“That I do not,” said the Crane. “If you do not believe what I say, send one of your number with me, and he shall come back and tell you that I am to be trusted.”
They thought this was all right, and so selected their sharpest fish, one whom they considered could not be outwitted, and handed him over to the Crane.
The Crane took him in his bill and let him go in the other pool, and he showed the fish all over it. Then he carried him back to the others who were entirely satisfied, and said they were ready to go with him.
Then the Crane took them, one after another, and having eaten them, returned to report that he had safely deposited each in the pond.
At last only the Crab was left, and he asked to be taken, too. Now the Crane coveted the tender flesh of the Crab, and perhaps the latter saw a greedy look in his eyes. At any rate, when the Crane went to take hold of him with his beak, he said: “You cannot carry me like that, for I should certainly fall.”
The Crane told him not to fear, that he would be perfectly safe. But the Crab thought to himself: “If he once got hold of a fish, I doubt very much if he would really let it go into the pond. He shall carry me, but in such a way that I shall be safe.” So he said:
“Friend Crane, you cannot hold me tight enough in your bill, so I will hold on to you with my claws, and you can carry me that way.”
The Crane thought that would be all right, and so the other held on to his neck with his claws, and off they went.
They soon reached the spot where the Crane had eaten the fish, and the Crab saw that it was covered with fishbones.
“This is not the pond,” said the Crab; “please take me to it at once.”