Back to: CBSE Class 6 English Summary & Notes
Table of Contents
Introduction
This chapter tells the story of a monkey and a crocodile. It narrates how the two develop a strong bond of friendship. But a foolish mistake on part of the crocodile ends their friendship. It also shows how the monkey uses his wisdom to save his life.
Summary
A monkey once lived on a fruit tree. He had ample of fruits to eat and the tree was a good home to live. But he had no friends and this made him lonely. One day when a crocodile passed by, the lonely monkey offered him fruits which the crocodile devoured with pleasure. The two become friends and began to meet regularly.
Their friendship grew stronger each day. The two friends talked about everything from animals to birds, or from the villagers to their farming problems. They grew fond of long conversations and the crocodile began to spend more time with the monkey. This angered the crocodile’s wife.
The greedy wife of the crocodile was not satisfied with the delicious fruits that the monkey sent. She expressed her wish to eat the heart of the monkey. The crocodile denied because he considered the monkey a true friend. But the wife insisted that the monkey should be invited to their place for a meal so that she can kill him for her food. Owing to his love for his wife, the crocodile finally gave in to her demand.
The next day, the crocodile went to see the monkey and invited him to have a meal with his family. The monkey was pleased and agreed. On his way as the crocodile was carrying the monkey on his back, he was overcome by guilt and shame for betraying his friend. He disclosed that the true intention of this was his wife’s desire to eat the monkey’s heart.
The monkey was shocked but remained calm. Using his wisdom, he thought of a clever plan to escape. The monkey informed the crocodile that he was ready to sacrifice his life for the sake of his friend’s happiness but he was not carrying his heart. The foolish crocodile was convinced to take the monkey back to the tree so that he can bring his heart along. As soon as they reached the fruit tree, the monkey climbed to his safe place.
Conclusion
On reaching the tree, the monkey says a final goodbye to the crocodile. The crocodile sheds tears for having betrayed and lost a true friend. Their story teaches the value of trust and loyalty in friendship. It also shows that our wisdom can save us from dangerous situations and foolish friends.
