In the sparkling backwaters there lived a small red crab named Kittu.
Kittu was not very big, and his claws were not very strong, but he had bright eyes and a quick mind.
Every day he scuttled across the sand, played hide-and-seek among the rocks, and shared tiny shells with his friends.

One sunny morning, a tall white stork arrived at the backwater.
The stork looked graceful but spoke in a smooth, sly voice.
“Dear little fish and crabs,” he said, “I have sad news.
A big storm is coming. If you stay here, the waves will sweep you away.
But don’t worry—I will carry each of you to a safe pond far away.”

The fish gasped in fear. “Please help us!” they cried.
Even some crabs nodded nervously.

But Kittu narrowed his eyes. Something about the stork’s smile did not feel right.

That evening the stork took the first group of fish “to safety.”
But Kittu noticed that the stork returned very quickly—too quickly to have gone to another pond.
He also saw a silver fish scale stuck on the stork’s beak.

Kittu whispered to his friend,
“Something is wrong. I think the stork is not helping them at all.
He is eating them.”

The other crabs shivered. “What shall we do?”

The next morning, the stork announced,
“Now it’s the crabs’ turn. Come, little ones, I will save you.”

Kittu stepped forward.
“Take me first,” he said, pretending to be innocent.

The stork was delighted.
He picked Kittu up in his long beak and flew high into the blue sky.

As they passed over the mangroves, Kittu tightened his claws on the stork’s neck.
Not too hard at first—just enough to make the bird squirm.

“Where is this safe pond?” Kittu asked softly.
The stork tried to lie, but Kittu’s claws pinched a little more.
“Alright! Alright!” croaked the stork. “I only wanted a feast. Please don’t hurt me!”

Kittu held on firmly
“Take me back to the backwater—and promise never to cheat my friends again,” he demanded.

Frightened, the stork flew back and landed in the shallow water.
Kittu leapt to a rock and raised his claws.
“Everyone, this stork is a liar! He has been eating our friends!”

The fish and crabs splashed and clapped their claws.
The stork, ashamed and defeated, flew away and never returned.

From that day on, the creatures of the backwater treated Kittu with great respect.
He was small, but he had saved them all.

Whenever a breeze rippled the water, the elders would tell the young ones,
“Remember Kittu, the clever little crab—brains can be stronger than claws.”

Moral:
Intelligence and courage can defeat even the biggest trickster.