Down by the sleepy, green river lived a crocodile named Crispin. Crispin was a large crocodile with bumpy green skin and a very long snout filled with many, many teeth. When Crispin smiled, which wasn't often, it looked rather alarming, even if he meant it kindly. Because of his serious look and his big, toothy grin, most of the smaller jungle animals kept their distance. Crispin often felt a little lonely, watching the otters play tag or the parrots chatter high in the trees.
One sunny afternoon, the air was warm and filled with the buzz of dragonflies. Crispin was basking quietly on his favourite muddy bank, half-asleep in the sunshine. High above him, near the water's edge, a little monkey named Miko was having a grand time. Miko loved swinging from the thick vines that looped down from the tall trees, pretending he was flying.
Wheee! Miko swung lower and lower, trying to dip his toes near the cool water. But on one extra-big swing, the vine twisted unexpectedly. Around and around it went, looping right around Miko’s arm and leg! He tried to wiggle free, but the vine held tight. "Help!" squeaked Miko, dangling just above the riverbank. "I'm stuck!"
Some parrots nearby squawked in alarm, and a family of capybaras peered nervously from the reeds. They saw Miko struggling, but they also saw Crispin lying nearby. Even though Crispin hadn't moved, they were too cautious to approach the big crocodile. "Oh dear," chattered one parrot. "Who can help Miko now?"
Crispin opened one sleepy eye, then the other. He heard Miko’s frightened squeaks and saw the little monkey tangled in the vine. He saw the other animals watching, too scared to help. Crispin sighed a quiet, bubbly sigh. He knew they were wary of him, but Miko needed help. Taking a deep breath, Crispin decided he had to try. He slid silently off his bank and into the cool water.
He swam slowly and carefully towards the tangled monkey, making sure to keep his movements small and gentle. Miko saw the big crocodile coming and squeezed his eyes shut for a second, feeling a little scared. But Crispin didn't open his big jaws. Instead, he stopped just below Miko and looked up thoughtfully. He nudged the thickest part of the looping vine very gently with the tip of his strong snout. Then, using incredible care, he used the end of his powerful tail to gently hook the tangled loop and flick it away from Miko's leg.
Suddenly, Miko was free! He scrambled quickly up the vine and onto a safe branch, his heart beating fast. He looked down at Crispin, who blinked slowly in the water below. "Wow!" Miko breathed. "Thank you, Crispin! You saved me!" The parrots stopped chattering and the capybaras poked their heads out further. They had seen everything. They saw how gentle Crispin had been.
"Yes, thank you, Crispin!" called one of the parrots. "That was very kind of you." Crispin looked up, surprised. He gave a small, shy smile – still very toothy, but this time, nobody felt scared. They saw the kindness behind it. Miko chattered happily from his branch, telling everyone how strong and careful Crispin was.
From that day on, the jungle animals weren't so wary of Crispin. Miko often came down to the riverbank to chat with his new friend (from a safe distance, of course!), and sometimes the otters would even splash playfully near Crispin's resting spot. Crispin didn't feel lonely anymore. He learned that showing kindness was the best way to make friends, and the other animals learned that you can't always judge a crocodile by his teeth. As the sun set, casting golden light on the water, Crispin floated peacefully, happy to be part of the riverside community.