HOW SAMMY ESCAPED FROM THE SHARK AND MADE THE ACQUAINTANCE OF THE
HERMIT-CRAB
Oh a wily old crab is the Hermit-Crab,
And a crafty old crab is he!
His home he makes in a stolen cell,
And the passing stranger he loves full well
But beware of his hospitality!
For a hungry old crab is the Hermit-Crab,
And a wicked old crab is he.
"Dear me! what a very large place the sea is," said Sammy. He had gone
quite a distance before he realized that the occasion for hurry was
now over, and then he rose gracefully to the surface and looked about
him. Overhead stretched the blue sky speckled with fleecy, white
clouds, and off in the distance a long line of white sand showed the
shore line, against which the incoming tide sent its undulating
billows. Near the shore circled a flock of sea-gulls, and far away,
where sea and sky seemed to meet, the white sails of a ship gleamed in
the sun. In every other direction, as far as the eye could reach,
stretched the blue waters of the ocean.
Presently a large fish sprang from the waves, his silvery scales
sparkling in the sun, then fell back with a gentle splash. This
recalled Sammy to himself, and diving hastily below, he swam slowly
about looking at his surroundings with a good deal of curiosity.
It was a strange world on which he gazed. Water was everywhere, above,
below, and on all sides, and strange weeds and vegetables grew up from
hidden rocks. A graceful jelly-fish floated past, expanding and
contracting its umbrella-shaped body, and waving about its long arms
or tentacles. Queer fish of all shapes and sizes swam about, the
larger ones eying the stranger curiously, the smaller keeping at a
respectful distance.
But Sammy had a very friendly feeling towards them all, and was just
about to speak to a near-by fish, whose appearance seemed to indicate
that he might belong to the Salmon family, when suddenly there was a
general hurrying out of the way on all sides. Many of the fish dived
quickly below to hide in some convenient spot, and the more rapid
swimmers took to their fins with great haste.
Turning quickly to see the cause of the commotion, Sammy discovered a
large, and very hungry-looking shark just behind him. The creature had
a hideous mouth, with several rows of sharp teeth, and while not
dangerous to man, this Dog-Fish, or Blue Shark, has a great liking for
young and tender fish.
This fact our hero instantly divined, and sped away as fast as his
fins could carry him, Mr. Shark in hot pursuit. Sammy had the
advantage of being some distance from his enemy when discovered, but
sharks are extremely swift swimmers, and for a time it seemed as if
poor Sammy's fate was sealed. No matter how hard he swam the monster
slowly gained on him. No race with his playfellows in the stream at
home was ever so exciting as this. All the famous swimming qualities
of his family were put to the test now, as he darted like an arrow
through the water, the cruel shark close behind.
But presently Sammy began to tire. In another moment all would have
been over, had he not spied far below him, partly hidden by seaweed, a
ledge of large rocks. His instinct told him that under one of those he
might find a hiding place. Down he darted, as quick as a flash, and in
another instant just as the shark turned on his side and opened his
huge jaws, Sammy lay safe, but quivering, in a friendly hollow under
the sheltering rocks.
Mr. Shark, disappointed at losing his dinner, swam around and around
the ledge vainly trying to find some way of squeezing his big body in
among the crevices of the rocks, but at length abandoned the attempt
as hopeless, and departed in a very bad humor to look for another
victim.
It was some time before Sammy recovered enough from his fright to look
about him, but presently his ever-present curiosity overcame other
feelings, and he began to examine his new quarters with much interest.
He was in a tiny cave, whose hard bottom was covered with sand and mud
deposited by the constant washing of the tide. From the walls and
ceiling hung curious weeds, and a few brightly colored shells lay in
little holes and crevices formed in the rock.
While thus employed in viewing his surroundings Sammy discovered a
crab partly hidden in the mud on the floor of the cave. It was a very
strange-looking creature, for while the fore part of it had legs and
claws like an ordinary crab, the rear part was concealed in the shell
of a large sea-snail.
[Illustration: HERMIT CRAB.]
As Sammy gazed the crab slowly crept out from the mud, still keeping a
watchful eye on the intruder.
