Reading notes: Jakata tales Part A

 The monkey and the crocidile part1-  once there was a monkey that lived in a great tree on a river bank. This river contained many crocodiles. There was one croc who had her eye on the monkeys for quite sometime. She approached her son and said " Son, get one of those monkeys for me. I want a monkeys heart to eat. " 

he replied, " how can i catch a monkey? The monkey does not go to water and I cannot go to land." 

The mother replied use your head and your wits and you will find a way. So he thought and pondered on how to get a monkey for a long time until he found a way. He knw there was a monkey who lived at the bank of the river on a tree. he knew that this monkey wanted to cross the river to the other side because there was ripe fruit on the other side. The croc approached the monkey and said " Oh monkey, come with me across the river to the land where the fruit is so ripe. " 

The monkey replied, " How can I go if I do not swim?" 

I will take you on my back the crocodile suggested. The monkey thought of the fruit and became greedy he jumped on the crocs back and yelled " off we go!" 

This is a fine ride you are giving me said the monkey and the croc replied " oh is it?" Then he dove into the water while the monkey begged him not to. The monkey did not let go of the croc for he did not know what else to do. Then the croc re submerged and the monkey asked why did you do such a thing. The croc then admitted his plan to drown him and take his heart so his mother could eat it. Then the monkey gasped and tried to think fast. He soon thought of something that may save him. he told the croc that he forgot his heart in the tree then he said if you want my heart we have to go back but before they went back for the heart he wanted the croc to take him to the land of ripe fruit. The croc then said no to taking him to the fruit and that they were going to get the heart. when they got back to the tree the monkey jumped up and went to the very top and said, " if you want my heart you have to come and get it! 

part 2-  the monkey left that tree to lead a peaceful life in another tree by the river but the croc found him once again and kept a close eye on him. He saw that the monkey found a rock  in the river that served as a bridge for him to get to the other side. the monkey would jump on this rock and jump on the other land and back. He would eat great amounts of fruit and would come back at night back to his home. The crocilde quickly thought of another plan to get to his target. He got on the rock and tried to be still waiting for the monkey to jump back at night when the monkey could not see as well and then the time appraoched and the monkey was about to jump. The monkey then noticed the rock was higher then usual and suspected the croc. He asked " rock is that you" to which the croc stayed silent. Then he said again, " Rock why do you not answer me tonight."  The croc that he should reply because maybe the rock aswers the monkey at night and he siad " yes monkey I am here and I have been waiting." The monkey then said " Oh its you crocodile." 

The cro replied, " yes I have been waiting here and i am going to eat you." 

The monkey said " you have trapped me I have no way to return home. Just open your mouth so I may jump in it and die already. " 

The croc obeyed and the monkey jumped landing on the top of his head and jumped to the other side back home. He knew that when crocs open thier mouths they close their eyes and used that to his advantage. The croc grew to respect the monkey for his wit and courage and said he would leave him alone because of that and the monkey thanked him and said he will still keep an eye on him regardless. 

Jakata tales Monkey and Crocodile

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