"Well, I don't take much account of the mussel," said the cray-fish. "A mollusc like that! And then he insulted me, besides. But I've eaten him now and I don't like to speak harm of what I've eaten myself. And, if the story is genuine, another person might possibly save herself in the same manner."
"Why, you have no shells to pinch with, Goody Cray-Fish!"
"No, but I have my claws," replied the cray-fish. "And, believe me, ma'am, they can pinch too."
The reed-warbler came home from hunting and his wife told him about the cray-fish's plan. They both laughed at it, but Goody Cray-Fish stuck to her guns.
She did not go to her hole all the morning, but crawled around and swam on the surface of the water, to see if no opportunity offered.
About the middle of the day, a little roach came skimming along.
"Look out, grub!" cried Mrs. Reed-Warbler.
"I've hidden under a leaf and I'm all right," replied the May-fly grub.
"Here's the roach," said the cray-fish. "Now we only want the gull."
She kept just under the roach and looked out eagerly, in every direction, with her long eyes.