wisdom of the elders

I am tired, the peahen said to the caiman.
Why don't you go to sleep then, the caiman replied.
You must think I was born one plank short of the full log, the peahen chuckled.
The caiman scratched its head.
I'll look after you, it said.
The peahen cried with laughter.
Why don't you go to sleep, it said to the caiman, if you're so keen on it.
The caiman shook its snout, wearily.
I've gone off sleep, the caiman said. I can't see the point of it anymore. You sleep, I'll look after you.
Yeah, right, the peahen said.
But in spite of itself, it stared into the caiman's twin glowing eyes, reflecting the light of a watery moon, and soon it was asleep.
Damn, the peahen said when it woke up in the morning, that was stupid of me. I've probably been eaten alive.
The peahen looked around and saw that the world was pretty much the same as it had been the day before. Except that the caiman had gone.
The peahen wondered what had happened to it.
A few hours later the peahen even began to get a bit concerned.
Then the caiman came swimming back.
Why didn't you eat me, the peahen said. You could have done. I fell asleep.
The caiman looked shocked.
Why would I do a thing like that?
Isn't that what you're supposed to do?
Since when did I do anything I was supposed to do?
The peahen thought about it.
Besides, the caiman said. I've lost my appetite.
So that's the reason you didn't eat me.
The caiman was upset.
That's got nothing to do with it.
You're just saying that, the peahen pouted. It was almost getting to seem as though the peahen was in some way put out that the caiman hadn't at least tried to eat it.
I'd never eat you, the caiman said. I'd never eat you, because I like you.
You're just weird, the peahen replied. Lack of sleep is messing with your brain.
The caiman was put out.
I'm weird?
My mother told me never to trust an insomniac caiman, the peahen said.
Why's that?
Because they'll eat you as soon as you close your eyes.
The caiman scratched its head. It had fallen out of love with sleep, but the peahen's tortuous logic was exhausting enough to make it want to shut its eyes and snooze in the morning mud.
Next time I'll eat you if you like, it said to the peahen, hoping it was the right thing to say.
You see, the peahen said triumphantly. My mother was right!