"Fine day," said Sammy, pleasantly.
"Charming," replied the Crab.
"Water's a little cool, though," said Sammy.
"It's very comfortable in here," said the Crab, "and the tide is very
favorable this morning; it brought me in some fine fat snails for
breakfast. By the way, have you had breakfast?" And as he spoke he
again retreated into the mud.
"Oh, yes, indeed!" replied Sammy, politely, "I had a good meal some
time ago before the shark got after me." And, forthwith, he gave a
thrilling account of his adventure, adding something to it after the
manner of storytellers, and throwing in a description of his past life
and present ambition. To all of which the Crab listened with most
flattering interest.
"Remarkable," he murmured. "You have no idea how delightful it is for
a poor Hermit like me to hear something of the outside world. I lead
such a retired life that it is a real pleasure to entertain a stranger
in my humble abode. This little cave is mine by the right of
possession, and in it I live, far from the whirl of society, and being
secluded in my habits, and somewhat bashful, I always retire into the
mud when strangers appear. Occasionally when crabs, (little ones),
sea-snails, and small shell-fish wander in in search of apartments I
consent to have a short conference with them, but it is a rare thing
for me to speak to a fish as large as yourself."
"I am highly honored," said our hero.
"But tell me, how do you happen to have that large shell on your
back?"
"That," replied the Crab, proudly, "is the former home of a Sea-Snail,
now alas! no more. You see my name of the Hermit-Crab comes from my
liking to conceal my tail, which is long and soft, with two or three
hooks on it, in the empty shell of some sea animal, snail, or the
like. Unlike the ordinary crabs, our branch of the family all possess
these tails. Our only hope of prolonging our existence is to protect
this weak tail, so as soon as we are born we crawl into some empty
shell, and holding on with the hooks, are thus fairly well protected
from attacks in the rear. We can carry the shell about with us, and in
time, as we grow bigger, it becomes necessary to find a larger one.
The shell in which I now live once belonged to a big snail. It was
just the right size for my needs, and, there being no other way out of
the difficulty, I was compelled to eat him up in order to get
possession of his home. It was a wrong act, the impulse of a moment,
and I assure you that I have always deeply regretted the cruel deed,"
and the Hermit paused to sigh deeply.
[Illustration: HERMIT CRAB IN SHELL.]
Now Sammy had very small faith in the repentance of the Hermit. In
fact he had a suspicion that he was a bloodthirsty old hypocrite, and
that those unwary strangers who had come to look for apartments in the
past, had never returned alive. This was an uncomfortable thought, so
he kept a sharp eye on the Hermit, while he listened to the long
description the other gave him of the habits and customs of his
family.
Our hero was soon to learn that bragging about one's ancestors and
connections was not a weakness confined alone to Aunt Sheen, for many
other fish possessed it, and this seems strange when they openly
declared that they sometimes devoured their younger and weaker
relations.
The Hermit-Crab belonged to a large family called the Crustaceans. All
kinds of crabs, lobsters, as well as shrimps, barnacles, sea-acorns,
etc., are members of this family, though all belong to different
branches of it. The lobster is first cousin to the crab, though
somewhat larger, yet the two resemble each other very closely. The
crab has four pairs of legs, as well as a large pair of claws. He is a
rapid swimmer, though his sidewise motion gives him a very awkward
appearance. And, although a great eater, it hardly seems likely that
Mr. Crab ever suffers from indigestion, since nature has given him
eight jaws, and a large stomach furnished with teeth. He has also a
heart, and liver.
The crab, in common with the lobster, possesses one very convenient
peculiarity. He can cast off a claw if it is hurt in any way, and he
sometimes throws one or two away if he is frightened by thunder, for
he is a great coward in a thunder-storm. But, no matter in what way
the claw is lost, Mr. Crab can grow another one, although it will not
be as large, or as strong as the first one.
The claws of a crab are his weapons, and terrible ones they are, too.
With them he defends himself against his enemies, and with them he
attacks his prey and tears it to pieces.
His bill of fare is composed of some kinds of fish and lower water
animals; and it is said that some crabs feed on sharks and whales. In
return fishes, sea-stars, sea-urchins and some shell-fish eat the
young crustaceans, and even attack the larger ones.
