Hukumusume fairy tale collection > Foreign language (English) > Classical stories of the world

A Gift From The Crocodile

(Old stories of Philippines)

Translation　ちいさな翻訳屋さん

Make Origami ( ORIGAMI CLUB) Crocodile　　　Crocodile�A

Japanese　←→　Japanese ＆ English　←→　English

　Once upon a time, there lived a kindhearted old woman who sang lullabies very well in a village.

　One day, the old woman went to the river and a crocodile spoke to her.

“Hi there. I have a favor to ask. My baby cries all the time so can you sing my boy to sleep?”

“Consider it done,” said the old woman.

　She rode on the crocodile’s back and crossed the river.

　As the crocodile said, a baby crocodile was in a blubber in a bush.

　The old woman made her way in the grass and approached the baby crocodile.

“Oh, what a cute boy. It’s OK. Everything is going to be all right,” said the old woman.

　Before long, she stroked the baby crocodile’s head and started singing a lullaby.

　Bayu-bye. Bayu-bye.

　A little crocodile.

　Go night-night.

　A little sweet crocodile.

　On hearing the old woman sing, the baby crocodile stopped crying.

　Then,

“Uuua,”

the baby crocodile yawned and got to sleep breathing lovely and softly.

　But the old woman kept singing.

　After a while, she made sure he was asleep and stood up.

“Well, I should get going.”

　The the parent crocodile brought a basket full of fish and said,

“Thank you, madam. I’d like to give you this small gift.”

“Oh, thank you. You know, I like fish very much.”

　The old lady was so happy and crossed the river to go home riding on the crocodile’s back.

　When the old lady got home, an old lady next door visited her.

“Well, these fish look good. Where on earth did you get them?”

“I got them from a crocodile at the river.”

　The old lady told the old lady next door all about what happened.

“I see. Then I’ll go there too.”

　The old lady next door went to the river and said to the crocodile.

“Hey, I’m here to sing your boy to sleep.”

“No, thank you. My baby is sound asleep.”

“Huh! He’ll wake up soon. So, get me on your back and take me to him!”

　After she forced the crocodile to cross the river, she looked at the baby crocodile and frowns.

“Yipes! What a dirty and smelly boy you are!”

　She kicked the sleeping baby crocodile.

　The baby crocodile woke up startled and then started crying.

“See, he’s now crying as I guessed,”

she said to the worried parent crocodile watching her.

“What’s taking so long? Go get some fish. Then I’ll sing the baby to sleep.”

　The old lady started to sing.

　Bayu-bye. Bayu-bye.

　Go sleep, a dirty boy.

　Go night-night, a smelly boy.

　The baby crocodile didn’t go to sleep but was in a blubber.

　The parent crocodile got angry and offered a basket to the old lady.

“I’ll give you this so please go home,” said the parent crocodile.

　The old lady got the basket with a happy grin and said,

“Great. Then give me a ride across the river.”

　Then she rode on the crocodile’s back and went home.

　When the old lady got home, she closed all the windows and doors in her house.

　She didn’t want anyone to see the precious gift that she got.

　But when she opened the basket,

“Yeow!”

　She screamed and passed out.

　What was in the basket was a big snake and it winded itself around her body.

The end

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