The Crab

The valley twisted and curved. The stream became deeper and wider. But if you looked down at the valley from the top of the mountains, the stream would seem like a white thread. In one place, a piece of large rock had broken off from the mountain, fallen to the bottom of the valley, and split the water into two branches. A large lizard the size of a hand, lay on her stomach on the rock. She was enjoying the sun's warmth and watching a large, round crab resting on the sand at the bottom or the water in a shallow place and eating a frog he had snared.

The little fish suddenly saw the crab, became frightened, and greeted him from afar. The crab glanced sideways at the fish and said,
"What a polite fish! Come closer, little one. Come on!"
"I'm off to see the world," said the little fish, "and I never want to be caught by you, sir!"
"Little fish, why are you so pessimistic and scared?" asked the crab.
"I'm neither pessimistic nor afraid," answered the fish. "I speak about everything I see and understand."
"Well, then," said the crab, "please tell me what you've seen and understood that makes you think I want to capture you?"
"Don't try to trick me!" responded the fish.
"Are you referring to the frog?" queried the crab. "How childish you are! I have a grudge against frogs; that's the reason I hunt them. Do you know, they think they're the only creatures in the world and that they're very lucky. I want to make them understand who is really master in the world! So you don't have to be afraid, my dear. Come here. Come on."

As the crab talked, he was walking backwards towards the little fish. His gait was so funny that the fish couldn't help laughing and said,
"Poor thing! You don't even know how to walk. How did you ever learn who runs the world?"
The black fish drew back from the crab. A shadow fell upon the water and suddenly a heavy blow pushed the crab into the sand. The lizard laughed so hard at the crab's expression that she slipped and almost fell into the water. The crab couldn't get up.