In the sand of the seashore the mother crab, or lobster, lays her
eggs, and there she leaves them to be hatched by the sun. Several
thousand eggs are laid at a time, but as many of the water animals
feed on the eggs and young, of course all the members of this large
family do not come to mature crabhood.
Lobsters like best to live along rocky shores, where the water is
clear and deep, and there they are caught in small wicker baskets, or
nets.
As for the crab, he loves to hide in the mud, and he can live longer
than the lobster when taken out of the water, by reason of the
different formation of his gills.
The Hermit-Crab seemed particularly proud of some of his relations who
live on land, and told Sammy marvelous tales of their strange habits.
Some of these land-crabs will suffocate if dipped in the water. They
live in the shades of the deep forest, often a long way from the sea,
but come to the seashore at certain seasons to lay their eggs in the
sand. When once they have started on their march to the sea nothing
can turn them aside from the path in which they are traveling.
Another cousin of the Hermit lives in the East and West Indies. It is
called the "Calling Crab," because it has a very large claw which it
holds above its head when running, and this gives it the appearance of
beckoning to some one. This Calling Crab makes its home in holes, or
burrows on land.
[Illustration: CALLING CRAB.]
Still another land relation is the East India Cocoa-Nut Crab, which
lives upon the cocoanuts that fall from the trees. With its large,
heavy claws it tears the husk from the cocoanut, and makes a hole in
the nut, and takes out the meat. These crabs also make their homes in
deep burrows, which they line with the husks and fibres from the
cocoanuts. Though a land crab the Cocoa-Nut cousin is fond of the sea,
and takes a bath in it every night. These crabs grow to a very large
size.
Crabs, and all crustaceans multiply enormously, and are of all sizes
from very tiny ones to one respectable Japan crab which covers
twenty-five feet of ground. In the tropics they grow very large, and
are of many different varieties.
Some crabs live in fresh water rivers and streams, some of the lower
forms of the family in the extreme North, and others in dark,
under-ground caves.
Like almost all of the crustaceans, the crabs and lobsters cast their
shells every year. Besides indulging in this habit himself, the
Hermit-Crab had once witnessed the toilet of a large lobster, and he
gave Sammy a graphic description of the operation.
It seems that some days before it was time for him to get his new
suit, Mr. Lobster retired to a quiet place, gave up all society, and
fasted rigorously. Of course this severe treatment soon caused him to
lose flesh; he became thinner and thinner and the shell grew looser
and looser. After awhile he grew restless. Evidently his peace of mind
and body was much disturbed, for he rolled about, scratched himself,
and crawled here and there as if distracted. Soon after this his shell
split clear up the back, and then such a wriggling, and tugging and
squirming as there was until finally the whole outside shell of the
lobster, legs, claws, and everything else was forced through the
narrow slit in his back!
When the old shell was gotten off it looked exactly like the living
lobster; and as for Mr. Lobster himself, lo! he was clothed in a bran
new suit of clothes. But although undoubtedly proud of his fine
apparel, he was too cautious to show it off as yet. He knew full well
that his new shell was very soft and tender, and that his enemies
liked him best in this condition, and that, alas! even his own family
would not hesitate, if they discovered him, to have a feast at his
expense. So, knowing his danger, and being pretty well tired after his
struggle with his toilet, Mr. Lobster prudently retired from the gaze
of the outside world, until his new shell hardened.
But, when that was accomplished and he sallied forth, courageous and
very hungry, you may be sure that an unhappy fate awaited the weak and
tender member of fishland that fell in his path!
Surely the life of a fish must be far from monotonous, since he has
always the excitement of hunting his own meals, and keeping out of the
way of others of his kind who are hunting for him! Still, nervous
prostration is quite unknown in that big water-world, and so it is to
be inferred that the fishes live only for the pleasures of the day,
and do not worry over the possible unpleasant things of the morrow.
"Which," said grandma, as she folded up her sewing, "is often a very
good principle to go on. So, children, off to bed with you, and
another evening we will learn how Sammy met the Pilot."