35 lines
2.1 KiB
Plaintext
35 lines
2.1 KiB
Plaintext
THE CRAB AND THE HERON
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Once upon a time . . . an elderly heron made his home in a pond full of
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fish. He was stiff and slow in his old age, and he didn't find it easy to
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catch his lunch.
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However, he decided to use his wits: he went to see a crab, said to be a
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great chatterbox, and in a mock frightened volce, told him the latest rumour.
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"Certain birds, friends of mine, say that the lakeside fishermen will be
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coming here soon with their nets. They're going to take away all the fish.
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I'll have no meals left. Everything will be gone and the fish will end up in
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the frying pan!"
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The crab quickly scuttled away to the banks of the pond and dived in to
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tell the fish the awful news. The frightened fish begged the crab for good
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advice, and he returned to the heron.
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". . . they're all scared stiff and don't know which way to turn. While you
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yourself snap up a few now and again, it's against your interests if they go.
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So what shall we do?" The heron pretended to be lost in thought. Then he said:
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"I'll tell you what! I can carry them, a few at a time, to a pond hidden in
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the forest. They'll be quite safe there. But will the fish trust me?"
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Whether they were scared of the fishermen, or maybe the crab had a glib
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tongue, at any rate, the fish agreed to this strange offer. The heron began
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his trips between pond and forest. But the crab noticed that the heron made
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excuses for dallying on the way. What was more, the crab's keen eye noticed
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that the heron's tummy was now a good deal plumper. Days later, when all the
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fish had been rescued from the pond, the heron said to the crab: "Don't you
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want to be rescued too?" he asked.
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"Certainly!" replied the crab.
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"Bend over. I'll climb on to your neck. I'd hate to make your beak tired!"
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When they were far from the pond, the crab saw that the ground was littered
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with fish bones. He clung tightly to the heron's neck and said: "I've no _
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intention of coming to the same end as the fish! Now, just deposit me gently
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into the water. I'm not letting go of your neck till I feel safe!"
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And from that day on, crabs and herons have always loathed each other and
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try to avoid meeting.
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