PDF chapter test TRY NOW
“What a foolish thing to say!” shouted the crocodile. “I can’t kill a friend, though I won’t mind a monkey occasionally for a change of taste.”
“You bring him here,” ordered the wife. “I want to see him.”
“So you can eat him. Never!” declared her husband.
Explanation:
The crocodile was shocked to hear his wife's demand. After all, the monkey was a generous, good-hearted, lovely friend of it. It shares its food and time along with the crocodile. The crocodile was shouting at its wife for asking such a stupid thing.
The crocodile wife's demand
There is no need for them to kill the crocodile's friend, since, they don't face any food scarcity. Even if the crocodile's wife wishes to have a monkey's heart, that can be from any other monkey and not from the crocodile's friend.
The crocodile explained its wife from various angles. It told his wife that having a monkey for a meal is fine, instead of routine food, but it should not be its good-hearted friend.
The wife crocodile never agreed upon the husband's explanation, but continued to argue. The wife crocodile ordered her husband to bring the monkey home. She pretended as if she wanted to see the monkey. Still, the husband crocodile didn't agree to her request as he knew very well that his wife would kill and eat the crocodile if the monkey is brought home. And so, the husband crocodile was very adamant in not getting the monkey home, fearing his wife would kill and eat it.
The wife crocodile never agreed upon the husband's explanation, but continued to argue. The wife crocodile ordered her husband to bring the monkey home. She pretended as if she wanted to see the monkey. Still, the husband crocodile didn't agree to her request as he knew very well that his wife would kill and eat the crocodile if the monkey is brought home. And so, the husband crocodile was very adamant in not getting the monkey home, fearing his wife would kill and eat it.
Meaning of difficult words:
S.No | Words | Meaning |
1. | Foolish | Refers to being stupid |
2. | Occasionally | Sometimes and not often |
3. | Pretended | To behave in a way to make people believe something that is not true |
Reference:
National Council of Educational Research and Training (2006). The Monkey and the Crocodile (pp. 20-24). Published at the Publication Division by the Secretary, National Council of Educational Research and Training, Sri Aurobindo Marg, New Delhi.
Register for free to see more content