Supplementary Chapter 6 Class 6 NCERT: The Monkey and the Crocodile

Detailed Story Summary & Themes

The story takes place on the banks of a river where a monkey lives happily on a rose-apple tree. He has plenty of delicious fruit to eat but lacks a companion. Soon, a crocodile visits the tree, and the two become close friends. The monkey generously shares his sweet rose-apples with the crocodile and even packs some for the crocodile's wife. However, the crocodile's wife becomes greedy; she believes that a monkey who eats such sweet fruit daily must have an exceptionally sweet heart. She demands that her husband bring the monkey to her so she can eat his heart. Caught between his duty to his wife and his loyalty to his friend, the crocodile reluctantly decides to betray the monkey. He invites the monkey to his home for dinner. When they reach mid-stream, the crocodile reveals his dark plan. Instead of panicking, the monkey uses his intelligence and presence of mind to trick the crocodile into turning back, safely escaping a fatal trap.

Character Comparison: The Monkey vs. The Crocodile

The Escape Strategy: How the Monkey Saved His Life

1. Maintaining Composure — When the crocodile confesses the plan in mid-stream, the monkey does not panic. He realizes that fear will not help him survive.
2. Exploiting the Crocodile's Gullibility — He invents a highly plausible excuse, claiming that monkeys keep their hearts safely stored on their home trees.
3. Persuading the Opponent — He politely asks the crocodile to swim back to the tree so they can retrieve his heart for the crocodile's wife.
4. Securing Final Escape — As soon as the crocodile reaches the bank, the monkey quickly leaps off his back and climbs to the safety of the branches.

Key Moral Lessons & CBSE Exam Tips

• Presence of Mind over Power: Physical strength (crocodile) is useless against mental sharpness (monkey) in moments of crisis.
• Choose Friends Wisely: Trust should not be gifted blindly. A friend who cannot stand up for you in tough times is not a true companion.
• Exam Tip - Avoid Simplification: Do not write that the crocodile was purely evil. Highlight that he was conflicted and torn between his duty to his wife and his love for his friend.
• Vocabulary Enrichment: Use words like 'gullible', 'presence of mind', 'hospitality', and 'betrayal' in your answers to score extra marks.

Practice Questions with Solutions

• Q: Why was the monkey initially happy but lonely on his tree? A: Step 1: Identify the monkey's living conditions. He lived on a tree full of delicious rose-apples, meaning he had food in abundance. Step 2: Address his emotional state. He had no friends or companions to talk to or share his sweet fruits with. Final answer: The monkey was happy because he had a comfortable home with plenty of sweet rose-apples to eat, but he was lonely because he had no companion to share his thoughts and food with.
• Q: What made the crocodile's wife demand the monkey's heart? A: Step 1: Explain her reaction to the sweet fruits. The crocodile's wife tasted the sweet rose-apples brought home by her husband. Step 2: Connect this to her greedy logic. She thought that if the monkey ate these sweet fruits daily, his heart would taste incredibly sweet. Final answer: The crocodile's wife demanded the monkey's heart because she assumed that a monkey who survived solely on delicious, sweet rose-apples must possess an exceptionally sweet and tasty heart.
• Q: What was the crocodile's dilemma, and how did he resolve it? A: Step 1: State the conflict. The crocodile loved both his wife and his dear friend, the monkey. Step 2: Describe his decision. Since he could not live without his wife, he chose his married life over friendship. Final answer: The crocodile faced a severe dilemma: betraying his best friend or displeasing his wife. He resolved it by choosing his wife, deciding to invite the monkey over to his home to be killed.
• Q: How did the monkey clever-talk his way back to safety? A: Step 1: Analyze the monkey's lie. He calmly told the crocodile that he kept his heart safely on the tree. Step 2: Explain the crocodile's response. The gullible crocodile believed him and turned back to fetch it. Step 3: State the conclusion. Once near the bank, the monkey jumped off and escaped. Final answer: The monkey lied that he had left his heart back on the tree. The foolish crocodile turned back to let him retrieve it. Upon reaching the bank, the monkey quickly climbed the tree to safety, ending their friendship.

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