One relaxing day, while the sun was shining and the sea was calm and blue, three baby crabs came out of their home under a big rock. They were very keen to go for a stroll on the beautiful sandy beach.
“Look at the other crabs!” shouted one of the crabs. “They are all running along the beach. We must do the same!” So, off they went. The three baby crabs started to race up and down the beach, but Carl, who was a little bit sweet but very funny, took no notice, because he had seen a big boy making a sandcastle with a spade and a bucket. He was not quite sure of the best way to do it, so he stopped to watch.
“Come on, Carl!” shouted his brothers. He hurried along at a great pace, but he was soon left far behind, so he stopped again just to have a look at the running crabs.
“Why doesn’t he run?” said a little crab, who had stopped to watch too. “I cannot imagine an excuse he can have. We crabs were made to run round on this land, and that is what he should be doing. But he won’t last. I am sure that in a little while I shall see him come creeping back to the sea, for this burning sun will hurt his shell and make him most uncomfortable.”
“Well, when he does come back, he will have to pass my door, and I hope he will take care to say ‘Good-morning’ when he sees me,” replied another little crab.
Away crawled the young one, still busily watching Carl, who was now trying in his own silly way to make a sandcastle like the boy. He sat first on one side of the castle and scratched with one of his claws, and then he sat on the other side and scratched with his other claw. Sometimes he would take a bit of seaweed and a piece of shell that lay near him and examine them carefully, but then he would immediately return to work scratching away!
The other crabs went along the beach far away and simply forgot all about Carl, who crept slowly back when he found he could find no crabs or sea or seaweed where he wanted it. When he was some distance from home, as soon as ever he came to dark or wet sand he turned round and made a crab’s white, seeing well where he was going, because he always kept his eyes open.
He met several people and crabs on the way home, but none of them lived near him, so he walked quietly on, only stopping to rest for a minute or two now and then. Long before nightfall the three baby crabs he had left the sea with found themselves home again, but no Carl!
“Carl is far behind, because I saw him when I was quite a distance, and so he is not likely to come home at the right time, so let us go to sleep,” said one crab.
And they did sleep all night. They were at their home early next day, so they slept on, and had no more news. A few days afterwards a fishing-boat came on shore, and brought many strange crabs, big and little. The next morning the owner of the crabs took them out, and placed them in his garden, so Carl was obliged to look higher for all that he had lost.
The others who slept woke one morning to find a great storm raging, and the wind blowing hard. One crab turned to the other and said, “Isn’t it ‘curious season’?”
“Oh, dear, yes!” said the other, “but I am afraid a great number of crabs in New Hampshire are lost, for if the sea was deep enough you know all crabs would go bobbing about in the waters; and as many were out of their rock-houses, I am greatly afraid that they were dear.”
“It is really unfortunate how many crabs will be dumped to get our friends on shore.”
“True! Some say that our dinners will soon be in abundance after that.”
They were both silent for some time thinking, and then the last crab said, “I wonder whatever became of Carl? For not a single word have I heard nobody since we fell asleep that night. Do you think he is all right?”
“Do you remember the direction he took when we lost him?” said the other, “Yes, so, I am afraid he may have been washed away.”
“By the by,” returned the other, “do you remember what Carl said to us just before we crawled off to sleep that night? I forget what it was myself. It had in it however a kind of hint about the trouble and danger crabs lived in. Most likely the loss of crabs in New Hampshire will be an eyeopener to all crabs who have even Carl or no loss at all by it; and I may say also that this event is a warning to the others also.”
Then the crabs ceased to speak and determined to take care of themselves all they could. And it reminds all children who read the tale to remember to mind their parents, or whatever party or homebodies they may have.
Hope this helps you!