The crane and the crab

Told in English, Telugu.

Once upon a time, near a little village in the Godavari country, there was a lotus pond. Its water was cool and green, and pink lotuses floated on top like little lamps. In this pond lived many fish, a few frogs, and one wise old crab with a hard brown shell and two strong claws.

On the bank of the pond lived an old crane. When he was young, he was very quick. Snap, snap went his long beak, and he caught fish all day. But now he was old and slow. The fish wriggled away before he could catch them.

One evening the crane sighed. "Ayyo, my legs are tired and my eyes are weak. How will I fill my stomach now?" Then he thought and thought, and a crooked idea came into his head.

The next morning, the crane stood in the shallow water on one leg. He hung his head low and looked very, very sad. Little fish swam right past his feet, but he did not even look at them.

The crab noticed this. He walked sideways up to the crane and said, "Crane garu, the fish are swimming right under your beak. Why are you not eating? Are you not well?"

The crane gave a long, sad sigh. "Oh, crab, how can I eat when such trouble is coming to all of us? Yesterday I heard some fishermen talking on the bund. They said, in a few days we will bring our big nets and catch every single fish in this pond. When the fish are gone, what will be left for an old crane like me? I am so worried, I cannot eat a thing."

The fish heard this, and they began to tremble. They all crowded around the crane's legs. "Crane garu, you are old and you have seen many things. Please tell us, what should we do?"

The crane pretended to think hard. Then he said, "Beyond that hill there is a big lake. It is deep and wide, and no fisherman ever goes there. If you like, I can carry you there, one by one, in my beak."

One little fish whispered, "But you are a crane. Cranes eat fish."

The crane shook his head slowly. "Once I did, child. But now I am old. Before I die, I only want to do some good." His voice was so soft and kind that the fish believed every word.

So every morning the crane picked up one fish in his beak and flew away over the hill. And children, can you guess what he did? He did not go to any lake. He flew to a big flat rock behind the hill, and there he ate the fish for his breakfast.

Then he flew back, wiped his beak, and said with a smile, "Your friend is very happy in the new lake. Who wants to go next?"

Day after day this went on. There were fewer and fewer fish in the pond, and the crane grew fatter and fatter.

One morning the crab said, "Crane garu, I would also like to go to the new lake. Will you take me?"

The crane's eyes shone. He thought, a crab would make a lovely change from fish. Out loud he said, "Of course, my friend. But your shell is hard and round. I cannot hold you in my beak."

"No trouble," said the crab. "I will hold on around your neck with my claws."

So the crab climbed up and held the crane's neck, and up they flew into the sky.

They flew over the paddy fields and over the hill. The crab looked down. "Crane garu, where is the lake? I see only dry hills and stones."

"Just a little further," said the crane.

Then the crab saw the big flat rock. And on that rock was a heap of small white fish bones. The crab's heart went cold. Now he understood everything.

"So this is your new lake," said the crab. "You wicked bird! You fooled all my friends."

The crane laughed. "Clever crab, you have understood too late. Now it is your turn."

But the crab was not afraid. Remember, where were his claws? Yes! Already around the crane's neck. The crab squeezed tight.

"Let go! Let go! It hurts!" cried the crane.

"I will let go only when you carry me back to my pond," said the crab. "And if you try any trick, I will squeeze even harder."

The crane was so frightened that his wings shook. He turned around and flew all the way back. Very gently, he set the crab down on the bank of the lotus pond. Only then did the crab open his claws.

The crane's neck was sore, and he felt deeply ashamed. Without a word, he flew far, far away, and he never came back to that pond again.

The crab called all the fish and frogs that were left, and he told them the whole truth. The fish cried for the friends they had lost. The crab sat close to them and said softly, "We cannot bring them back. But from today, let us be wise. Never trust someone only because their words are sweet. Watch what they do."

And do you know something? The fishermen never came. There were no fishermen at all. The crane had made up the whole story.

From then on, the fish and the frogs and the wise old crab lived together in the lotus pond, careful and safe and happy.