The Crocodile's Treachery
In the days when animals could still converse as easily as humans do today, Crocodile was the acknowledged chief of all water creatures. If one judged by appearances alone, one would say he still holds that position. But in those ancient times, it was his sacred duty to care for all aquatic animals, ensuring their safety and prosperity along the great rivers of Africa.
One particularly harsh year, when the rains failed to come and the sun blazed mercilessly across the African landscape, the water in their river began to dry up and become dangerously scarce. The riverbed that had once been deep and flowing now showed patches of cracked mud, and the remaining pools grew smaller each day. Faced with this crisis, Crocodile knew he must devise a plan to lead his people on a great trek to another river a short distance away.
He first dispatched Otter, his most trusted scout, to investigate their options. Otter stayed away for two full days, swimming through underground channels and following dried tributaries. When he returned, he brought encouraging news: there was still abundant water in the distant river, with deep sea-cow pools that even a drought lasting several years could not dry up.
Armed with this vital information, Crocodile summoned Tortoise and Alligator, his most reliable ambassadors, to his side.
"Listen carefully, my friends," he said solemnly. "I need you both to undertake a crucial mission tonight. You must carry a treaty proposal to Lion himself. Prepare yourselves well, for the veldt is bone dry, and you will likely have to travel for several days without any water. We must make peace with Lion and all his subjects, or we will surely perish this year.
"Lion must agree to help us trek safely to the other river, especially past the Boer's farm that lies directly in our path. We need his guarantee that we can travel unmolested by any of the veldt animals for the duration of our journey. As you well know, a fish on dry land is sometimes a very helpless creature indeed."
The two ambassadors faced tremendous hardship under the scorching African sun and across the parched veldt, but they persevered and eventually reached Lion's territory. With great ceremony, they presented him with Crocodile's carefully crafted peace treaty.
"What scheme is this?" Lion mused to himself after reading the document. "I must consult with Jackal before making any decisions." To the weary commissioners, however, he gave a diplomatic response: "I shall appear tomorrow evening with my advisers at the appointed meeting place—beneath the great vaarland willow tree at the far end of the water hole, where Crocodile maintains his headquarters."
When Tortoise and Alligator returned with this news, Crocodile was immensely pleased with how events were unfolding. The cunning reptile was already weaving a web of deception in his mind, but outwardly he showed nothing but gratitude and hospitality.
He instructed Otter and several other trusted water creatures to prepare an elaborate feast for their distinguished guests, arranging tables beneath the ancient vaarland willow laden with the finest fish and aquatic delicacies their river could provide.
As darkness fell the following evening, Lion arrived in magnificent procession with Wolf, Jackal, Baboon, and several other important animals from across the African veldt. Crocodile and his water creatures received them with seemingly genuine warmth and open-hearted hospitality.
Crocodile appeared so moved by this historic gathering that he occasionally shed great tears of apparent joy, which disappeared instantly into the thirsty sand below. After the land animals had feasted well on the expertly prepared fish, Crocodile began to lay bare the desperate situation facing his people.
"My noble friends," he began with great emotion, "I seek only lasting peace among all animals of Africa. We not only destroy one another through our ancient feuds, but the Boer settlers will eventually destroy us all if we do not unite against the common threat.
"Already, the Boer has installed no fewer than three powerful steam pumps at the source of our river to irrigate his expanding farmlands. The water grows scarcer with each passing day. Worse still, he takes cruel advantage of our weakened state, forcing us to remain trapped in the shallow pools where he can hunt us down one by one, bringing about our slow destruction."
Crocodile's voice grew more passionate as he continued: "Since Lion is naturally inclined toward justice and peace, this presents a glorious opportunity to extend your protection to us peace-seeking water creatures. In return, we ask only that you escort us safely from these dying waters, past the dangerous Boer's farm, to the distant sea-cow pools where we can survive."
Jackal, ever suspicious, narrowed his eyes and asked sharply, "And what benefit shall we land animals receive from such an arrangement?"
Crocodile's response came smoothly, as if he had anticipated this very question: "The peace treaty offers tremendous advantages to both sides, my clever friend. We pledge never again to harm one another. When you desire to drink water, you may do so with complete ease of mind, never fearing that I or any of my people will seize you by the nose or drag you beneath the surface. The same protection extends to all other animals.
"In return, you must free us from Elephant's tyranny. Whenever that massive beast gets the opportunity, he delights in grabbing us with his trunk and tossing us high into the narrow forks of trees, where we are left to dry out like biltong under the merciless African sun."
Lion and Jackal stepped aside for a private consultation, their low voices mixing with the evening sounds of the African bush. When they returned, Lion inquired about guarantees: "What form of security can you offer that you will honor your part of this agreement?"
"I stake my sacred word of honor," Crocodile replied without hesitation, allowing several more long tears of apparent sincerity to fall into the sand at his feet.
Baboon, known for his wisdom, stroked his beard thoughtfully before speaking: "The proposal appears fair and honest as far as I can determine. I believe it would be foolish to continue digging pitfalls for one another when cooperation could benefit us all. My people would certainly gain from this peace treaty.
"Furthermore, we must acknowledge that water is becoming increasingly scarce, and even in the best of times, it is unpleasant to carry one's life constantly in one's hands. However, I would suggest to our King that we document everything in writing, so there can be no misunderstandings should disputes arise in the future."
Jackal remained unconvinced, his sharp mind detecting something amiss. "I cannot see how this agreement truly benefits the animals of the veldt," he muttered darkly.
But Wolf, who had thoroughly enjoyed the fish feast and felt unusually content, found himself in an exceptionally peaceful mood. "I believe we should accept Crocodile's proposal," he advised Lion warmly.
