In a forest, a crane devises a plan to catch fish from a dwindling pond. He pretends to care for the fish's well-being, suggesting they move to a larger pond. The fish, skeptical, send a blind fish to verify the crane's claims. After confirming the existence of the new pond, the fish trust the crane and allow him to take them one by one. The crane kills each fish upon arrival at the new pond, consuming them entirely. A crab, the last remaining creature, is wary of the crane's intentions. The crab proposes that the crane carry him by the neck, believing he can outsmart the crane. The crane, unaware of the crab's plan, agrees. As they approach the tree where the crane has been killing the fish, the crab realizes the crane's deceit and threatens to kill him instead. The crane pleads for his life, and the crab demands to be placed in the pond first. Once the crane complies, the crab severs the crane's neck, ensuring his own survival. The story concludes with a moral lesson about the consequences of deceit, emphasizing that cleverness in villainy does not guarantee success.
By Joseph Jacobs · First published 1898 · Genre: Fable, Fantasy, Children's Literature