Part 2 – The Fox's Trick
After leaving his children at the fox's house, the crocodile returned home and told his wife,
"I have left our children with Fox Pandit so they can study. One day, they will return home as educated and successful individuals."
The next day, his wife said,
"Why don't you go and see how our children are doing?"
Meanwhile, the fox had his own plans. He called one of the baby crocodiles and said,
"Come, read your ABCD."
As soon as the little one began, the fox quickly killed it and ate it.
After some time, the crocodile came to visit.
Brother Fox Pandit, are you home?" he called.
The fox came out cheerfully and said,
"Oh, Brother Crocodile! How are you? How is your wife? How is your business going?"
The fox kept talking so much that the crocodile forgot why he had come. After walking some distance away, he suddenly remembered and came back again.
The fox said,
Oh, Brother Crocodile, you're back again?"
The crocodile replied,
"Yes, I want to see my children once."
The fox thought to himself,
"Even after distracting him, he has returned!"
But he smiled and said,
"Of course, come and see your children."
The fox quickly said,
"Oh, let me call him! Where are you? Your father is here!"
After a moment, he showed the same last child again, pretending there were seven.
The crocodile felt satisfied.
The fox then warned him,
"Parents should not visit the school like this. Let them grow and become fully educated. I will call you when the time comes."
Hearing this, the crocodile returned home.
Meanwhile, the fox continued his cruel plan. Every day, he took out one baby crocodile and ate it.
After several years, the crocodile finally returned again and called out,
"Brother Fox, are you home?"
At first, there was no answer. After calling many times, the fox finally replied weakly,
What is it, Brother Crocodile?"
The crocodile said,
"Let me see my children. I want to know how they have grown."
As he spoke, his eyes fell on a pile of bones near the fox's den.
Brother Fox, whose bones are these?" he asked suspiciously.
The fox calmly replied,
Oh, that's nothing. You asked about your children, didn't you? They have all grown up now. They are no longer here—they have gone away after getting good jobs."
The crocodile was surprised.
"What are you saying? My children got jobs? Where are they? I want to see them!"
The fox said,
"How is that possible? You won't be able to recognize them, and they won't recognize you either."
But the crocodile insisted,
"Even if they don't recognize me, I just want to see them once. That will give me peace."
The fox realized the crocodile would not give up. So he said,
"Alright, you can go. But your children are now respectable individuals. What if they see you in such dirty clothes and feel embarrassed? What will I say then? It's better to leave them as they are."
With these words, he somehow convinced the crocodile and sent him back home again.
The crocodile returned home feeling sad. His wife asked,
"What happened? How are our children?"
The crocodile replied,
"Our children have grown up and are working in good jobs. I wanted to see them, but the fox said I cannot go in such dirty clothes. That's why I feel so upset."
His wife said,
The crocodile replied,
"Our children have grown up and are working in good jobs. I wanted to see them, but the fox said I cannot go in such dirty clothes. That's why I feel so upset."
His wife said,
"Oh, I see. Don't worry."
She brought him a set of clothes and said,
"Here, wear these. Then go to the fox's house."
To be continued part 3 -The rest of it in the next part,