MOUSEDEER AND THE CROCODILE

ONCE UPON a time there was a mousedeer.  One day, Mousedeer went for a walk along the bank of a river.  He saw Crocodile in the water and said to him, "Good morning, Mr. Crocodile.  I hope you are well this morning."

        Mr. Crocodile snapped at Mousedeer.  Luckily, Mousedeer was not near him.

        "It would be a good morning if I could catch you and have you for my breakfast," said Crocodile.

        Mousedeer laughed, "My dear Friend, you are too weak to catch me; you do not know how strong I am."

        Crocodile looked at little Mousedeer and laughed loudly.  Mousedeer said, "Do not laugh at me.  I may be small but I can show you that I am stronger than you."  Then Mousedeer showed him a piece of rope and said:

        "I will take one end of this rope and you can take the other end.  Then we will pull.  We will pull as hard as we can.  We will see which one of us is the stronger.  If you can pull me into the water, then you can eat me."

        Mousedeer threw one end of the rope to Crocodile.  Crocodile took the end of the rope.

        When Crocodile was not looking, Mousedeer quickly climbed up a tree.  He tied his end of the rope to a big branch at the top of the tree.  Then he came down and sat behind the tree.

        Crocodile now held his end of the rope.  He thought that Mousedeer was holding the other end.  He did not know that Mousedeer was just sitting behind the tree.

        "Are you ready.  Mr. Crocodile?" called Mousedeer.  "One, two, three, P-U-L-L!"

        Crocodile pulled as hard as he could.

The tree bent a little towards the river.  Crocodile stopped to take a breath.  At once the tree went back and became straight.  As it went back and became straight.  As it went back the rope pulled Mr. Crocodile.  He was afraid.  He began to think that Mousedeer was pulling him out of the river.

        So Crocodile pulled again very, very hard.  Again the tree bent a little.  Crocodile was very tired.  He stopeed to take a breath once more.  At once the tree went back again.  Crocodile thought the Mousedeer was really going to pull him out of the water this time!

        Mousedeer saw that the Crocodile was afraid.  He shouted to him, "You look tired Mr. Crocodile.  Do you want to rest?"  Crocodile agreed and gladly let go of the rope.

        Mousedeer ran happily along the bank.  He did not look tired at all.  He said to Crocodile, "Did you like the pull, Mr. Crocodile?  It was a good pull.  You pulled very well, but I am sure that next time I shall pull you out of the river.  Come, let us try again."

        Crocodile looked at mousedeer.  He saw that Mousedeer did not look tired at all.  He was afraid that if he tried again, Mousedeer would win.  Mousedeer was small but he must be very, very strong.  Crocodile said, "No, no, Mousedeer.  I cannot pull any more.  You are stronger than I am," and he swam slowly away, down the river.