Ancient and Modern Crocodiles

A lateral mind is needed in this business. It can be great fun, searching for connections between things that would never before have seem related. I have been studying ancient geography this morning, as ever on the hunt for clues to methods used by our ancestors.

Herodotus, the ancient Greek historian, refers to a crocodile that allows a bird to pick meat from its teeth. Could this be the inspiration behind the popular, and well-thumbed-in-our-household, children's book, The Selfish Crocodile, by Faustin Charles?

I don't want to spoil the tale for anyone who has yet to read it, but suffice to say that a small creature does some good crocodile dental work.