Teach Hlaing - Foreign Classic Stories

Long ago, there lived a monkey in a tree near a river. In the river, there lived a wicked crocodile, who wanted to eat the monkey's heart. Once, he had tried to trap the monkey in his evil plans. But, the monkey had cleverly escaped from the crocodile. From that day, the monkey moved away from that tree and took shelter a little away from there. He wanted to get away from the crocodile, so that he might live in peace.

Once upon a time, there was a monkey living in a tree near a river. In the river, there was a cunning crocodile. The crocodile wanted to eat the monkey's heart. The crocodile once tried to catch the monkey with cunning tricks. But he managed to escape. From that day on, the monkey moved away from the tree where he lived, and lived in safety.

For some days, the crocodile did not come to the riverbank. Then one day, he secretly came to that side smelling for the monkey. Swimming along the bank, the crocodile found the monkey, far down the river, living in another tree. The crocodile secretly observed the monkey's routine. "He has become very careful! " thought the crocodile. "He hardly comes near the water. And when he comes to drink water, he keeps his eyes wide open to ensure I am not around."

The crocodile had not been to the riverbank for many days. One day, the crocodile came quietly to the monkey's place, smelling its scent. While swimming along the river, the crocodile suddenly saw the monkey coming down the river. The crocodile was quietly watching the monkey to see which way it would go. "Well... he must be very careful of me." If he were to drink water, he would be watching me closely, his eyes wide open, to make sure I was nearby," the crocodile thought.

After watching the monkey for a couple of days, the crocodile found out something interesting. In the middle of the river was an island covered with fruit trees. Half-way between the bank of the river and the island, a large rock rose out of the water. Every afternoon, assuming that the crocodile would be taking a nap deep under the water, the monkey would jump to the rock, and then to the island. He would climb the trees and eat the ripe, juicy fruits to his heart's contentment. Then, before evening, the monkey would return to his home-tree, jumping on to the rock and then to the bank, carefully avoiding the area where the crocodile.

lived.

After observing the monkey's condition for two days, the crocodile made an interesting discovery. In the middle of the river, he saw an island covered with fruit trees. Between the island and the river bank was a large rock protruding from the water. Every afternoon, the crocodile would go to sleep deep underwater. At that time, the monkey would jump onto the rock and reach the island. Once on the island, the monkey would climb onto the tree and enjoy the ripe, juicy fruits. Before evening, the monkey would return to his home on the river bank from the rock. The monkey would walk back and forth to the island, always keeping an eye on the crocodile's surroundings.

When the crocodile saw the monkey jumping across the river to the island, he was thrilled. "Ah, there's my chance to catch the monkey!" thought the crocodile, smiling in his heart. He then made a plan and waited for the next afternoon, when the monkey would jump across the river, to the island. The next afternoon, the crocodile swam towards the rock and lay hidden in the water, right at the foot of the rock. As usual, the monkey came to the bank, looked to his left, then to his right, then again to his left, and ensuring there was no trace of the crocodile, jumped on to the rock and onto the island. While the monkey had a fine feast, the crocodile swiftly crawled out of the water and lay on the rock, perfectly still.

One day, the crocodile accidentally saw a monkey jumping onto the island. “Oh my god, this is my chance to catch the monkey,” the crocodile thought, smiling contentedly. The next day, the crocodile planned to wait for the monkey to jump off the cliff and onto the island at noon. So the crocodile crossed to the cliff in the middle of the river and hid under the cliff to the right. Soon, the monkey looked left, right, and left along the river bank and arrived. Then, as usual, he jumped off the cliff and onto the island. The monkey ate