Once upon a time, near a big lake full of yummy fish, lived a very old heron. He was so old, he couldn’t catch fish anymore! He got very, very hungry.

He thought and thought, then he had a sneaky plan. He sat by the lake and pretended to cry.

A little crab saw him and asked, “Uncle Heron, what’s wrong? Why are you crying instead of catching fish?”

The heron pretended, “Little crab, I’m too old! I’m giving up fishing and going on a hunger strike!”

The crab asked, “But why are you crying if you’re giving up everything?”

“Oh,” said the heron, “I heard from a wise owl that the lake will dry up in twelve years! There won’t be any rain!”

The crab was scared! He told all the other fish and water creatures. They believed the heron because he wasn’t trying to catch any fish.

They asked the heron, “Please help us!”

The heron said, “There’s another lake, far away! It’s full of water and pretty flowers. I can carry you there on my back!”

The heron tricked them! He carried one creature at a time, flew a little way, then smashed them on a rock and ate them! He’d then go back and tell lies about how happy they were in the new lake.

One day, it was the crab’s turn. As the heron flew, the crab looked down and saw a pile of bones! He knew the heron’s secret!

The crab said, “Uncle, I’m heavy. Let’s rest!”

The heron said, “There’s no other lake! I’m going to eat you!”

But the crab was clever! He grabbed the heron’s neck with his strong claws and squeezed! The heron couldn’t breathe and died.

The crab took the heron back to the lake and told everyone the truth. The lake wasn’t going to dry up! The heron was a bad guy!

The crab was a hero! He saved everyone from the sneaky heron. So remember, kids: If something seems wrong, use your smarts to figure it out!