The Clever Mouse Deer and the Hungry Crocodiles: A Classic Trickster Tale

Once upon a time, deep in the lush green forest, the little Mouse Deer ran as fast as his tiny legs could carry him. His heart was pounding like a drum! He had just escaped from the Farmer's chicken coop by cleverly tricking the guard dog. Swiftly darting through the tall grass, Mouse Deer finally stopped to catch his breath. He glanced back nervously over his shoulder, half-expecting to see the angry Farmer or the loud barking dog chasing after him.

 

Mouse Deer: "Phew! It looks like neither the Dog nor the Farmer followed me. Thank goodness for that! The Farmer almost turned me into delicious satay today. Now, I should really take a short break under this cool, shady tree."

1. Trying to Cross the Wide River

Mouse Deer decided to rest for a moment under the gentle shade of the leafy canopy. Once his breathing calmed down and his energy returned, he ventured deeper into the wilderness so the Farmer could never find him again. However, after walking for a while, his path was suddenly blocked by a roaring, wide river. Mouse Deer tapped his chin thoughtfully, wondering how on earth he could cross such a massive body of water.

Mouse Deer: "Oh my, what a huge river! How am I supposed to cross this? My tiny body isn't built for swimming, and the current is far too strong. If I try to swim, I will surely drown!"

Looking around for a solution, Mouse Deer spotted a cluster of wild banana trees growing near the riverbank. His eyes lit up with an idea, and he immediately trotted over to knock them down.

Mouse Deer: "Aha! Look at those banana trees. I can build a raft using their trunks to cross the water!"

He grunted and pushed against the heavy trunks with all his strength, rolling them towards the river one by one.

Mouse Deer: "Oof! These banana trunks are so heavy..."

2. Caught by the Sly Crocodile

While Mouse Deer was busy pushing the banana trunks, a large river crocodile was lurking quietly just beneath the surface of the water, watching his every move with sharp, hungry eyes.

Mr. Crocodile: "Aha! Look at that delicious little Mouse Deer standing right on the bank. My stomach is rumbling, and he will make a fantastic afternoon snack!"

Gliding silently through the water, Mr. Crocodile swam up to the bank. Before Mouse Deer could react, SNAP! Mr. Crocodile clamped his jaws right around Mouse Deer's leg!

Mouse Deer: "Ouch! Ouch! My leg hurts so much!"

Mouse Deer gasped in horror when he looked down and saw the sharp teeth of Mr. Crocodile holding his leg tight.

Mouse Deer: "Oh, please, Mr. Crocodile! Please don't eat me!"

Mr. Crocodile: "Be quiet, little deer! I am starving, and you are going to be my lunch today."

Mouse Deer: "Yes, I understand you are hungry, Mr. Crocodile... But look at me, I am so thin and my stomach is completely empty too! Please, let me find something to eat first so I can grow plump and juicy. Then you can feast on me. I am far too small to escape from a grand creature like you anyway!"

3. Tricking the River Crocodiles

Mr. Crocodile pondered for a moment. He was quite greedy, and a bigger meal sounded very tempting.

Mr. Crocodile: "All right, little one. I will give you a chance to eat first. But watch out! Don't you dare try to run away from me!"

Foolish Mr. Crocodile actually believed the clever little creature! He had no idea that Mouse Deer was already orchestrating a grand trick.

Mouse Deer: "Mr. Crocodile, you have many crocodile friends in this river, don't you?"

Mr. Crocodile: "Of course I do, little deer! The river is filled with my friends."

Mouse Deer: "Wonderful! Why don't you call all of them here so we can share? But first, let me eat the fruits around the bank until I am full. Once my belly is full, there will be plenty of meat for everyone!"

Mr. Crocodile squinted his yellow eyes, feeling a tiny spark of suspicion.

Mr. Crocodile: "You aren't trying to trick me, are you, Mouse Deer? You better not play any tricks on me!"

Mouse Deer: "How could a tiny animal like me lie to the king of the river? My body is far too small to fight against you!"

Satisfied with the answer, Mr. Crocodile swam out to the middle of the river and bellowed across the waters.

Mr. Crocodile: "Hey, everyone! Come to the riverbank for a feast! There is a delicious Mouse Deer waiting for us!"

While the crocodiles gathered, Mouse Deer happily munched on nearby grass and leaves until he was completely full. Then, he walked back to Mr. Crocodile with a bright smile.

Mouse Deer: "Mr. Crocodile, before I surrender myself, I need to know how many friends you have. My body is small, so I must count all of you first to ensure everyone gets a fair share of meat!"

Mr. Crocodile: "Oh, there are far too many of us to count! I have no idea how many we are."

Mouse Deer: "No problem at all! I will count for you. Just ask all your friends to line up in a straight row from this riverbank all the way to the other side!"

Eager to eat, Mr. Crocodile immediately ordered all his friends to obey.

Mr. Crocodile: "Listen up, everyone! Line up across the river right now! The Mouse Deer wants to count us so his meat can be divided equally among us all!"

The crocodiles quickly lined up shoulder to shoulder, forming a floating bridge across the wide river. Mouse Deer grinned and jumped right onto the back of the first crocodile!

Mouse Deer: "One... Two... Three... Four... Five..."

Hop, hop, hop! Mouse Deer lightly bounded from one crocodile's back to another, counting joyfully all the way across. The moment his hooves touched the lush grass on the opposite riverbank, he darted into the woods, turned around, and waved a cheery goodbye!

Mouse Deer: "Goodbye, Mr. Crocodile! Thank you so much for building such a lovely bridge to help me cross the river!"

Mr. Crocodile gasped as he realized what had just happened. He thrashed his tail in the water, furious!

Mr. Crocodile: "You insolent little deer! You tricked us! You made us help you cross, and now you're running away!"

Mouse Deer: "Hahaha! I still love my life! Who would be foolish enough to offer themselves as lunch to a crocodile?"

Mouse Deer laughed heartily as his voice echoed into the deep forest. The crocodiles were left snapping their jaws in anger, thoroughly humiliated and regretting their own foolishness.

Give it a try! Help Kancil count and hop across the crocodiles' backs to cross the river.

More from Mouse Deer Stories:

• Kancil the Mouse Deer Stealing Cucumbers
• The Clever Mouse Deer and the Hungry Crocodiles
• Kancil the Clever Mouse Deer and the Fooled Tiger
• How the Clever Mouse Deer Saved the Little Calf
• The Race Between the Mouse Deer and the Tiny Snail
• Kancil the Wise Mouse Deer and the Vain Peacock
• How Si Kancil the Mouse Deer Tricked the Heavy Buffalo