He once again requested, “Please Mr. Shopkeeper, give me that yellow toffee.”

The angry thrifty shopkeeper howled, “Go away. I told you several times that it costs a rupee. I cannot give you any if you do not give me money. I don’t do charity.”

As usual, he felt bad and slowly went back to the swamp at the back of the shop, where he stays alone. It is the only shop in that small village next to the swamp. Croco wanted to taste a toffee since he saw some village kids eating them almost a year ago while playing on the dry land near his house, the swamp.

Croco is a brown colored modest sized crocodile. He has a broad snout, a big tail and enlarged scutes around the neck. Unlike other crocodiles he is a vegetarian… yes, a true vegetarian. He eats only the weeds growing in the swamp. Croco has two other unique features- he likes to hear the music that the shopkeeper plays in the music system and always longs to taste whatever he finds the kids in the area eat while playing around. He has tasted two different types of biscuits and an ice cream in the last year. These he got from the previous shopkeeper who was very kind and who sold out the shop and has shifted to the city.

Several days passed after this almost in a similar routine. One fine morning as the shopkeeper shouted a little more than the other days, Croco felt very upset and instantly started crying loudly in front of the shop. He kept on beating the soil with his heavy tail as he cried.

The shopkeeper and the two customers present then were stupefied. One of the customers exclaimed, “I have never seen such a crybaby crocodile!” The shopkeeper said, “Hmmm… he is really very sad. I had been very harsh to him for such a long time, which I was not supposed to be. I should give him a toffee today. Come Croco …come, come…I will give you the yellow toffee!” The other customer cautioned, “Dear shopkeeper never believe a crocodile’s tears.”

However, Croco came forward and started dancing and singing as soon as he tasted the lemon-flavored yellow toffee. “Oh, it is yummy…Thank you Dear shopkeeper. I want to eat more toffees. Would you mind if I request you to give me one every day?”

The shopkeeper was so delighted to see the crocodile’s dance that he promised to give a toffee every day to Croco. The customers alerted him not to entertain the crocodile every day, but the shopkeeper did not pay heed to what they said and regularly gave a toffee to Croco. Croco enjoyed the yellow toffee and stayed happily.

As days passed Croco started to crave for and demand several other colorfully wrapped food items like the ice creams, biscuits, and the other chocolates to name a few. Initially the shopkeeper used to give him as requested, but later as he found Croco’s increasing demand knows no bound he refused to give him anymore. He said, “Croco, you are demanding too much nowadays. You should not be so greedy. How will I gain profit if I keep on giving you so many food items everyday free of cost? Again, the kids in this area are complaining as they do not get proper supply of their likings. I can only give you the yellow toffees daily as promised if you be sober.”

Croco said, “Okay…” and taking the toffee said, “Sorry, I won’t disturb again. I will be happy if you give me the yellow toffees alone.”

This went on peacefully the following two days. However, Croco could not control his greed. The next day in the morning Croco once again started demanding and this time he harshly asked for the new stock of biscuits. The shopkeeper got angry and rebuked him for his greed. However to the shopkeeper’s utter surprise, Croco replied rudely, “Remember shopkeeper, I am a strong crocodile and I will attack you and badly injure you with my sword like sharp and healthy teeth if you don’t follow what I say or if you stop me in anyway.” Saying so Croco without any prior signal marched straight into the shop and promptly clasped a jar of brown biscuits. The shopkeeper when attempted to snatch the jar, Croco became violent and threatened to bite the shopkeeper. The customers present there, and the passersby started shouting and throwing stones at Croco. Leaving the jar Croco then targeted to attack the shopkeeper and as he opened his mouth and attempted to bite the shopkeeper and tear his legs, someone from the accumulated crowd shouted, “Shopkeeper, you press his big eyes.”

The shopkeeper without a moment’s delay, pressed the eyes of the crocodile. Croco struggled to free his eyes but could not. He found the pressure on his eyes painful and everything turned dark in front of him. He found himself vigourless. The agile and crazy crowd actively came forward and tied the crocodile with a rope. Some continued throwing stones at the crocodile. The crocodile growled and cried out of pain. Realizing his mistake and repenting over the erratic behavior of his own, Croco sputtered, “I am sorry. Please leave me. I understood my mistakes. I was greedy and the result of greed is always unpleasant. Please forgive me.”  The shopkeeper then freed Croco’s eyes and requested others to stop hurting Croco. “Then promise to leave the swamp.” Said the shopkeeper. Unwilling Croco had to pay for his greed and left the swamp forever.