The Happy Monkey's Heart

Art: Meressa Crasto, 12, Malaysia

Once upon a time a happy monkey lived on a mango tree near the river.

A crocodile, who lazed in the sun on the banks of the river, was his best friend. They used to spend many happy hours talking to each other.

In summer, the mango tree blossomed with ripe, juicy, sweet mangoes.

The monkey ate the mangoes and also threw some down to the crocodile.

The crocodile had a wife who lived on the other side of the river.

One day, the monkey gave some mangoes to the crocodile to take to his wife.

When the crocodile’s wife ate the mangoes, she said,

“I have never tasted such sweet mangoes. Where did you get them from?”

The crocodile replied,

“These mangoes were sent for you by my friend, the monkey, who lives on a mango tree on the other side of the river.”

The crocodile’s wife said,

“If that monkey eats such sweet mangoes every day, surely his heart must be very sweet. I want to eat his heart. Please bring it for me.”

The crocodile was upset to hear his wife’s request.  He said,

“What are you saying, wife? The monkey is my friend. To bring you his heart, I will have to kill him. How can I kill my friend?”

Art: Alessandra Forabosco, 8, Italy

 

The crocodile’s wife sulked,

“I know you don’t love me at all. You care more for the monkey than for me. If you don’t bring his heart, I will leave you.”

The crocodile tried to make his wife understand but she sulked even more.

Finally, the poor crocodile agreed and swam to the other side of the river.

When he saw the monkey, he said,

“Hello, dear friend,  my wife liked the mangoes you had sent. To thank you she has told me to invite you home for dinner. Please come with me.”

The happy monkey became happier.

He said, “It is very kind of your wife to invite me. But unfortunately, your home is on the other side of the river and I cannot swim.”

The crocodile immediately said, “Don’t you worry about that, my friend. You sit on my back and I will carry you across the river.”

“That’s great!” said the monkey. He took some more mangoes for the crocodile’s wife and climbed onto his friend’s back.

The crocodile swam very fast and soon reached the middle of the river.

The monkey was terrified of the water. He said, “My friend, please slow down. I might fall down and drown.”

The crocodile sadly said, “Your end is very near, my friend.”

“What do you mean?” demanded the monkey.

The crocodile then told the monkey the truth about how his wife had desired to eat his heart.

The monkey listened carefully and then said,

“Oh dear! If only you had told me this before, I would have brought my heart with me. I have kept it safe in a hole in the mango tree. How will your wife eat it?”

“Hmmm... I think we must turn back so that you can get your heart” said the crocodile.

He quickly swam back to the mango tree where the monkey lived.

Swiftly, the monkey jumped off the crocodile’s back and climbed his tree. He knew he was safe there because crocodiles cannot climb trees.

The crocodile waited on the river bank for the monkey.

“Come on, monkey. Hurry up!” he called.

The monkey danced on the highest branch of the tree and shouted,

“O Crocodile, you are such a fool. How can someone keep his heart away from his body? I had it with me all the time. I will never come down to meet you.”

The crocodile looked up at the happy monkey and knew that he had lost a good friend forever. He swam quietly away. 

(Fable Retold)