An original essay on Crocodile, written by our student Aashna Suvarna.

Aashna is 13 years old young writer from Mumbai. She loves music, reading and writing. We are proud to have her as a student of the Little Writers Program, an Online Creative Writing Program using Applied Storytelling & Theatre tools under the mentorship of Trainer Khusshbo Chokhaani. We congratulate Aashna for this exemplary true self-expression.

Crocodylidae

Two slit-shaped, emerald eyes with a blush of sepia crept out of the water’s surface, waiting patiently for their prey. A ripple in the waters sent these eyes in the direction of the incognizant target. Oblivious to the danger ahead in these tranquil waves, it steps its legs into the calm river. A slight movement and ripple of the water made the prey slightly terrified by this siren-like river and would definitely give the prey some chills down the spine. Just as the target lifted his head from the water, something pounced upon it. Enter the scene, the old and mean crocodile.

Many would say anger, a little less would say cunning and very few exist who would say crocodiles are patient. Their unlikeness to my aggressive nature is what attracts me to them. This patience and “strike the right chord attitude” is what years and years of their time on this plane have taught them. From seeing their dinosaurs’ pals dying to now watching their breed disappearing in the hands of poachers. Their past is too lengthy and mysterious like themselves.

To the fellow Capricorns, Capricorn is also known as the sign of the Makara, a creature believed to be half-deer, half-crocodile. A unique combination of prey and predator.  Even the Egyptian god, Sobek has a half-crocodile and half-human body.

These sociable carnivores, like their prey, find taste in scrumptious fruits. Also like their omnivore friends, dogs, they pant, or more scientifically for it, they ‘mouth gap’.  The crocodile jaw is a thing of supreme power and force. Although the muscles in their jaw are quite weak and incredibly sensitive to touch, they have one of the strongest bites in the animal kingdom.

“If that the earth could teem with woman’s tears,

Each drop she falls would prove a crocodile.”

How much ever you feel like punching Othello for his stupid jealousy at this line. But crocodiles will find another reason to punch him. For celebrating the famous phrase “crocodile tears.” It is difficult to trace the origin of this myth, but it’s easy to see why it has become so popular – for an unrepentant creature to weep over its victims is an irony that has inspired considerable prose and created a phrase that is still popular today.  But still, the fact remains that crocodiles cry tears contain proteins and minerals. The tears help keep their eyes clean. Just like most of the creatures that exist on earth do.

We all have worn Crocs at least once in our lives but guess what made the founders inspire this name from a crocodile? No, the lovely crocs you wear are not made of crocodiles. It’s just that when they looked at their clogs from the side, they resembled a crocodile snout.

Well, that’s all of my take on our lovely but extremely dangerous fellow beasts, the ‘Crocodiles’.

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