distance in search of food.
Koko saw the tired crocodile from his branch. Being kind-hearted, Koko called out, ‘Hello there! You look exhausted. Would you like some sweet rose apples?’
Sheru looked up in surprise. Koko plucked a handful of the finest red rose apples and threw them down to the hungry crocodile on the riverbank.
Sheru ate them greedily. They were the sweetest fruits he had ever tasted! He looked up at Koko and smiled warmly, thanking the kind monkey for his generosity.
A Growing Friendship
From that day on, Sheru visited Koko every afternoon. The two would sit under the shade of the grand tree, chatting about the forest and the river.
This growing friendship between the clever monkey and the crocodile was the talk of the Narmada riverbank.
Koko would pluck the best fruits for Sheru, and Sheru would tell Koko exciting stories about the creatures that lived deep under the river.
They became inseparable friends. They laughed together, shared secrets, and enjoyed each other’s company, filling the lonely days with joy.
Koko was glad to have a true companion, and Sheru looked forward to his daily visits to the sweet rose apple tree on the riverbank.
A Gift for the Wife
One evening, Koko said to Sheru, ‘You should take some of these sweet fruits home for your wife. I am sure she would love them as much as you do!’
Sheru thought it was a wonderful idea. Koko gathered a large bundle of the juiciest rose apples and handed them carefully to the crocodile.
Sheru swam back to the deep waters where his wife lived. He proudly presented the sweet red fruits to her, telling her all about his generous monkey friend.
Sheru’s wife tasted the fruits and was delighted. But as she ate, a wicked and greedy thought began to grow in her mind.
The Wicked Plan
‘If this monkey eats these sweet fruits every single day,’ Sheru’s wife whispered greedily, ‘just imagine how sweet and tender his heart must be!’
She turned to Sheru and demanded, ‘Bring me this monkey! I want to eat his sweet heart. If you do not bring him, I will stop eating forever!’
Sheru was shocked and heartbroken. Koko was his dear friend, and he did not want to harm him. He pleaded with his wife, but she refused to listen.
Torn between his loyalty to his wife and his friendship with Koko, Sheru sadly agreed to carry out a wicked plan to trap the innocent monkey.
An Invitation to Dinner
The next afternoon, Sheru swam to Koko’s tree. He looked sad, but he tried to hide it. ‘My wife loved the fruits!’ Sheru lied, looking up at Koko.
The clever monkey and the crocodile were excited for the dinner, though Sheru felt guilty.
‘She wants to thank you in person and has invited you to our home for a delicious dinner feast tonight,’ Sheru said warmly.
Koko was thrilled. ‘I would love to come!’ he chirped. ‘But I cannot swim. How will I cross the deep river to reach your home?’
Sheru smiled reassuringly. ‘Do not worry, my friend. Just hop onto my back, and I will carry you safely across the river water,’ he offered.
The Journey Across the River
Koko hopped down from his tree and climbed onto Sheru’s broad, scaly back. Sheru slid into the water and began to swim across the wide Narmada River.
The cool breeze blew gently, and Koko felt excited as they glided through the sparkling blue water, watching fish swim below.
But as they reached the deepest part of the river, where the currents were strong, Sheru began to sink slightly, looking worried.
Koko grew frightened. ‘Sheru, why are you going so deep? I am getting wet, and I cannot swim!’ the little monkey cried out.
The Betrayal Revealed
Sheru felt extremely guilty. Believing that Koko had no escape, he decided to tell him the truth. ‘I am sorry, Koko,’ Sheru whispered sadly.
It was a shocking betrayal in the story of the clever monkey and the crocodile.
‘My wife does not want to feed you dinner. She wants to eat your sweet heart, which she believes is full of honey. I must drown you to take it,’ Sheru confessed.
Koko’s heart raced with fear. He realized his friend had betrayed him. But Koko knew that crying would not save him; he had to think of a plan quickly.
Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Koko said in a relaxed voice, ‘Oh, my dear friend! Why did you not tell me this before we left the riverbank?’
The Clever Lie
‘We monkeys keep our hearts safe on the branches of our trees,’ Koko lied cleverly. ‘I left my heart hanging on the rose apple tree!’
‘If we go to your home now, your wife will get no heart. We must swim back immediately so I can fetch my heart from the tree branch,’ Koko explained.
Sheru was foolish and believed Koko’s clever lie. ‘Oh, I see!’ the crocodile said. ‘Let us turn back immediately to get your heart.’
Sheru swam around and headed back toward the riverbank as fast as he could, while Koko held on tightly, praying to reach safety.
The Clever Monkey and the Crocodile: Back to Safety
As soon as Sheru swam close to the riverbank, Koko leaped from the crocodile’s back and scrambled up to the safety of his grand rose apple tree.
He climbed to the highest branch, took a deep breath, and looked down at the foolish crocodile who was waiting in the water.
‘You foolish crocodile!’ Koko shouted. ‘Can anyone ever leave their heart on a tree? You betrayed my trust, and our friendship is over!’
Sheru realized he had been outwitted. He hung his head in shame and swam away, while Koko remained safe in his tree, thankful for his quick thinking.
And so, the clever monkey and the crocodile learned that true trust can never be betrayed.
Moral of the Story
Fun Facts for Kids! 🧠✨
- Panchatantra fables are more than 2,000 years old, originally written in ancient India!
- Crocodiles cannot stick their tongues out, but they are excellent swimmers!
- Monkeys are highly social animals and communicate using facial expressions and sounds.
Looking for more stories? Explore our curated Panchatantra Stories for kids.
