Deceived Crocodiles: A Tale of Ingenuity and Honesty
Edisi Indonesia: Kisah Si Kancil dan Buaya
Mouse-deer (Kancil in Indonesian) and Crocodile fable from the Nusantara ( Indonesian Archipelago)
Kancil faced a dilemma when hunger pangs struck, luring him toward tempting fruits across the river. The swift and expansive current seemed an insurmountable barrier. Then, he spotted crocodiles basking on the riverbank.
Kancil swiftly devised a clever scheme. With an excited voice, he called out to the crocodiles, "Hey, crocodiles! I've got fantastic news for you!"
Intrigued, the crocodiles moved closer, eager to hear what Kancil had to say.
"I've got great news—I'll be gifting fresh meat to each crocodile in this river!" declared Kancil, a sly grin playing on his lips.
The crocodiles rejoiced and called their friends. As they assembled on the riverbank, ready to receive Kancil's offering, he slyly instructed them to form a line for the distribution, claiming he wanted to count their numbers. Trusting him, the crocodiles promptly formed a living bridge.
As the bridge took shape, Kancil leapt from one crocodile to another, feigning a headcount. Just as he neared the opposite side, he erupted into laughter.
"Ha! I came empty-handed! I just needed a way across. Thank you for being my 'bridge'!" chuckled Kancil.
Furious and feeling deceived, the crocodiles attempted to apprehend Kancil, but he swiftly vanished into the forest, leaving them dismayed.
Moral: Applying Intelligence with Compassion
This fable encourages children to utilize intelligence for good purposes and avoid emulating Kancil's crafty behavior, which misled the river's crocodiles.
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