At last he went to the water’s edge, and there he sat down. He assumed a most dejected look, and appeared to be so miserable that a Crab, who had been watching him, asked him why he was so down-hearted.
“It is because I am thinking of all who live in this pond that I am so sad,” said the Crane.
“Why should that be the reason?” asked the Crab.
“I will tell you,” said the Crane. “This morning I heard the fishermen who live near here say that they meant to catch every fish that swims in this water. Now I love a dish of fish myself, and the few that I should take would make but little difference among so many. And although if the fish in this pond are all captured there would be none left for me to subsist upon, it breaks my heart to think of the fate that is in store for them. Therefore am I so sad.”
Now some of the fishes overheard what the Crane said to the Crab, and they at once called a general meeting. One of them said: “In this case the Crane’s interests are the same as ours, because, while we furnish the food which keeps him alive there are many of us left, but when the fishermen capture us we shall die. Let us therefore confer with the Crane.”
This they decided to do, and so they went to him in a body.
“Good Crane,” they said, “what course is there for safety?”
“The only thing to do is to go elsewhere,” said the Crane. “This can easily be done, for if you wish I will carry you one by one to another pool.”
This the trembling fishes begged him to do, that is, all but one of them, who said:
“It is most unusual that a crane should take any thought for fishes, and I think that you mean to eat us, one by one.”