Marty went a step ahead to solve a problem but before he knew it had backfired. His plan lay in tatters. Read this free illustrated children’s book of a mongoose and his very different neighbors who lived by the river in a rain forest.
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In the rainforest, next to a wide river,
there grew a great banyan tree.
This tree was ancient and
provided a home for the
many animals living in the area.

His home wasn’t actually in the banyan tree but close enough. The tree
offered a cooling shade during the hot days and protection from the heavy rains that fell every afternoon.
Now you must realize that not
all animals in the rainforest are friends. They depend on one another for
different things, many times for food.

Henrietta Heron had built her nest by
the river so she that would be close
to the food she usually ate. Her diet
consisted of fish, frogs, crayfish, and even snails. She had a great home.

Can you guess what
Marty Mongoose liked to eat?
Well if you said snakes, then
you are absolutely correct.
Marty liked to eat snakes
of all types and sizes.

One day, Henrietta was
out looking for food. When
she returned to her nest,
she found that two of her eggs were gone. Oh, how sad she was! Something had gotten into her nest and eaten two of her precious eggs.

She flew back down to the river so no
other birds would see her crying. Then she saw Marty and said to him, “Sam must have slithered into my nest and eaten two of my eggs.” “That is a shame,”
Marty replied in a sad voice.
“Oh, what can I do?” Henrietta asked.

Now Marty knew that Henrietta, and the other herons, liked to eat crayfish
and, if there were an easy meal to be had, he was very interested. “So, you would like to get rid of that bothersome snake?”
he asked Henrietta. “Oh, yes!” Henrietta
sighed. “I wish something would eat him.”

“Henrietta, I can help you,” Marty said
excitedly. “You and your heron friends need to catch all the fish and crayfish in the area. Break them into pieces and leave a trail of food from Sam’s den to
my home. He will be busy eating the food and he will not realize that he is close to me. He will be an easy meal for me and you will be rid of his egg stealing ways.”

Henrietta thought for a minute, smiled, and then flew off to talk with the other herons.
Soon the herons had captured all
the fish, crayfish (even poor Carl) and made the trail of food between
the snake’s den and the home of the
mongoose. Then they returned to their nests to watch.

As Sam slithered out of
his den, he was
surprised to see all the fresh snacks just lying on the ground.
“Yummy! Yummy!” he thought to himself as he began eating.

It wasn’t long before Sam had eaten his way to Marty’s home. As Sam opened his mouth to eat the last snack, Marty jumped out of from
the bushes. Well, I don’t have to tell you what happened because you
already know. But in case you don’t,
there was a big B-U-R-P and
Marty returned home.

“Did you see that?” Henrietta asked the other herons. “Now our eggs are safe.”


The other herons saw Marty climbing
the tree but it was too late
to warn Henrietta.
All they could do was leave their nests and, like the snakes, find a safer home.

Now Marty was alone. There was no food in the area, and no reason for him to stay in his nice home, protected
by the great banyan tree.

The great banyan tree is now empty
of all life. But there is a circle-of-life in the rainforest and it won’t be long before new animals arrive at the banyan tree, and
call it “home”.

An incredibly simple story that introduces the concept of ‘The Circle of Life’ to children. Set in the shade of a banyan tree, this narrative has Henrietta Heron, Marty Mongoose, Sam Snake, Carl Crayfish all living in perfect harmony until one day the balance is disrupted. Read on to find out more…..
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