The Mythology & Folklore Database
"Friend Crocodile," said he, "are you tired of life that you have come so close into land?"
The crocodile heard what the monkey said and replied: "He who has a situation that suits him, he who receives due wages for his services, is perfectly content with the place in which he happens to be. For it has been said: Lanka is altogether made of gold, yet I care nothing for it. Ayodhya, the home of my fathers, is but poor, yet I delight in it. But there is something more than that, for your acquaintance has added additional pleasure to my existence. For it is written: A sacred bathing-place is only profitable sometimes. But the mere sight of a good man is always a source of purification. So now a piece of luck has happened to me, in that I have come across one who speaks such kindly words as you."
"My dear Crocodile," answered the monkey," from this day forward I shall be entirely devoted to you, for your words are indeed the words of friendship. As it has been said: Friendship, in the opinion of wise men, is the society of the good. Therefore," continued the monkey, "let me offer you such hospitality as I am capable of."
So saying he brought the crocodile some ripe fruit as sweet as nectar.
So after this every day the monkey used to bring his friend the crocodile plaintain fruit, and the crocodile took it home to his wife. One day she asked him where this fruit came from, and he told her the whole story, exactly as it all happened.
She thought to herself, "This monkey seems to enjoy excellent fruit, I wonder what his ordinary food is like," and so, being in a condition which gave her a craving for all sorts of strange out-of-the-way things, she said to her husband: "I must have some of that fruit which the monkey is always eating; if you don't get it for me I shall certainly die."
So off the crocodile started on his errand, and soon arrived at the river bank where he had met the monkey the first time. The monkey was there, and the crocodile said to him, "My dear friend! Your brother's wife is very anxious to see you; will you come with me to our house?"
The monkey accepted the invitation, and without any hesitation mounted the crocodile's back, and they started on their journey.
On the way the monkey became a little anxious, and said: "It has occurred to me how am I to find my way back?"
The crocodile recognized the monkey's difficulty, and explained carefully to him the way home.
The monkey replied, "My good crocodile! It is of no use your telling me all this, I am sure I should not recollect it. Besides, I think my affection for you has something lessened, so it is of no use my going home with you."
The crocodile rejoined, "Well, where shall I put you down?"
"My dear friend!" answered the monkey, "haven't you heard the saying: My heart is always in the fig tree; my desire always for the sacred fig? If you know what that means you will take me back at once."
The stupid crocodile at these words turned round and took the monkey back to the river bank, and as soon as they had got there, the monkey jumped off the crocodile's back, and scrambled up into the tree.
When he was well out of reach, he turned round and said with a jeer, "Go along with you! As long as I am up here I am out of your clutches. Wise men say, There can be no friendship between creatures that live on land and those that live in the water."
So the crocodile turned back and went sadly home, and the moral is: That he who has wit enough, can get out of difficulties, whatever they may be.