Happy valentine's day

Once upon a time a crocodile and monkey were close friends. Monkey specially liked crocodile's company very much and craved for it. Crocodile also responded to monkey with the same fervor. Monkey loved to bring smile on crocodile and gradually fell in love with the crocodile. Nursing this secret love, the monkey kept being the same notorious self. Crocodile would give a water ride to the monkey and monkey would get crocodile the best nuts of the forest. Crocodile would take monkey on the island in the pond where the best fruits were born. Monkey too helped to attract prey to crocodile's pond.

The love of the monkey kept increasing and the monkey started going out of the way to do things crocodile desired. Monkey sometimes kept looking on empty stomach when crocodile did not get any prey. Monkey would be crocodile's support when the crocodile was feeling low and did its best to cheer the crocodile up. Talking to each other they could face any difficulty which came their way.

Once crocodile called monkey in the middle of the night to say something. Monkey's heart was throbbing - will it be the thing the monkey always wanted to hear? Or was the crocodile had decided to leave the pond and forest? Half anticipating and half dreading monkey reached the pond. The monkey found crocodile smiling ear-to-ear so as its cheek barely missing the eyes which monkey always so loved to see. Before monkey could say anything, crocodile said "I am engaged!!!" flashing its ring towards monkey. At the same time a mermaid arose from the water and held crocodile's arms. Monkey did not like the taste of its own heart. The monkey congratulated both of them and left to cry the night away.

Slowly the crocodile's time began to be diverted towards the mermaid and monkey had to go alone most of the time. Monkey never complained and only encouraged crocodile to be as lovely to the mermaid as possible. Tears were often returned back to the place they came from as they were forbidden to show monkey's grief. It was forbidden to cause grief to the crocodile. The crocodile, however, was not naive and understood monkey's feelings. But it preferred to be silent as it realized there was not much it could do. It also did not want to weaken their bond by discussing it. It did not want to lose its best friend. It was was so selfish.

Crocodile and mermaid were married some time in future and Monkey was made their best man. Mermaid wouldn't stop eulogizing the crocodile in front of the Monkey. Monkey drank away its own tears to keep its heart reaching his teeth. Mermaid would tell about all the wonderful places crocodile took the mermaid - the places which monkey had found to take crocodile to. Mermaid would rant about how they spent swimming together and how beautiful the island in the pond was. Monkey could only praise how thoughtful crocodile was, with that seething in the chest.

Once after wedding, crocodile called upon the monkey to have a ride on the pond and to take the monkey to the island. Crocodile was swimming slowly as if pondering to say something or not. Talking first crocodile said "I am in a precarious situation. The Mermaid has asked me to get a delicacy." The Monkey joyfully replied with a lump in the throat"You should do every thing for the mermaid."

Crocodile hesitatingly said "But mermaid wants to have a monkey's heart; and you know I cannot catch any monkey. They are too fast. The mermaid suggested I bring you by trickery. I could not bear it and thought if you would come on your own.......". I am fine if you don't, I will totally understand."

Monkey looked the rabbit eyes of the crocodile, a drop of tear shining with love - for the mermaid and expectation for the monkey. Monkey looked at crocodile's sheepish face and said "Happy Valentine's day dear. Lets go."