Crocodile and monkey were very good friends. They did many things in common. Monkey lived in trees while crocodile lived in a river. Crocodile liked wild fruits and monkey plucked them in abundance for crocodile. Fresh water mud fish was what monkey liked as a delicacy. His friend crocodile caught mud fish from the river and gave them to monkey. Crocodile could only clamber short trees. He could not visit the home of monkey. Monkey was a poor swimmer and could not visit crocodile, his wife or children. They could meet on the banks of the river. That was where they exchanged gifts and played the game of hide and seeks. One day, crocodile’s wife fell sick. Crocodile tried his best to cure her of the sickness. He travelled far and wide to seek medicine help for his wife but all to no avail.
He heard of alligator, a very astute herbalist who had cured many animals of their diseases. Crocodile went for alligator to come and cure his wife. Alligator carefully diagnosed her. He carefully examined her blood and stool. He concluded that he will need the heart of monkey to mix with other herbs to cure her. Crocodile thought of a plan to trick monkey to visit him. He would then murder him and collect his heart. He went to their usual meeting place with a lot of mud fish. Crocodile said,”monke, do you know that you are a bad friend? You have not bothered to visit my sick wife. Monkey answered, “you know that I can’t swim. I’ll drown if I attempt to swim. Crocodile said; “don’t worry, sit on my back and I will take you to my home. I will safely bring you back”.
Monkey sat on the back of crocodile. In the middle of the river, crocodile ask monkey to say his last prayer. He was going to use his heart to prepare a concoction to cure his wife. Monkey did not pray, instead he said ‘oh my good friend crocodile. We monkeys do not travel with our hearts. We only use our hearts when we are attending wedding party. Most of us leave it in the trees. As I sit on you here, my heart is in the tree. You must take me back at once for me to bring you my heart to cure your loving wife.
Crocodile quickly turned and sent Monkey to the bank of the river. Monkey quickly climbed the nearest tree and said, “Crocodile, I never knew you were stupid. In fact, you’re a big fool. Have you ever heard of any animal leaving its heart at home? Go away, you idiot.” Crocodile realized his foolishness. He sadly went home. His wife died a few days later. That was the end of the friendship between monkey and crocodile.

MEANING OF SPECIAL WORDS USED IN THE PASSAGE
  • Abundance(noun): a great quantity, plenty
  • Clamber(verb): to climb using both feet and hands with difficulty or effort
  • Avail(noun): good result, advantage.
  • Astute(adjectives): clever and able to see quickly something to one’s advantage
  • Diagnose(verb): to find out what illness a person has
  • Stool(noun): solid waste matter passed from the body, excreta
  • Murder(verb): the crime of killing someone deliberately
  • Drown(verb): to die by being under water for too long or to kill someone in this way
  • Instead(adverb): in place of that
  • Idiot(noun); a foolish person(2), a person of very weak mind usually from birth
  • Realize(verb): to understand and believe
  • Delicacy(noun): something pleasant to eat that is considered rare or costly.
CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW TO LISTEN TO THE AUDIO SECTION OF THIS LESSON
https://drive.google.WISEMONKEYANDFOOLISHCROCODILE?usp=drivesdk

 ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS
  1. What was monkey’s delicacy?
  2. Why was Crocodile unable to visit monkey?
  3. Where did Crocodile and Monkey often meet?
  4. Who was the astute herbalist?
  5. What did Crocodile ask Alligator to do?
  6. What did Alligator used to diagnose Crocodile’s wife?
  7. What did Alligator use to diagnosed Crocodile’s wife?
  8. What did Crocodile accuse Monkey of?
  9. Where was Monkey asked to say his prayer?
  10. Where do Monkey’s usually go with their hearts?