The Two Crabs

On a beautiful, sunny afternoon by the ocean, a mother crab and her little baby crab were taking a slow stroll along the wet, sandy beach. The waves were crashing gently against the shore, and seagulls were singing high above in the salty air.

The little baby crab was very energetic. He scuttled quickly along the sand, moving step by step. But, as all crabs do, the little baby crab walked completely sideways, leaning awkwardly to his right as he hurried down the beach.

“Oh dear, oh dear!” sighed the mother crab, shaking her big front claws in disapproval. “Child, why are you walking in such a crooked, clumsy way? You look absolutely ridiculous scuttling side-to-side like that!”

The baby crab stopped and looked up at his mother with wide, confused eyes. “But Mother, I am just walking,” he replied innocently.

“Well, you are doing it all wrong!” scolded the mother crab, crossing her claws over her bumpy shell. “It is not proper or graceful to slide around sideways. You must put your toes forward and walk straight ahead! Be elegant, just like the nice seagulls walking on the sand.”

The baby crab scrunched up his little face trying to think about how to walk straight ahead. He pointed his toes forward, took one step, and instantly tripped over his own legs, tumbling head over heels into a tiny sandcastle.

Rubbing his little shell, the baby crab stood back up. “I’m sorry, Mother,” he said politely. “I really don’t know how to do it. The only way I know how to move is sideways. Could you please show me how to walk straight forward so I can copy you?”

The mother crab puffed out her chest confidently. “Of course I can, my child! Watch closely. This is how a proper crab walks straight forward.”

She lifted her front claw proudly, pointed it straight down the beach, and tried to take a step forward. But to her great surprise, no matter how hard she tried to force her legs to go straight, her body dragged itself sideways! She tried again, wiggling and twisting, but she just scuttled in a completely crooked line to the left!

She stopped, her face turning as red as a boiled lobster. She looked at her sideways tracks in the sand and then looked at her baby, feeling very silly.

“I see, Mother,” the little crab giggled. “I will gladly walk straight forward, just as soon as you show me how!”

The mother crab couldn’t help but laugh at herself. They spent the rest of the afternoon happily scuttling sideways together across the warm, sandy beach.

Moral of the Story: Example is the best teacher. Do not ask others to do what you cannot do yourself.