The Monkey and the Crocodile: Free Play Script for Children

The Monkey and the Crocodile is a short play script for children based on the traditional animal tale. With five main roles, clear storytelling and a clever ending, it is useful for classroom drama, reading aloud or a simple performance.

Characters: Three Storytellers, Crocodile, Crocodile’s Wife and Monkey. After performing the script, extend the story with The Monkey and the Crocodile Drama Workshop.

The Monkey and the Crocodile: Play Script


Characters: Three storytellers, the crocodile, the crocodile’s wife and the monkey.
Storyteller 1: Once upon a time there lived a crocodile that lived in the river Ganges in India. (Crocodile enters stage swimming slowly.)

Storyteller 2: On both sides of the Ganges there were large music fruit trees.

Storyteller 3: A monkey lived in one of the trees. He ate fruit all day. (Monkey mimes eating fruit.)

Monkey: These fruits are so delicious and juicy I’m so lucky to live in a fruit tree. (Crocodile sits under the tree for shade.)

Crocodile: It is very hot I think I will sit under this tree and sleep in the shade. (Looks up.) The fruits on tree look so delicious. I wish I could climb the tree and pick some.

Monkey: (climbs down from the tree) Since you are resting under my tree, you are my guest. Please come and taste some of my delicious fruits.

Storyteller 1: The monkey plucked the juiciest fruit off the tree and gave it to the crocodile.

Crocodile: Oh thank you Monkey you are so kind.

Monkey: You are welcome. Come again, any time.

Storyteller 2: Soon, the crocodile came every day. They would eat the fruit and talk to one another for hours. (Crocodile and the monkey mime having a conversation and eating lots of fruits.)

Storyteller 3: One day as the crocodile was leaving to swim home. The monkey gave him some fruit.

Monkey: Crocodile give these fruits to your wife. I plucked them especially for her.

Storyteller 1: The crocodile swam home and gave the fruit to his wife, She was very happy. (Crocodile swims home and gives his wife the fruit.)

Crocodile’s wife: These fruits are delicious. I have never tasted such sweet fruit in all my life. Where did you get them from?

Crocodile: I got them from my friend the monkey. He lives in the fruit tree so he knows which ones are the sweetest.

Crocodile’s wife: Does the monkey eat fruit every day?

Crocodile: Yes, only the sweetest and juiciest ones. Why do you ask?

Crocodile’s wife: Because that means his heart must be so sweet. If I eat his heart I would remain young and beautiful forever. You must steal the monkey’s heart and give it to me.

Crocodile: But he is my good friend. He is my only friend. It would be unfair for me to steal his heart.

Crocodile’s wife: (gets angry) If you loved me you would do it.

Crocodile: Do not get anger my dear, I will do as you wish.

Storyteller 2: The next day the crocodile swam to the riverbank and reached the tree where the monkey lived.

Monkey: Crocodile, you are late today. I thought you weren’t coming.

Crocodile: My wife has made a meal for you. She has invited you to tea because she wants to thank you for giving her your beautiful sweet fruit.

Monkey: That’s very kind of her but I’m a land animal, I can’t swim.

Crocodile: We live on a sand bank just jump on my back and I’ll take you there.

Storyteller 3: The monkey hopped on the crocodile’s back and away they went.

Monkey: Slow down, Croc. You are going too fast.

Crocodile: I’m sorry Monkey but I have to go fast because my wife wants to eat your heart for her tea.

Monkey: Oh Croc, you should have told me this before we left. I always keep my heart in the hollow of the tree for safe keeping.

Crocodile: I’ll take you back to the tree and you can collect your heart.

Monkey: That would be great.

Storyteller 1: Crocodile turns and swims back to the tree where the monkey lives upon reaching the bank the monkey jumps off the crocodiles back and clambers up the tree. After a while the crocodile says…..

Crocodile: Monkey, you must have found your heart by now. My wife will get angry if we don’t arrive soon. Monkey: You are so foolish crocodile. Don’t you know your heart is within yourself? It was a trick to save my life. Now leave my tree and never come back again.

Storyteller 2: The crocodile left empty handed. (Crocodile’s wife looks very angry.)

Storytellers: The moral of the story is at times presence of mind pays well.

Continue the story: Use The Monkey and the Crocodile Drama Workshop for Children to explore the characters and story through practical drama.

If You Enjoyed This Play, Try These Next

Continue with The Monkey and the Crocodile Drama Workshop, The Lion and the Mouse and The Ants and the Grasshopper.

Find more in the Free Children’s Play Scripts hub. For a larger ready-to-use collection, explore Drama Start books on Amazon →