Crocodile's Treason

: South-african Folk-tales

Crocodile was, in the days when animals still could talk, the

acknowledged foreman of all water creatures and if one should judge from

appearances one would say that he still is. But in those days it was his

especial duty to have a general care of all water animals, and when one

year it was exceedingly dry, and the water of the river where they had

lived dried up and became scarce, he was forced to make a plan to trek

ver to another river a short distance from there.



He first sent Otter out to spy. He stayed away two days and brought back

a report that there was still good water in the other river, real

sea-cow holes, that not even a drought of several years could dry up.



After he had ascertained this, Crocodile called to his side Tortoise and

Alligator.



"Look here," said he, "I need you two to-night to carry a report to

Lion. So then get ready; the veldt is dry, and you will probably have to

travel for a few days without any water. We must make peace with Lion

and his subjects, otherwise we utterly perish this year. And he must

help us to trek over to the other river, especially past the Boer's farm

that lies in between, and to travel unmolested by any of the animals of

the veldt, so long as the trek lasts. A fish on land is sometimes a very

helpless thing, as you all know." The two had it mighty hard in the

burning sun, and on the dry veldt, but eventually they reached Lion and

handed him the treaty.



"What is going on now?" thought Lion to himself, when he had read it. "I

must consult Jackal first," said he. But to the commissioners he gave

back an answer that he would be the following evening with his advisers

at the appointed place, at the big vaarland willow tree, at the farther

end of the hole of water, where Crocodile had his headquarters.



When Tortoise and Alligator came back, Crocodile was exceedingly

pleased with himself at the turn the case had taken.



He allowed Otter and a few others to be present and ordered them on that

evening to have ready plenty of fish and other eatables for their guests

under the vaarland willow.



That evening as it grew dark Lion appeared with Wolf, Jackal, Baboon,

and a few other important animals, at the appointed place, and they were

received in the most open-hearted manner by Crocodile and the other

water creatures.



Crocodile was so glad at the meeting of the animals that he now and then

let fall a great tear of joy that disappeared into the sand. After the

other animals had done well by the fish, Crocodile laid bare to them the

condition of affairs and opened up his plan. He wanted only peace among

all animals; for they not only destroyed one another, but the Boer, too,

would in time destroy them all.



The Boer had already stationed at the source of the river no less than

three steam pumps to irrigate his land, and the water was becoming

scarcer every day. More than this, he took advantage of their

unfortunate position by making them sit in the shallow water and then,

one after the other, bringing about their death. As Lion was, on this

account, inclined to make peace, it was to his glory to take this

opportunity and give his hand to these peace-making water creatures, and

carry out their part of the contract, namely, escort them from the

dried-up water, past the Boer's farm and to the long sea-cow pools.



"And what benefit shall we receive from it?" asked Jackal.



"Well," answered Crocodile, "the peace made is of great benefit to both

sides. We will not exterminate each other. If you desire to come and

drink water, you can do so with an easy mind, and not be the least bit

nervous that I, or any one of us will seize you by the nose; and so also

with all the other animals. And from your side we are to be freed from

Elephant, who has the habit, whenever he gets the opportunity, of

tossing us with his trunk up into some open and narrow fork of a tree

and there allowing us to become biltong."



Lion and Jackal stepped aside to consult with one another, and then Lion

wanted to know what form of security he would have that Crocodile would

keep to his part of the contract.



"I stake my word of honor," was the prompt answer from Crocodile, and he

let drop a few more long tears of honesty into the sand.



Baboon then said it was all square and honest as far as he could see

into the case. He thought it was nonsense to attempt to dig pitfalls for

one another; because he personally was well aware that his race would

benefit somewhat from this contract of peace and friendship. And more

than this, they must consider that use must be made of the fast

disappearing water, for even in the best of times it was an unpleasant

thing to be always carrying your life about in your hands. He would,

however, like to suggest to the King that it would be well to have

everything put down in writing, so that there would be nothing to regret

in case it was needed.



Jackal did not want to listen to the agreement. He could not see that it

would benefit the animals of the veldt. But Wolf, who had fully

satisfied himself with the fish, was in an exceptionally peace-loving

mood, and he advised Lion again to close the agreement.



After Lion had listened to all his advisers, and also the pleading tones

of Crocodile's followers, he held forth in a speech in which he said

that he was inclined to enter into the agreement, seeing that it was

clear that Crocodile and his subjects were in a very tight place.



There and then a document was drawn up, and it was resolved, before

midnight, to begin the trek. Crocodile's messengers swam in all

directions to summon together the water animals for the trek.



Frogs croaked and crickets chirped in the long water grass. It was not

long before all the animals had assembled at the vaarland willow. In the

meantime Lion had sent out a few despatch riders to his subjects to

raise a commando for an escort, and long ere midnight these also were at

the vaarland willow in the moonlight.



The trek then was regulated by Lion and Jackal. Jackal was to take the

lead to act as spy, and when he was able to draw Lion to one side, he

said to him:



"See here, I do not trust this affair one bit, and I want to tell you

straight out, I am going to make tracks! I will spy for you until you

reach the sea-cow pool, but I am not going to be the one to await your

arrival there."



Elephant had to act as advance guard because he could walk so softly and

could hear and smell so well. Then came Lion with one division of the

animals, then Crocodile's trek with a flank protection of both sides,

and Wolf received orders to bring up the rear.



Meanwhile, while all this was being arranged, Crocodile was smoothly

preparing his treason. He called Yellow Snake to one side and said to

him: "It is to our advantage to have these animals, who go among us

every day, and who will continue to do so, fall into the hands of the

Boer. Listen, now! You remain behind unnoticed, and when you hear me

shout you will know that we have arrived safely at the sea-cow pool.

Then you must harass the Boer's dogs as much as you can, and the rest

will look out for themselves."



Thereupon the trek moved on. It was necessary to go very slowly as many

of the water animals were not accustomed to the journey on land; but

they trekked past the Boer's farm in safety, and toward break of day

they were all safely at the sea-cow pool. There most of the water

animals disappeared suddenly into the deep water, and Crocodile also

began to make preparations to follow their example. With tearful eyes he

said to Lion that he was, oh, so thankful for the help, that, from pure

relief and joy, he must first give vent to his feelings by a few

screams. Thereupon he suited his words to actions so that even the

mountains echoed, and then thanked Lion on behalf of his subjects, and

purposely continued with a long speech, dwelling on all the benefits

both sides would derive from the agreement of peace.



Lion was just about to say good day and take his departure, when the

first shot fell, and with it Elephant and a few other animals.



"I told you all so!" shouted Jackal from the other side of the sea-cow

pool. "Why did you allow yourselves to be misled by a few Crocodile

tears?"



Crocodile had disappeared long ago into the water. All one saw was just

a lot of bubbles; and on the banks there was an actual war against the

animals. It simply crackled the way the Boers shot them.



But most of them, fortunately, came out of it alive.



Shortly after, they say, Crocodile received his well-earned reward, when

he met a driver with a load of dynamite. And even now when the Elephant

gets the chance he pitches them up into the highest forks of the trees.