KANCHIL AND CROCODILLE

One day it was very hot. There was no wind at all to refresh the thirsty plants and trees of the forest.
It was in the middle of the dry season. For many weeks no rain had fallen so that the little creeks were the small animals used to drink had dried up. Kanchil was walking alone in the forest; he was very thirty. He had walked a long way. Looking for a brook where he could quench his thirst, but he had found only dry mud in the once gay rippling brooks. It was very quiet in the forest. All the animals seemed to sleep. Even the bird did not sing in the trees. Kanchil finally decided to go to the big river that bordered the forest. Usually he avoided going there as he knew that crocodile was always on the look-out for him, waiting for on opportunity to catch him.

Kanchil, the small but clever mouse deer, had many enemies in the forest. Fortunately, he was quickly.

When he arrived at the river, Kanchil looked curiously around him. There was nobody to be seen. The clear river water mirrored blindingly the rays of the sun Step by step Kanchil approached the water. His sharp eyes looked right and left, his pointed ears strained to catch the slightest sound. But no danger seemed to threaten him to time. Relieved, he bent his head to enjoy the cool water. Suddenly, his glace fell upon an object that was floating not tar away from where he stood. It was blackish thing. It looked like a fallen branch … or, like the back of crocodile! Kanchil jumped back, surprised and thoughtful. But he was also very thirsty. How could he possibly know whether the thing there in the river was really a long or a crocodile? Then he smiled a little as he hit upon an idea. In a clear voice he shouted, “Hay! There, you who are in the river. If you are a crocodile, don’t answer me, but if you are only a log of wood, tell me you name!”

Now it was really Crocodile who was floating in the river. He had seen Kanchil approaching and he was waiting for him to bend his head to drink. At the very moment when Kanchil did not look, Crocodile in his gruff voice, “Don’t be afraid, I’m only a harmless log!”.

Immediately, Kanchil ran away ran fast as his legs could carry him, while shouting over his shoulder. “O, stupid crocodile, have you ever a log of wood talk?”.