The Monkey and the Crocodile — AP Board Class 6 English
'A FRIEND in need is a friend indeed. But a CLEVER mind can save even a DESPERATE situation.'
1. About the Chapter
'The Monkey and the Crocodile' is one of the MOST FAMOUS Panchatantra stories. A monkey lives happily on a JAMUN tree by the river. He becomes friends with a CROCODILE. Every day, he gives the crocodile SWEET JAMUNS. But the crocodile's wife grows GREEDY — she wants to EAT the monkey's HEART. The crocodile, torn between FRIENDSHIP and his wife's demand, BETRAYS his friend. But the monkey is too CLEVER — he tricks the crocodile and ESCAPES.
Why This Story Matters for AP Board Students
- One of the MOST FAMOUS Panchatantra tales — every child should know it
- 'The monkey's QUICK THINKING saves his life — a lesson in WIT'
- Teaches about TRUE FRIENDSHIP vs FALSE FRIENDSHIP
- 'Beware of people who ONLY want what you can GIVE them'
- Frequently tested in AP Board exams for PLOT and MORAL
2. About the Author
This is a Panchatantra story — traditionally attributed to Vishnu Sharma (c. 200 BCE). The Panchatantra is India's MOST INFLUENTIAL collection of fables.
The Panchatantra
- Written in SANSKRIT
- 'Panchatantra' means 'FIVE PRINCIPLES'
- Uses ANIMALS to teach HUMAN lessons
- Translated into 50+ languages
- One of the MOST TRANSLATED books in history
3. Characters
| Character | Role | Key Trait |
|---|---|---|
| The Monkey | Lives on a jamun tree by the river | Clever, generous, TRUSTING |
| The Crocodile | A reptile living in the river | Initially FRIENDLY, then WEAK-WILLED |
| The Crocodile's Wife | The crocodile's spouse | GREEDY, JEALOUS, demanding |
| The Jamun Tree | The monkey's home (not a character) | PROVIDER of sweet fruits |
4. Detailed Summary
Part 1: An Unlikely Friendship
A MONKEY lives on a JAMUN tree on the bank of a river. The tree is FULL of sweet, purple fruits.
One day, a CROCODILE comes out of the river and rests under the tree.
'Hello,' says the monkey. 'Would you like some JAMUNS?'
The crocodile TASTES one. It is DELICIOUS.
'These are the BEST fruits I have ever eaten!' says the crocodile.
Part 2: Daily Friendship
Every day, the crocodile VISITS the monkey. The monkey GIVES him jamuns. They TALK. They LAUGH. They become BEST FRIENDS.
The monkey says: 'I look FORWARD to your visits every day.'
The crocodile says: 'You are the BEST friend I have ever had.'
Part 3: The Greedy Wife
The crocodile takes some jamuns home to his WIFE. She LOVES them.
But soon, the wife grows GREEDY. She says:
'If the jamuns are THIS sweet, the monkey must be SWEET too. He must eat these fruits every day. His HEART must be the SWEETEST thing in the world. I want to EAT the monkey's HEART.'
The crocodile is HORRIFIED. 'But he is my BEST FRIEND! I cannot KILL him!'
The wife GROWLS: 'If you love YOUR WIFE more than the monkey, you will BRING ME his heart.'
Part 4: The Betrayal
The crocodile is TORN. He loves his wife. He loves his friend.
Finally, he gives in to his wife's demand.
Part 5: The Trap
The crocodile visits the monkey. He says:
'My WIFE has invited you to DINNER at our home. Come — I will CARRY you across the river on my back.'
The monkey is HAPPY. 'What a KIND wife you have!'
But HALFWAY across the river, the crocodile says: 'I must tell you the TRUTH. My wife wants to eat your HEART. I am taking you to DIE.'
Part 6: The Monkey's Quick Thinking
The monkey's heart POUNDS. But he stays CALM. He has a PLAN.
'Oh!' says the monkey. 'Is that ALL? Why didn't you TELL me earlier? We monkeys keep our HEARTS in a special place — in a HOLLOW of our tree. I left my heart there. We need to GO BACK and get it!'
Part 7: The Escape
The foolish crocodile BELIEVES the monkey. He turns back and SWIMS to the riverbank.
The moment they reach the shore, the monkey JUMPS off the crocodile's back, climbs his tree, and LAUGHS.
'Foolish crocodile! My heart is IN MY BODY — as it has always been! You BETRAYED our friendship. I will never TRUST you again.'
Part 8: The End
The crocodile realises he has been TRICKED — and he DESERVES it.
He hangs his head in SHAME and swims away.
The monkey stays SAFE in his tree — WISER and more CAUTIOUS.
5. Themes
Betrayal
'The crocodile SOLD his friendship for his wife's GREED.'
Cleverness Saves Lives
The monkey did not FIGHT the crocodile. He OUTSMARTED him. Brains > Brawn.
Greed Destroys Relationships
The crocodile's wife was NEVER satisfied. Her greed COST her husband his BEST FRIEND.
