OK, so I editorialise ... you're here arn't you!
Yeesh ... The things I have to do to get people out of Bill's last post!!
Nothing like setting a high bar there Mr. Moss!!! Cheers, W
THE HINDU (Chennai, India) 15 July 05 Story: Baby croc and his fascination for mangoes (Sunila Gupte)
Everyone was having a wonderful time feasting on eggs. Except baby croc who wanted only the king of fruits..
Mother Crocodile was worried. Her little baby was so small that everyone called him midget. She tried saying that he was just a baby and that was why he was so small. But no one would listen to her. They called the baby croc, Midget, Tadpole, Gecko and even Mosquito!
She decided she would make him big and strong. Everyday she would say, "Do you want your eggs fried or an omelette?" and baby would frown and say, "No, I don't want eggs, I want mangoes."
"My little Prince, we don't eat mangoes... we eat eggs," said Mother croc. But baby croc would close his mouth with a ssnaapp! and turn his head away.
"I will eat only the king of fruits — only mangoes."
Mother croc pleaded and begged and scolded and punished... but in vain. He was adamant... only mango. "Where did you hear of mangoes?" asked mother croc.
"I heard two girls talking and one said that for her birthday party she was giving everyone mangoes. May I have a birthday party? I want a birthday party!" announced the baby croc.
"But you don't have a birthday... you aren't even one year old!"
"So what will this magic mango do? Make you big and strong in one minute, so that all the crocs will stop calling you names?" she yelled. Baby croc, his long snout in the air, said snootily, "I don't care! So there!"
Then mother croc had an idea. "If I call all the crocs for a party and my baby sees them eat eggs, surely he will also eat eggs. I can make omelettes. Or fry or poach or maybe even boil them!"
Very happy with her plan, she went ahead and invited everyone.
The invitation read:
"Please come for an EGGS-tra-ordinary birthday."
Now crocs have no idea of party etiquette, so they didn't ask if they could help, nor did they bring any gifts.
When baby croc shouted, "Hey party time, mango time!" all the crocs snapped their jaws shut and went to the party.
Mother croc was busy making eggs in an EGGS-tra-ordinary way. Oh! What a variety of dishes! While everyone was feasting, there came the sound of howls and sobs.
"Where is my mango? A birthday party has to have mangoes. I have to give everyone mangoes."
"How badly behaved my baby is," thought mother croc. The party was a disaster.
Grandfather and grandmother had just arrived from upstream. When they heard the problem, they said, "Oh! We have a solution. We will be back in half and hour." And away they went. Soon they returned and they were carrying mangoes! Sunshine yellow mangoes, shaded with rosy pink and red. Baby croc was overjoyed.
He ate one and loved it..
"Let him visit us everyday. There is a mango grove close to our river bank!" said the grandparents. So sometimes mothers don't know best... grandparents do. Once baby croc had had his fill of mangoes he was ready to eat eggs. And he did grow up to be big and strong.
Baby croc and his fascination for mangoes
