The Kind-hearted Crocodile

In a river, there lived a family of crocodiles who had been living there for many years. Every day, they had to eat a lot of fish, but the fish in the river were becoming scarce.

One day, one of the young crocodiles said, "Mom, let's go to a bigger river, or we'll starve to death."

"But we have been living here for years, how can we bear to leave?" another young crocodile said.

"We're not leaving!" the crocodile mother smiled and took her young ones to the bank. "Let's take care of the grass and make it grow more lush."

"Oh my goodness, are we going to eat grass now?" one of the young crocodiles cried.

"We're not going to eat grass, we're just going to help the grass grow better, and then invite the hippopotamus family to come and eat," the mother said.

"What's wrong with you, Mom? You're going to starve, but you're thinking about others?" one of the young crocodiles was surprised.

Under the crocodile's care, the grass on the bank grew well. The crocodile mother invited the hippopotamus family to come and eat, and they enjoyed their lives, feasting on the delicious grass and playing in the river.

"Mom, don't you care about us anymore?" the young crocodiles didn't understand why their mother was so good to the hippopotamus family, but let them starve.

The older crocodile brother decided to take his younger siblings and leave their mother behind.

Then, a miracle happened. Schools of fish swam over to the river. The young crocodiles were overjoyed and ate to their heart's content.

After they finished eating, the young crocodiles asked their mother, "Where did all these fish come from?"

"It's the hippopotamus feces that attracted the fish," their mother said with a serious look. "Helping others also helps ourselves."

After hearing their mother's words, the young crocodiles felt ashamed and bowed their heads.

The next day, the crocodile family woke up to the sight of the river filled with fish. The river was teeming with life once again, and the crocodiles were overjoyed. They knew that the river would never run out of fish again, as long as they continued to take care of the grass and the river.

As the days went by, the crocodiles and hippos grew closer, becoming the best of friends. They would swim together, play together, and share their meals together. They even had picnics on the riverbank, with the crocodiles providing the fish and the hippos bringing the fruits and vegetables.

One day, the crocodile mother called her children together for an important meeting. "My dear children," she said, "I have something important to tell you. You are all grown up now, and it is time for you to leave the nest and start your own families."

The crocodile children were surprised and a little sad to hear this. They had never thought about leaving their mother and their home in the river. But they knew that their mother was right. It was time for them to make their own way in the world.

Before they left, the crocodile mother gave each of her children a piece of advice. "Remember to always take care of others," she said. "Even if it means sacrificing something for yourself. And never forget the lesson that we learned from the hippo family. Helping others is the best way to help ourselves."

The crocodile children took their mother's advice to heart and went off to start their own families. They found new rivers to live in, and they made new friends with the animals they met there. And wherever they went, they always remembered the lesson that their mother had taught them.

Years passed, and the crocodile mother grew old. She knew that her time in the river was coming to an end. One day, she called for the hippo family to come to her side.

"Thank you for everything," she said to them. "Thank you for teaching us the importance of taking care of others. I am old now, and it is time for me to go. But I will always remember the kindness that you showed us."

The hippo family was sad to hear this, but they knew that it was time for the crocodile mother to go. They said their goodbyes, and the crocodile mother closed her eyes for the final time.

The crocodile children heard about their mother's passing and came back to the river to pay their respects. They were sad to lose their mother, but they were also proud of the life that she had lived. She had taught them so much about love and kindness, and they knew that her legacy would live on through them and their own children.

From that day on, the crocodile family and the hippo family remained the best of friends. They continued to take care of the river and the animals that lived in it, and they always remembered the lesson that the crocodile mother had taught them. And whenever they saw a stranger in need, they knew that they could count on each other to lend a helping hand.

As the sun set over the river, the crocodile children and the hippo family sat together on the riverbank, sharing stories and laughter. They knew that they were lucky to have each other, and they felt grateful for the love and kindness that they had learned from each other.