The Monkey and the Crocodile

There was once a little monkey named Bala. He lived in a fig tree by a river in India.

Bala was a happy monkey who loved to play. He would curl his tail on a tree branch and swing.

Each morning, Bala jumped from tree to tree gathering figs for his breakfast.

He greeted all the river animals. “Hello, Miss Fish!” he called. “And how are you today, Mr. and Mrs. Crane?”

Bala had many friends.

One day, a big hungry crocodile named JaJa swam by the fig tree. He saw Bala.

“That monkey will make a fine lunch for my family and me,” he thought.

JaJa watched as Bala raced a family of sunbirds to the top of the tree.

JaJa was feeling very hungry. But he couldn’t help but smile as Bala curled his tail around a branch and began to spin.

Suddenly, the branch cracked. The little monkey started to fall.

“Watch out!” the crocodile shouted.