The Monkey and the Mango Promise

A monkey named Bandu lived in a mango tree beside the river. Its branches gave him shade, a comfortable place to sleep, and sweet fruit through the warm season. Each morning, he chose the ripest mangoes and watched the water move below. One day, a crocodile named Magar stopped beneath the tree. "Throw me a mango," he asked. Bandu dropped one onto the bank, where Magar could reach it.

Magar enjoyed the fruit so much that he returned the next day. Soon, they were sharing mangoes and stories. Bandu described the forest paths, while Magar told him about fish, islands, and reeds farther downstream. "A friendship should be as sweet as these mangoes," Bandu said once. Magar agreed. "And a promise should last longer than a meal." Bandu was pleased to have someone who seemed to understand that.

For many weeks, their visits were cheerful. Then Magar stayed away for two days. When he returned, he seemed restless and would not look up properly. "My brother wants to meet you," he said. "Come ride on my back. I'll take you to the other bank." Bandu hesitated. He could climb almost anything, but he could not swim across the wide river. "You will bring me safely home?" he asked. "Of course," Magar replied.

Bandu climbed carefully onto Magar's broad back. The river looked different from the middle: deeper, wider, and much stronger than it seemed from a branch. Magar swam past the halfway point, then spoke in a low voice. "I promised my brother he could taste a monkey's heart." For a moment, Bandu could not breathe. His friend had offered a ride while hiding a terrible plan.

Bandu's heart pounded, but he knew that panic would not carry him to safety. He kept his hands steady and looked toward his mango tree. "Oh, my heart?" he said, trying to sound surprised rather than frightened. "I left it up in the tree! I always keep it there when I travel. Take me back and I'll fetch it." Magar stopped swimming. He had not expected this problem.

"You left it behind?" he asked. "Right beside the sweetest mangoes," Bandu replied. "If you want it, we must go back." Magar thought about his promise to his brother and turned around. Bandu watched the tree grow closer, counting the strokes without saying another word. The moment Magar reached the bank, he leapt to a low branch, then scrambled higher until he was safely among the leaves.

Magar waited below. "Bring it down," he called. Bandu shook his head. "My heart is inside me, where it has always been. A friend who breaks trust cannot be trusted again!" Magar finally understood the trick. He lowered his eyes. "I made a foolish promise," he muttered. "You also broke an important one," Bandu said. "You promised to bring me home safely. No promise should require hurting a friend."

Magar hung his head and swam away. Bandu sat quietly for a while, grateful that he had stayed calm, but sad about the friendship he had lost. He did not stop sharing his mangoes. Instead, he shared them with honest fish who never pretended that danger was a friendly invitation. Whenever he made a new friend, he listened carefully to both words and actions. Sweet stories were lovely, but loyalty mattered much more than a pleasant voice beside the river.

Moral: Stay calm in danger, and choose friends who are truly loyal.