After listening carefully to all his advisers and the continued pleading from Crocodile's followers, Lion rose to deliver his decision in a formal speech:
"I am inclined to enter into this agreement, seeing clearly that Crocodile and his subjects face genuine desperation. The situation calls for compassion and cooperation among all African creatures."
A formal document was immediately drafted and signed by both parties. It was decided that the great trek would commence before midnight, giving them the cover of darkness to pass the Boer's farm safely.
Crocodile's messengers swam swiftly in all directions to summon every water creature for the historic journey. Frogs croaked urgent messages through the reeds, and crickets chirped the news through the long water grass. Soon, all the aquatic animals had assembled beneath the ancient vaarland willow tree.
Meanwhile, Lion had dispatched his own swift messengers to raise a protective commando from among his subjects. Long before midnight, they too had gathered in the silvery moonlight beneath the great willow, creating an impressive sight as land and water creatures prepared for their unprecedented cooperation.
The trek formation was carefully organized by Lion and Jackal. Jackal would take the dangerous lead position, acting as advance scout to detect any threats ahead. But when he managed to draw Lion aside privately, his true feelings emerged:
"Listen carefully," Jackal whispered urgently. "I do not trust this arrangement one bit, and I want to tell you straight out—I plan to make myself scarce! I will fulfill my duty as scout until you reach the sea-cow pools, but I will not be waiting around for whatever treachery follows."
Elephant was assigned to the advance guard position, his massive size allowing him to move surprisingly quietly while his exceptional hearing and sense of smell could detect danger from great distances. Lion would lead the main division of land animals, while Crocodile's water creatures would travel in the center with flank protection on both sides. Wolf received orders to command the rear guard, ensuring no stragglers were left behind.
While these arrangements were being finalized under the watchful stars, Crocodile was secretly preparing his treacherous betrayal. He called Yellow Snake to a secluded spot away from the others and spoke in hushed, venomous tones:
"It serves our interests perfectly to deliver these meddlesome land animals into the Boer's hands. They intrude upon our territory daily and will continue to do so as long as they live. Here is what you must do: remain hidden when we depart, and when you hear my victory shout, you will know we have reached the sea-cow pools safely. Then you must provoke the Boer's dogs as much as possible—bark at them, slither near their kennels, create a disturbance. The rest will take care of itself."
With all preparations complete, the historic trek began moving slowly through the African night. Progress was necessarily slow, as many of the water creatures were unaccustomed to land travel and struggled across the rough terrain. But they managed to pass the Boer's farm without incident, and as the first light of dawn painted the eastern sky, the entire procession arrived safely at the distant sea-cow pools.
Most of the water animals immediately disappeared into the deep, welcoming waters with audible sighs of relief. Crocodile also began preparing to follow their example, but first he turned to Lion with tears glistening in his eyes.
"Oh, noble Lion," he declared dramatically, "I am so overwhelmed with gratitude for your magnificent help that I must first give vent to my feelings of pure relief and joy with a few celebratory screams."
He suited his words to action immediately, letting out such tremendous roars that even the distant mountains echoed with the sound. Then he launched into an elaborate speech, thanking Lion on behalf of all water creatures and deliberately prolonging his words by dwelling extensively on all the wonderful benefits both sides would derive from their new peace agreement.
Lion was just about to bid farewell and lead his weary animals home when the first gunshot cracked through the morning air. Elephant and several other animals fell instantly, blood staining the red African earth.
"I warned you all!" Jackal's voice shouted from the far side of the sea-cow pool, where he had positioned himself safely. "Why did you allow yourselves to be deceived by a few crocodile tears?"
Crocodile had vanished long ago beneath the dark waters. All that remained visible were streams of bubbles rising to the surface, while on the banks a fierce battle erupted as Boer farmers emerged from concealment with their rifles blazing. The morning air crackled with gunfire as they systematically hunted down the trapped animals.
But most of the land creatures, thanks to their natural speed and Lion's quick thinking, managed to escape alive, though many bore wounds and all carried the bitter taste of betrayal.
The Reckoning
The treacherous crocodile's victory was short-lived, however. African justice has a way of finding those who break sacred oaths, and Crocodile's punishment came swiftly and decisively.
Just weeks later, as the rains finally returned to bless the land, a wagon loaded with mining dynamite became stuck while crossing the very river where Crocodile had taken refuge. The driver, a grizzled Boer prospector, decided to blast the riverbank to create a better ford. As he prepared his charges, Crocodile, ever opportunistic, saw what he thought was an easy meal approaching the water's edge.
The massive reptile lunged from the depths with jaws wide open, intending to drag the unsuspecting human into his watery domain. But instead of finding soft flesh, Crocodile's powerful jaws clamped down on a bundle of dynamite just as the fuse reached its end.
The explosion that followed was heard for miles across the African veldt, sending a waterspout high into the air and leaving nothing of the treacherous Crocodile but scattered scales floating on the disturbed water.
From that day forward, the remaining crocodiles lost their position as undisputed rulers of African waters. They became cautious, solitary creatures, no longer trusted by land animals and no longer able to command the respect they once enjoyed.
And to this day, whenever Elephant encounters a crocodile, he remembers the betrayal at the sea-cow pools. With his powerful trunk, he seizes the reptile and hurls it high into the thorny branches of the tallest trees, where it hangs helplessly like biltong drying in the sun—a fitting reminder that treachery and broken promises always return to haunt those who practice them.
The animals of Africa learned a valuable lesson from Crocodile's betrayal: that words spoken in desperation are not always spoken in truth, and that even tears can lie when they fall from the eyes of the deceitful. But they also learned that justice, though sometimes delayed, always finds its mark in the end.