The Crocodile and the Child

A woman went to the river to fetch water, leaving her baby sleeping on a blanket on the riverbank. A Crocodile saw the child and his heart was filled with a strange feeling, for he had no children of his own. He gently took the baby and carried it to his underwater lair, treating it as his own son. When the mother returned, her child was gone. She was heartbroken and the whole village searched for days. The village diviner was consulted, and he revealed that the child was safe with the Crocodile King. The diviner instructed the mother to weave a beautiful basket and fill it with beads and sweet cakes. She was to leave it by the river and sing a song of pleading. The mother did as she was told. The Crocodile heard her song and saw the beautiful offering. He understood that the child belonged to the world of men. With a heavy heart, he returned the healthy, happy child to the riverbank. In return for his kindness, the village declared that the Crocodile was a sacred animal and that no one from that village should ever harm one of his kind. This is why in some parts of Benin, certain crocodiles are considered sacred guardians of the water, a pact made long ago between a mother's love and a lonely king's heart.