Trust Must Be Earned
'Once trust is BROKEN, it is DIFFICULT to rebuild.'
6. Literary Devices
| Device | Example | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Dramatic Irony | WE know what the crocodile plans — the monkey DOESN'T | Creates SUSPENSE |
| Trickster Tale | The monkey TRICKS the crocodile | The CLASSIC 'trickster escapes' |
| Dialogue | The conversation between monkey and crocodile | DRIVES the plot |
| Contrast | Monkey's GENEROSITY vs Crocodile's BETRAYAL | Shows GOOD vs EVIL |
| Moral | 'Use your WITS when you are in DANGER' | The EXPLICIT lesson |
7. Vocabulary / New Words
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Jamun | A purple Indian fruit (Java plum) |
| Betray | To be disloyal to someone who trusts you |
| Greedy | Wanting more than you need |
| Wit | The ability to think quickly and cleverly |
| Trick | To deceive someone cleverly |
| Hollow | An empty space inside something |
| Escape | To get away from danger |
8. Important Quotes
| Quote | Speaker | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| 'These are the BEST fruits I have ever eaten!' | Crocodile | The BEGINNING of friendship |
| 'I want to EAT the monkey's HEART.' | Crocodile's wife | The GREED that causes betrayal |
| 'My wife has invited you to DINNER.' | Crocodile (lying) | The TRAP |
| 'I left my HEART in the tree!' | Monkey (tricking) | The CLEVER escape |
| 'My heart is in MY BODY — as it has always been!' | Monkey | The REVELATION |
9. Short Answer Questions (2-3 marks each)
1. Where did the monkey live? The monkey lived on a JAMUN TREE on the bank of a river.
2. How did the monkey and crocodile become friends? The monkey SHARED his sweet jamuns with the crocodile every day. They became friends.
3. What did the crocodile's wife demand? She demanded to eat the monkey's HEART, believing it would be the sweetest thing.
4. How did the crocodile try to trap the monkey? He invited the monkey for dinner and offered to CARRY him across the river on his back.
5. How did the monkey escape? He tricked the crocodile by saying his heart was in a HOLLOW in the tree, so they had to go back.
6. What is the moral of the story? Use your WITS in dangerous situations. Also: choose your FRIENDS wisely.
7. What happened to the crocodile in the end? He was ASHAMED of his betrayal and swam away alone.
10. Long Answer Questions (6-8 marks each)
1. 'The crocodile was a TRUE friend — until he was NOT.' Explain. Initially, the crocodile was a WARM and CARING friend. He visited the monkey EVERY day. He ENJOYED their conversations. He genuinely LOVED the jamuns. But the moment his wife DEMANDED the monkey's heart, his loyalty CRUMBLED. He chose his WIFE'S greed over his FRIEND'S life. This shows that his friendship was CONDITIONAL — it depended on what he RECEIVED, not what he GAVE. True friendship STANDS the test of DIFFICULT choices.
2. 'The monkey was CLEVERER than the crocodile.' Prove this. The monkey ESCAPED death by THINKING FAST. When he learned the truth in the MIDDLE of the river, he did not PANIC. He did not FIGHT. He created a BELIEVABLE lie: 'My heart is in the tree.' The crocodile was FOOLISH enough to believe it. The monkey used the crocodile's own GREED against him. The lesson: INTELLIGENCE is more powerful than PHYSICAL STRENGTH.
3. Do you think the crocodile's wife was ENTIRELY to blame? Why or why not? The wife was GREEDY and UNREASONABLE. She WANTED to eat the monkey's heart — a CRUEL demand. She put her husband in an IMPOSSIBLE position. However, the crocodile was NOT entirely INNOCENT. He could have said NO. He could have STOOD UP to his wife. He CHOSE to betray his friend. Blame falls on BOTH: the wife for demanding, and the crocodile for EXECUTING.
4. 'The story teaches us: BEWARE of people who only want what you can GIVE them.' Discuss. The crocodile LOVED the monkey's jamuns. He VISITED daily for the jamuns. When his wife wanted MORE, the crocodile AGREED. The friendship was BASED on what the monkey PROVIDED — not on GENUINE affection. In real life, we should be CAUTIOUS of people who only stay for what they GET from us. TRUE friends care about WHO WE ARE — not what we GIVE.
11. AP Board Context
- Panchatantra stories are frequently used for MORAL VALUE questions in AP Board exams.
- Telugu connection: This story is WELL-KNOWN in Telugu folklore ('Koti-Mosali Katha').
- Discussion: 'Have you ever trusted someone who LET YOU DOWN? What did you learn?'
- Activity: Write a SHORT DIALOGUE between the crocodile and his wife AFTER he returns from the failed plot.
- Writing task: 'Write the story from the CROCODILE'S point of view — how does HE feel?'
12. Fun Activity
'Quick Thinking!' Think of a SITUATION where you had to think VERY FAST to solve a problem. Write a SHORT paragraph about it. How did you use your BRAINS to get out of trouble?
