The Heron and the Crab

High in the branches of a grand banyan tree lived a flock of birds. Near the banyan tree was a sparkling lake. There, at the edge of the water lived an old white heron. As the years went by, the heron grew too slow to catch fish. He went hungry often and he wondered how he could get his next dinner if he could not swim fast enough. The heron came up with a clever plan. He went to the water’s edge and looked sad with a long face, and he let his tears fall into the lake.

A crab came out of the water and saw the crying bird. “Uncle Heron! Why are you so sad? What happened?” 

The heron wiped his tears and sighed. “I overheard some fishermen nearby. They said that they were coming tomorrow with huge nets to drain this lake and catch every single fish, frog and crab here.”

The crab quickly went into the water and told the fish all that he had heard. The panicked fish gathered around the heron and pleaded with the bird. “Please, Heron, you can save us because you can fly! You can take us out of this water.” 

The heron smiled inwardly, but he nodded sagely. “I know of a deep pool on the other side of the mountain. No fisherman can find you there. I will take you there one by one in my beak.”

So every day the heron picked up a fish, flew over the hill and ate the fish behind a large rock. 

Day after day the sneaky heron tricked the fish, and soon the heron grew fat and lazy.

Eventually, the crab turned to the heron. “Heron, you have saved so many fish. Please take me to the safe pool today.” 

The heron looked at the crab and thought that he was tired of eating fish every day and a crab would make a delicious change. So the heron agreed to help the crab and picked up the crab in his beak and soared into the sky.

As they flew over the mountain, the crab expected to see a beautiful new lake. Instead, he saw piles of fish bones scattered across the rocks. 

The crab instantly understood the truth - this was no safe pool. The heron had been tricking everyone all along, and now it was the crab's turn.

The crab panicked, but he knew that crying would not save him. He had to keep calm and act quickly. 

Before the heron could land, the crab used his strong sharp claws and pinched the heron's long neck with all his might.

“Help me! Help me!” squawked the heron, losing his balance mid-air.

The heron was forced to land safely on the ground to escape the crab's pinch.

The crab then fell to the earth and hurried back to the lake, to warn the other creatures about the heron's trickery.

Thus, by staying calm, thinking fast and facing the danger directly, the little crab saved himself and his friends.

Adapted from the Panchatantra