There once was a tinny crab. The little crab had not yet built her shell-house, so she protected herself by walking very close to her mother. She asked her mother: “Mom, will I ever be as strong as you are?” 

“You are very strong my little one,” her mother responded. “Your strength lies in your curious little heart. And don’t you worry about a thing! I will protect you until you grow bigger and are able to build a house of your own. You will take your house with you wherever you go. It will protect you from all the predators out there.” 

The little crab was worried. “How will I ever build my own house?” she thought to herself. “I am just a tiny little crab. What do I know of constructing?” So, she hid under her mother’s shell and wished she never, ever had to leave. 

But destiny would have it different. The little crab’s mother suddenly died, without being able to teach her little one how to build a shell-house of her own. The little crab was all alone, very afraid and sad that she had lost her mother, her protection and her home. She was walking anxiously through the sand, fearful of each move, yet driven by the need to survive and find another shelter. 

At the same time, an old goat was roaming around that same beach, searching for some leaves he could eat. He noticed the tiny, unshielded crab and thought it was the funniest thing ever. 

“What kind of creature are you?” the goat asked. “You must be the funniest thing my old eyes have ever seen!” 

“I am a crab.” whispered the little one. 

The old goat started laughing out loud. “What kind of crab has no house?” 

“I am too little to have it,” she replied. “I am supposed to build it, but I don’t know how. Maybe you know how?” 

“Sure little one, I can show you,” said the goat in an amused tone of voice. “But you will have to climb high to the granite mountain where I live. You can climb on top of my back, and I will take you to the summit. Once we reach, you’ll be able to construct your armor in granite. Granite is the most durable material out there, you know! But I have to warn you. This trip is not for the faint-hearted. It is only for the resilient and hard-working souls.”  

“I will go with you,” whispered the little crab. “Without the house, I won’t be able to survive!” 

So, the crab hoped onto the goat’s back, and up into the mountain, they went. The goat and the crab climbed very high up. It started to get cold, and the path was steep, but the goat knew how to survive. It would take slow, calculated steps and endure strenuous difficulties with incredible resilience. The crab held tightly to goat’s fur. It was harsh and not as soft as she remembered her mother’s embrace to feel. Still, she was happy that she could eat the little insects on goat’s fur, drink the raindrops and keep herself warm from the heat the old goat was producing. After days of climbing, they finally reached the top.

“You have to hop off now little crab,” the goat said. “We have arrived. And this is where we, unfortunately, have to part our ways. I have to find some more food before winter and a durable shelter to protect myself from the cold. I wish you all the luck, tinny crab! Work hard, and you will make it! There are lots of granite rocks here so you can start constructing your own house right away!”  

“But how am I going to do it?” asked the little crab frightened. “These granite rocks are huge, and my body is tiny!” 

“Use the little granite stones to shape your house out of any big rock you like,” the goat responded. “This work is tough, and it will require your sweat and tears. But it is what it is. And if you are persistent enough, you are destined to succeed.” 

The little crab looked at the granite rocks in disbelief. “How am I ever going to do this?!” she thought to herself. Nevertheless, she decided that she must try. The weather on the mountain was changing rapidly. Winter was coming, and she knew she had to have her house soon, or she would die. And so, she started to hit the granite rock with a sharp granite stone she had found. Little chunks of granite started falling down. Little by little, she was making progress, just like the goat had predicted. There was still a lot of work to be done, so she decided she must push harder. She chiseled the granite with her tiny claws whole day long. In the night, she fell asleep exhausted but could sleep only for a few hours before the cold woke her up. Every day she would set a new target and push herself relentlessly. “If I don’t finish the house soon, I am going to die.” she thought. And the fear kept her pushing, harder and harder and harder. 

In three weeks, she had finally finished. She had built her own granite house! With a sense of pride and relief, she slowly entered the hole she had designed to fit her body. “I am a good worker,” she said to herself. “I have managed to construct my own house. My mother would be proud!” But she had no time to rest. The days were getting shorter and colder, and she needed to get her new granite house down to the sea.

And so, she tried to do what the crabs do- walk her home with her. But as hard as she tried, she couldn’t move an inch. The granite house was just too heavy for her tiny legs to carry. “Oh no!!!” she gasped. “This is a disaster!! How am I ever going to take this house anywhere, let alone down the mountain? It is so heavy, I just can’t move it, I really can’t!” She managed to find the strength to crawl out of the house and was devastated to see she was all naked again. “It’s all pointless! I will just let myself die on top of this mountain. There is no purpose in this misery. I am such a lousy, pathetic, homeless crab!”

She wept inconsolably and laid her tired body down on the ground. The rain started falling faster, and the wind was blowing harsher. There was nothing left for her to do, so she surrendered herself to destiny. She couldn’t really feel the rain, or the wind, although her whole body was shaking uncontrollably. Suddenly, she remembered how it felt to be embraced by her mother. She didn’t know if it was a dream, a reality, or if she was dying, but all of a sudden, she heard her mother’s voice clearly:

“You can do it, my sweetheart. You are such a strong crab!”

As she opened her eyes, she saw a wonder! She had miraculously produced a tinny firm layer on top of her skin, her own little shell. She was so exhausted that she had to close her eyes again. When she woke up, she saw that the protective layer got thicker, and the shape of her armor resembled her mother’s.

After days of hibernation, her house was all done. It was a lovely house with beautiful ornaments in green and red. She thought to herself: “I am a crab. And I understand now what it means to be a crab. I have built my own house from inside out. And such a beautiful house it is!”

And so, protected and enlightened of her true nature, she descended back from the mountain to the sea.

****

They say that the tiny crab is still to be seen, but only for those who look carefully and mean no harm. She is almost invisible because she has blended her house perfectly with the surroundings. Only her true friends can see her.

It turns out that the hard work she did on the mountain helped her to become a skillful sculptor. She spends her days in the coral reef, using her claws to create her sculptures from tinny pieces of coral that have fallen off naturally.

Photo by Felipe Portella