Once upon a time, there was a crocodile living in a small lake. Due to the high summer, the lake's water began to dry up. Day by day, the water level decreased until the lake became completely empty. The crocodile started losing its energy — there was no water to swim in, no fish to eat, and no way to survive.

One day, a kind-hearted man was passing by. He saw the crocodile lying weakly on the cracked lakebed, struggling for life. Moved by compassion, he went closer and asked,

"What happened to you, dear crocodile?"

The crocodile replied in a weak voice,

"I have been living in this lake for years, but this summer has dried everything. There is no water left, and I haven't eaten anything for days. I don't know how I will survive."

The man's heart melted at her words. He asked,

"How can I help you?"

The crocodile, though weak, was cunning and selfish. Seeing the man's innocence, she hatched a plan. In her mind, she thought, "This man is a fool. I'll take his help to reach a bigger lake, and once I regain my strength, I will make him my meal."

Pretending to be helpless, she said,

"There is a big lake not far from here, where the water never dries. If you could carry me there, I will survive."

The kind man agreed without a second thought. He lifted the crocodile onto his shoulders and began walking towards the distant lake. The journey was long, but the man didn't complain.

Finally, when they reached the big lake, the man was relieved to see the sparkling water. He asked,

"Shall I leave you here?"

The crocodile, sticking to her plan, replied,

"Oh, kind man! I am still weak from hunger. Please take me a little closer to the water."

Without hesitation, the man carried her further.

Again, when he asked to set her down, the crocodile pleaded,

"I'm still too weak. Please take me inside the water."

The man agreed and walked deeper into the lake. Little by little, the crocodile tricked him until half of the man's body was submerged in the water.

Finally, the crocodile's eyes gleamed with evil as she laughed and said,

"Now, there is no escape. I am starving, and you will be my meal."

The man was shocked.

"How can you eat me when I helped you? Is this how you repay kindness?"

The crocodile laughed mockingly.

"You fool! It was your mistake to trust me. In this world, the weak are always prey to the strong."

Fortunately, a wise sloth named Koala was sitting on a tree nearby, listening to the entire conversation. The sloth was clever and knew how to outwit the cunning crocodile.

From the top of the tree, the sloth spoke,

"I don't believe a man could carry a crocodile on his shoulders all this way. Prove it to me!"

Hearing this, the man saw a ray of hope. He begged the sloth to give him justice.

The crocodile, not realizing the sloth's trick, wanted to prove her story. She agreed to go back to the dry lake to show how the man had carried her.

Once they reached the dried lake, the sloth laughed and said,

"I still don't believe it! How could a crocodile survive without water for so long? If you really were weak, show me how you were lying here before the man carried you."

The crocodile, full of pride, lay down exactly as she had been before.

The sloth quickly whispered to the man,

"Now is your chance! Run for your life!"

The man understood the sloth's trick. He left the crocodile lying on the dry ground and ran away as fast as he could. The wise sloth followed him, swinging through the trees.

When the crocodile realized she had been fooled, she roared with anger. Her eyes burned with fury, and she vowed to take revenge on the sloth one day.

The Revenge of the Cunning Crocodile

Days passed, but the crocodile's heart remained filled with rage. Her hunger and humiliation burned like fire inside her. She vowed, "One day, I will teach that sloth a lesson. No one mocks me and gets away with it."

With the arrival of the rainy season, the dried lake slowly filled with water again. The crocodile regained her strength and waited patiently for the right time to strike.

One evening, as the sun was setting behind the hills, the crocodile spotted the sloth hanging lazily from a tree near the lake. Pretending to be humble, she called out in a sweet voice,

"O wise sloth, I have been waiting to thank you for opening my eyes. Your trick made me realize how wrong I was. Please forgive me."

The sloth, though clever, was not completely without kindness. He looked down and replied,

"It's good to hear that you have changed, sister crocodile. But how can I trust your words?"

The crocodile sighed deeply,

"I understand your doubt. But let me prove my sincerity. Come down and let me offer you fresh fish from the lake as a sign of my gratitude."

The sloth's heart softened a little, but his sharp mind remained alert. He climbed down slowly, stopping on a low branch just above the crocodile.

"Alright, sister crocodile, throw me the fish from there, and I will believe your words."

The crocodile's eyes flickered with hidden anger, but she kept smiling.

"Oh dear sloth, my legs are weak, and I cannot catch fish easily. If you come a little closer, I will show you the best fish under the water."

The sloth chuckled softly.

"Ah, sister crocodile, you are still the same. A crocodile may change her words, but not her heart."

Hearing this, the crocodile's smile vanished. Her sharp teeth flashed as she hissed,

"You tricky creature! You fooled me once, but I will not let you escape again!"

The sloth laughed heartily,

"And you, dear crocodile, will always let your greed become your downfall."

With that, the sloth quickly climbed higher into the branches, leaving the crocodile boiling in anger.

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Moral of the Story:

Greed and cunningness may bring temporary gain, but wisdom, kindness, and honesty always triumph in the end.

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