The Cunning Heron and the Clever Crab
Once upon a time, near a vast and beautiful lake, there lived an old heron. In his younger days, he was swift and skillful, catching fish with ease. But now, age had weakened him, and he found it difficult to hunt for food.
As days passed, hunger gnawed at him, and he grew frail and desperate. One day, he devised a clever scheme to fill his belly without effort. Sitting at the edge of the lake, he put on a sorrowful expression and began to cry loudly.
A kind-hearted crab, noticing his distress, approached him and asked, “Uncle, why do you weep instead of catching fish? What troubles you so deeply?”
The heron sighed and pretended to be grief-stricken. “My dear child,” he replied, “I have vowed to give up eating fish. I have spent my entire life in this lake, and now my heart is heavy with sorrow. I have heard from a wise astrologer that there will be no rain for the next twelve years, and soon, this lake will dry up completely. I grieve not for myself, but for all the creatures who will perish in this calamity.”
The crab, alarmed by this revelation, hurriedly informed the other fish and water creatures. Fear spread like wildfire, and soon, all the creatures gathered around the heron, pleading for guidance.
“Please, Uncle,” they begged, “Tell us how we can escape this terrible fate!”
The heron, seeing his plan working, spoke with great wisdom. “Not far from here lies another lake, deep and filled with water. Even if it does not rain for twenty-four years, it will never dry up. If you wish, I can carry you there one by one on my back and save your lives.”
The creatures, desperate to survive, trusted the heron’s words and agreed to be transported to safety.
Each day, the heron carried a fish on his back, pretending to take them to the distant lake. But instead of delivering them to safety, he flew to a rocky cliff nearby and devoured them. Afterward, he would return to the lake with a solemn face, falsely assuring the others that their companions had reached the new lake safely.
Days passed, and the heron feasted greedily.
One day, the crab approached the heron and said, “Uncle, you have helped so many. Please take me to the new lake as well.”
The heron smirked to himself, thinking, “Ah! I have been eating fish every day, but today, I shall enjoy a delicious crab for a change!”
With that thought, he lifted the crab onto his back and soared into the sky. As they flew higher, the crab looked down and noticed a heap of fish bones scattered near the rocky cliff. Realizing the heron’s deceit, he remained calm and spoke, “Uncle, the lake seems far away. You must be tired. Let us stop for a rest.”
The heron chuckled darkly. “Foolish crab, there is no other lake! I tricked all the fish and ate them one by one. Now, it is your turn to be my meal.”
Hearing this, the crab knew he had to act quickly. Without a moment’s hesitation, he clamped his strong claws around the heron’s neck and squeezed tightly.
The heron struggled, flapping his wings in panic, but the crab’s grip was unyielding. Soon, the heron gasped for breath and fell lifeless to the ground. The crab, victorious, crawled back to the lake, dragging the heron’s body with him.
The other creatures gathered around in amazement. “What happened?” they asked.
The crab proudly declared, “The heron was a fraud! There was no drying lake, no distant refuge—only his hunger and lies. He tricked us and ate many of our friends. But today, I ended his wickedness!”
Relieved and grateful, the water creatures rejoiced. From that day onward, they lived peacefully, free from the heron’s deception.
Moral of the Story:
When faced with danger, use your wit and wisdom to overcome the situation.