The Rabbit and the Crab E:223
When three brothers use their talent for telling tall tales to try and trick a wealthy prince into giving them all of his fine possessions, they end up learning a lesson themselves. A fun folktale from Malaysia. An episode from storytelling podcast, Journey with Story. (duration 12 minutes) Ages 4-10
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In this fun Mayan folktale, two friends, Rabbit and Crab, have a huge disagreement about how best to divide the crop of carrots they have both grown together. A great story to teach children about the importance of sharing fairly! An episode from Journey with Story, a storytelling podcast for kids ages 4-10. (Duration -10 minutes)
If you would like to enjoy our weekly coloring sheets and other perks, subscribe to our patreon page here
If your little listener wants to ask us a question or send us a drawing inspired by one of our episodes, send it to us at instagram@journeywithstory. Or you can contact us at www.journeywithstory.com. We love to hear from our listeners.
If you enjoy our podcast, you can rate, review, and subscribe at here
Did you know Kathleen is also a children’s picture book author, you can find out more about her books at www.kathleenpelley.com
If you enjoy our podcast, you can rate, review, and subscribe at here
Did you know Kathleen is also a children’s picture book author, you can find out more about her books at www.kathleenpelley.com
The Rabbit and the Crab
Episode 223
March 30,2023
Have you ever had an argument with a friend or a sibling about how best to divide something between the two of you in a fair way? Maybe you had to divide the last slice of a delicious cake or perhaps you had to share your packed lunch with a friend. How did you find the best way to do this?
Hello everyone. I’m Kathleen Pelley. Welcome to Journey with Story. Today’s tale is a Mayan story – the ancient Myan people came mainly from the countries of Mexico, Guatamala, Belize, El Salvador and Honduras. And it is about two friends, Rabbit and Crab who have a terrible disagreement about how best to divide a crop of carrots that they have grown. Let’s see how they try and settle the argument.
Before we begin, if you would like to download some free coloring sheets for our episodes you can do so by going to www.journeywithstory.com
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Not let’s take a journey with Rabbit and Crab
Once upon a time, two good friends, Rabbit and Crab, decided to grow some carrots. For many days they worked together, they dug up a field, they chose the carrot seeds with great care, they planted them in the soil, and watered them every day until the shoots began to sprout up. Then every week they made sure to dig up the weeds and keep watch until at last, one day it was time to harvest the crop and separate the tops from the carrots.
And this is when things began to go awry, because they could not agree on how best to divide the crop between the two of them.
Rabbit tried to trick Crab with some sweet talk.
“You see, friend Crab, that we have two piles consisting of different sizes. The larger one is for you and I’ll take the small one.”
Crab looked at the two piles and saw at once that the biggest pile was all carrot tops and the smaller pile had all the big juicy carrots.
“Thank you, Rabbit, good friend,” he said, “but I have a better plan. Why don’t I divide the piles in half and you choose which you want? Or you divide the piles and I choose?”
Rabbit suspected that Crab was trying to confuse him.
“Oh no! I cannot agree to that,” he said. “I have a better idea. Let’s walk over to that big cactus over there and then race back here. The first one to get back here gets the carrots and other gets the tops. What do you think of that?”
Crab thought about it for a moment, then smiling, he said,
“Yes, I will agree to that. It seems fair to me.”
“At last, we’re in agreement!” said Rabbit. He was very happy, because he was sure he was going to win. “I’m so pleased about this that, if you win, I’m prepared to give you all the car-rots and all the tops. Do you agree?”
“I agree!” Repeated the crab.
“There’s one other thing,” added Rabbit. “Since I know you’re slower than me, I’m going to give you a ten-pace head start.” He had no doubt that he would win this race and soon be munching away on a big pile of juicy carrots.
“Mr. Rabbit, my friend, thank you very much but, that’s too much! I can’t accept that” said Crab, pretending that he didn’t want to take advantage of him. “You’re the one that ought to have a ten-pace start. Go on now. I won’t take no for an answer.”
Rabbit chuckled to himself. “I gave him a chance,” he thought, and he argued no more about it.
So, when they reached the big cactus, Rabbit and Crab turned to face the piles of carrots and green tops in the distance. Then Rabbit took ten paces forward, but he did not notice that Crab, who was neither lazy or slow had grabbed his tail with his claws and was hanging on tight.
“Ready, stead, GO!” shouted Rabbit as he bounded off running like the wind.
In no time at all he reached the pile of carrots and turned around quickly, thinking that he had left Crab far behind in the dust. But just as he turned his head, Crab opened his claws and fell right on top of the mound of carrots.
.
“Where are you, Mr. Crab, my friend?” Rabbit shouted, pretending to be most concerned.
“Here I am,” said a voice behind him. “I’ve been here for ages.”
Rabbit could not believe his eyes. He spun around and stared and stared at Crab sitting on the huge pile of carrots.
“But…but…how…what?” stammered Rabbit.
“There, there dear friend, Rabbit,”soothed Crab. “I won’t see you go hungry, I can be generous too. You can have as many of those carrot tops as you wish. Help yourself.”
Rabbit turned around and stomped off home, furious that he had let himself be tricked, and not matter how hard he tried, he still could not figure out how a slow coach of a crab was able to beat him.
And that is how Crab got to keep all of the carrots for himself.
Does this story remind you of another one about two animals who challenge each other to a race and it ends up that the slowest one wins? Yes, it is very like the Hare and the Tortoise, isn’t it? Did you guess how Crab was going to win the race or was it a surprise? He was definitely a very clever and crafty Crab!! If this story painted any pictures in your mind – do get busy drawing and send to us at www.journeywithstory.com
Cheerio then, join me next time for Journey with Story.
