luck has happened to me, in that I have come across one who speaks such kindly words as you."
" My dear Crocodile," answered the monkey, " from this day forward I shall be entirely devoted to you, for your words are indeed the words of friendship. As it has been said —
" ' Friendship, in the opinion of wise men, is the society of the good.' Therefore," continued the monkey, " let me offer you such hospitality as I am capable of." So saying he brought the crocodile some ripe fruit as sweet as nectar.
So after this every day the monkey used to bring his friend the crocodile plaintain fruit, and the crocodile took it home to his wife. One day she asked him where this fruit came from, and he told her the whole story, exactly as it all happened. She thought to herself, " This monkey seems to enjoy excellent fruit, I wonder what his ordinary food is like," and so, being in a condition which gave her a craving for all sorts of strange out-of-the-way things, she said to her husband: " I must have some of that fruit which the monkey is always eating: if you don't get it for me I shall certainly die." So off the crocodile started on his errand, and soon arrived at the river bank where he had met the monkey the first time. The monkey was there, and the crocodile said to him, " My dear
