Page:The jade story book; stories from the Orient (IA jadestorybooksto00cous).pdf/131

Rh Crab from his neck. "I am now going to eat you, just as I have eaten every one of the fish, whose bones you can see if you look."

"Do you think I am as stupid as those fish?" asked the Crab. Then he gave the Crane's neck such a squeeze with his claws that the Crane almost died.

"That is just to remind you of what will happen if you don't take me to the pond at once," said the Crab.

The Crane now trembled with fear, and flew at once to the edge of the pond, and there, before entering the water the Crab tightened his grip so that the Crane's neck was cut clear through.