Long ago, in the heart of Madagascar, the crocodile and the pig shared an unusual friendship. Bound not by chance but by a solemn blood oath, they trusted one another with their lives. Their pact was sealed beside the river’s edge, where the air smelled of wet earth and papyrus reeds, and where the cries of distant birds echoed over still waters. Their union was strong, yet the fate of their friendship rested on whether they would honor the very counsel they gave each other.
One evening, as the sun dipped low and painted the waters red, the crocodile broke the silence. His golden eyes reflected both worry and hunger as he asked:
“Tell me, friend, how can we live to reach old age? Each passing season weighs on me. I see no path to a long life.”
The pig, who had been rooting through the soft soil nearby, raised his head thoughtfully. His snout was covered in mud, but his words were clear:
“You will live long if you never eat meat that hides a hook within it. For such meat is not food, but a trap. Resist your hunger, and your days will be many.”
The crocodile nodded slowly, storing the warning in his heart.
Time passed, and one day the pig turned the same question back to his companion. His voice trembled with honesty:
“And what of me, friend? I root in the earth from dawn until dusk, chewing cassava, sweet potatoes, and wild leaves, yet I am never satisfied. How can I too live long?”
The crocodile’s eyes narrowed. With the wisdom of the river flowing through him, he replied:
“You will live long if you never enter a man’s garden. For though the soil may be rich and the crops tempting, the master of the field will not forgive such trespass. Step into his garden, and death will surely follow.”
With this exchange, the two friends sealed a promise: the crocodile would avoid the fisherman’s hook, and the pig would avoid the farmer’s field. Both felt safe, armed with the wisdom of the other.
But as the seasons turned, greed gnawed at the crocodile’s heart. He grew reckless, devouring men and cattle alike. His belly grew wide, his strength great, but so too did the fear of the villagers. Whispered complaints grew into angry resolve. The people conspired to rid themselves of this monster.
They crafted a great trap: a massive hook wrapped in tender meat, hung just above the river’s edge. The bait swayed in the wind, dripping with the rich smell of blood.
The crocodile, lurking in the water, smelled it at once. His stomach rumbled. He edged closer, but the pig’s warning rang in his mind: “Never eat meat that hides a hook within it.” For a moment, he resisted.
“Ah, but the pig mocked me,” he reasoned. “This is no danger, only meat, waiting for my jaws.”
Hunger triumphed over caution. With a powerful leap, he seized the bait. Pain like fire shot through his throat as the hook buried deep inside. The villagers, hidden nearby, shouted in triumph. With ropes, spears, and unyielding strength, they hauled the mighty beast onto the riverbank. His roars shook the air, but they silenced him with their blades. The crocodile lay dead, slain by his failure to heed his friend’s words.
Not long after, the pig wandered near a lush garden. The air was thick with the smell of cassava leaves, sweet potatoes, and tender greens. His eyes widened with delight, and his mouth watered. The fence seemed weak, the field unguarded. He circled it carefully, remembering the crocodile’s warning. But doubt crept into his thoughts.
“The crocodile only mocked me,” he muttered. “No harm will come if I enter. Why should I starve while food grows freely before me?”
Temptation won. The pig trotted happily through the fence. But the garden was not unguarded. A pit, deep and wide, lay hidden beneath a carpet of grass. With a squeal, the pig plunged into the darkness, landing hard at the bottom. Above him, the sky was but a small blue circle.
When the farmers arrived, they found him trapped. Spears in hand, they ended his life. Like the crocodile, the pig had perished by ignoring the very counsel he had once given.
Thus, both friends met their end through betrayal of wisdom, not betrayal of each other, but of themselves. Their story lives on as a warning. To this day, the descendants of crocodiles and pigs bear no friendship. They keep apart, their ancestors’ folly echoing across generations.
Moral Lesson
The tale of the crocodile and the pig teaches that wisdom ignored becomes a weapon turned inward. Both creatures perished not because they lacked guidance, but because they failed to trust and obey it. The story reminds us that advice born from love and friendship must not be cast aside when temptation whispers.
In Madagascar, this folktale endures as a lesson on self-discipline, loyalty to truth, and the danger of dismissing wisdom when it seems inconvenient.
Knowledge Check
What pact bound the crocodile and pig together?
They sealed their friendship with a blood oath.
What advice did the pig give the crocodile to ensure a long life?
To avoid eating meat that might conceal a hook.
What warning did the crocodile give the pig?
Never to enter a man’s garden, or the farmer would kill him.
How did the crocodile meet his end?
He ignored the warning, ate baited meat with a hidden hook, and was killed by villagers.
Why did the pig fall into danger?
He ignored the crocodile’s advice, entered a farm garden, and fell into a hidden pit.
What broader lesson does the story teach?
That ignoring wise counsel, even from trusted friends, leads to destruction.
Source: Betsileo folktale, Madagascar.
