Theme: Lie, forgiveness

 
The alligator and the monkey

 
Once upon a time, an alligator saw a monkey picking apples from the trees by the river.

The alligator loved apples. But he could only eat them when they fell into the river by a strong wind. Alligators can swim well, but as they have short legs and a long body, they cannot climb trees.

The alligator really wanted those apples and, calling the monkey, asked him for some.

The monkey was very generous and would certainly give the apples willingly. But the alligator lied by saying that he was sick and that those apples would be a real medicine for him because he was afraid that the monkey would say no.

The gentle monkey, thinking of the need of the alligator, not only offered him the biggest and most beautiful ones, but also said that he could harvest more fruit for him in the next few days, so that the alligator could complete his treatment and heal.

And so, the monkey began to harvest delicious apples for the alligator every day.

The alligator was satisfied. In addition to tasting the fruits, he also had the feeling that he was very smart, because he had so easily deceived the monkey.

He pretended he was getting better, to show that the apples were working. But the improvement was slow, so he wouldn’t be without the apples.

Until one day, the alligator, having no way of pretending that he was still sick, made up that he was married and had children and that his family had got his disease and would also need apples.

The monkey, thinking it was true, was very sorry and said:

- What a pity! But, don't worry, alligator friend! I will help you with the apples and they will also be able to heal, for sure!

- Thanks, monkey friend. I'll be back tomorrow, at the same time, then!

The alligator went swimming slowly, thoughtfully. He had gotten what he wanted: another supply of apples for many days. But something was not going well, because the alligator, instead of feeling happy, started to feel very bad.

He remembered conversations with the monkey, who besides giving him the fruits was always very friendly. The alligator realized that the monkey was very cool, because he cared about his health and even called him a friend.

The alligator was no longer smart at all. He actually felt like a fool for lying. Thinking about the monkey, who had always treated him so well, embarrassed him.

The alligator was so embarrassed by the situation that he did not fetch the apples for a few days. He didn't even swim in that part of the river anymore.

But that didn't make it any better. He was still thinking about the monkey. He imagined that he must be worried now, thinking that the alligator was in trouble or sick again.

The alligator felt worse and worse. One day, his conscience disturbed him so much that he decided to look for the monkey and tell him the whole truth.

So, he did. The monkey was very disappointed.

The alligator was upset, but he was also relieved that he was finally being sincere. He ended the conversation by saying:

- I hope you can forgive me, monkey friend. I'm very sorry. I recognize how much you were interested in helping me. I will never lie to you or anyone again. I learned that having a conscience in peace is even better than eating apples.

At first, the monkey felt bad, for having been tricked. Then, he realized that the one who had being bad was the alligator, for acting wrongly.

After a while, the monkey ended up forgiving the alligator. It would give him another chance. The alligator was very grateful, and they became great friends.

They continued to meet to talk and laugh together. The alligator didn't ask, but the monkey, knowing how much he liked apples, sometimes picked some for him.

The alligator found a way to return the friend's kindness: he taught the monkey to swim. And when he got tired, he carried him on his back, and they took long walks together.

Translation:
Larissa Martine - larissa_am@hotmail.com

marcelapradacontato@gmail.com