Why the Crocodile Does Not Eat Hens

A hen came to the river every day. She drank water there.

One day the crocodile saw her and came up to her. He wanted to eat her up.

But she cried, "Oh, do not eat me, my dear brother!"

The crocodile let her go: he could not eat his sister!

The next day, when the hen came to the river again, the crocodile decided to eat her up.

But again the hen cried, "Oh, do not eat me, my dear brother!"

And again the crocodile did not eat her.

But he thought: "How can I be her brother? I live in the water, and she does not."

Then the crocodile went to his friend, a lizard.

"Oh, my friend! A big hen comes to the river every day and when I want to catch her, she says that I am her brother. How can that be?"

"Oh, my silly friend!" the lizard answered. "Don't you know that the hen, the turtle, and the lizard lay eggs as crocodiles do, my dear? So we all are brothers and sisters. Do you understand?"

"Oh, thank you very much," said the crocodile.

Now you know why crocodiles never eat hens!

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