The Curious Lobster

by Richard W. Hatch

  Mr. Bear began to let out the rope very slowly and carefully. Everyone was anxiously waiting to see what would happen. Not a word was spoken.

  The sea gull’s plan worked! Down came Mr. Lobster at the end of the rope, dangling like a huge fish. It was a strange sight.

  “Marvelous!” exclaimed the turtle. “Marvelous! Never thought I would live to see a sight like this!”

  Slowly Mr. Lobster came down and down, getting nearer and nearer to the ground.

  And then he stopped! And there he hung in mid-air, still many feet above the ground.

  “Go on,” ordered the sea gull.

  “Yes, go on!” cried Mr. Badger.

  “I can’t,” said Mr. Bear. “I’ve come to the end of the rope. There’s no more to let out.”

  Everyone groaned.

  “I can’t hold on much longer,” gasped Mr. Lobster. “And if I let go now I shall be broken.”

  It was the most desolate moment of all.

  “I am afraid you will have to pull him up to the top of the tree again,” said the sea gull. “We shall have to get a longer rope.”

  “It’s no use. Never mind,” said Mr. Lobster weakly. “I won’t last that long. I might as well let go now. Farewell—”

  “Wait a minute! Don’t let go!” cried the snake, who had been silent all the while. “I will be a rope! Quick, Mr. Bear, just pull the end down so that I can take it in my mouth, and then you can take hold of my tail!”

  Mr. Bear pulled the rope down, and the snake took the end in his mouth. Then Mr. Bear took hold of the snake, just as if the snake were a rope also. Once more Mr. Lobster began to come down.

  “Hurry,” he said in a whisper. “Hurry if you can.”

  It was most uncomfortable for the snake, for he was being stretched out straight, and Mr. Lobster was heavy. But he said not a word of protest, and he did not hiss.

  Down, down . . . Mr. Lobster touched the ground.

  “Saved!” cried Mr. Badger. “Saved!”

  “Let go!” exclaimed the sea gull.

  Mr. Lobster let go. At last he was back on earth.

  “Thank you! Thank you!” he managed to say weakly. “Every one of you helped to save me. Now I must go into the ocean.”

  He crawled slowly to the water, his tail, which was very dry, dragging limply behind him. But he was happy once more, for he knew that he was saved and that soon he would be himself again.

  And all the others were happy, too, for it was true that every single one of them had had an important part in rescuing Mr. Lobster, and nothing makes people so happy as to rescue someone.

  Mr. Bear Has a Great Shock

  BY THE next morning Mr. Lobster was completely recovered from his harrowing experience, although he knew that he would never forget it as long as he lived.

  “I am through with trees and flying through the air,” he told Mr. Badger and Mr. Bear. “In the future I shall leave them both to the birds.”

  Mr. Badger and Mr. Bear agreed that was a wise decision.

  “But it was exciting,” said Mr. Badger. “Think what a great thing it will be to remember! It was the narrowest escape of all, and it took more people to get you out of trouble than any other escape. That is a record.”

  The snake came to the beach to see if everything was all right. He was still somewhat lame from being stretched, he said, but he was happy.

  “It is the first time I have ever helped anybody out of trouble,” he explained, “and it has given me a most pleasant feeling. I am sure that it was a valuable experience, and that I am a better snake now.”

  Those words made Mr. Lobster feel that he had not suffered in vain.

  The sea gull had flown away home, but the turtle came out of the ocean to see Mr. Lobster once more.

  “I’m on my way,” he said. “Glad to see you looking so fit this morning, Mr. Lobster. Very glad. Never like to see anyone in trouble. Makes me nervous. All your own fault, of course. You shouldn’t go into the tops of trees.”

  “I shan’t do it again,” said Mr. Lobster.

  “Well, well, never mind,” the turtle went on in his usual rapid manner. “Never too old to learn a lesson, I say. But I must be going. Must be on my way. I hope you don’t mind my saying so, but it has all been rather confusing for me, you know, after coming here to get away from everything. Think I’ll look for another island and have a good rest.”

  Mr. Lobster thanked the turtle again for saving his life, and he thanked the snake. The turtle returned to the ocean, and the snake disappeared into the woods. So the three friends were there on the beach, and Mr. Lobster expressed his gratitude again to Mr. Badger and Mr. Bear.

  “Don’t mention it,” said Mr. Badger. “We’re just friends and heroes together. And explorers, of course, although I think that it is about time to think of sailing for home.”

  “I suppose it is,” agreed Mr. Lobster. And he thought of his real home with longing. He realized that he had been gone a long time.

  “I hope we haven’t got to hurry,” said Mr. Bear.

  “Why, I thought you were ready to leave long ago,” said Mr. Badger.

  “Well, I haven’t eaten all the honey yet.”

  Mr. Badger chuckled.

  “We couldn’t wait for anything so unimportant as honey,” he said in order to tease Mr. Bear.

  Mr. Bear gave a small growl, the first one in many days.

  “Honey is very important,” he said gruffly.

  “But we had better wait a few days until the wind changes,” Mr. Badger went on, pretending that he was paying no attention to Mr. Bear, “and of course we can all do whatever we please while we are waiting.”

  Thus it came about that Mr. Bear went into the woods to eat the rest of his honey. Mr. Lobster and Mr. Badger had other things to do. In the first place, Mr. Badger had not forgotten that they had sailed on their exploration without any bait for fishing. So it was decided that Mr. Lobster should gather some more clams, which could be kept in shallow water until the day of departure.

  This kept Mr. Lobster busy for two days, and it kept him happy as well, for he caught several good dinners and lunches while he was hunting clams. Also, he was getting excited over the thought of returning home.

  On the third day, in the afternoon, Mr. Badger took the water jug.

  “There is a spring in the woods right near the beach just a short distance from the boat,” he said. “I discovered it some time ago. I shall fill this with water and put it in the boat.”

  Mr. Badger had no more than gone when Mr. Bear came out of the woods. He looked very full and completely satisfied.

  “You know,” he said to Mr. Lobster, “this has been quite an exploration, but I am ready to go home now. Not much use staying anywhere after the honey is gone.”

  “I think we are sailing tomorrow,” said Mr. Lobster.

  Before Mr. Bear could say anything in reply, they both heard a great shouting from up the beach. It was Mr. Badger, who was calling as loud as he could.

  “Mr. Lobster! Mr. Bear! Come here! A great discovery!”

  They both hurried toward Mr. Badger, wondering what was going to happen now. When they reached the spot where Mr. Badger was waiting he led them to a part of the beach right next the edge of the woods.

  “It is tremendous!” he exclaimed as he led the way, “perfectly tremendous! Dozens and dozens of them!”

  “Dozens of what?” asked Mr. Bear.

  “Eggs!” said Mr. Badger.

  “I never saw an egg,” said Mr. Lobster.

  “Eggs are round things that new birds come out of,” explained Mr. Badger breathlessly. “The owl told me about them. Look!”

  Mr. Lobster and Mr. Bear looked. There in a hollow scooped in the sand were small round eggs. As Mr. Badger had said, there were dozens and dozens of them.

  Mr. Bear sniffed.

  “I am not interested in eggs,” he said. “I never eat them.”

  “I am interested in them if birds come out of them,” said
Mr. Lobster, “but I don’t see how there is room for wings inside of those eggs.”

  “Probably they grow their wings after they come out of the eggs,” said Mr. Badger. “I don’t know about that.”

  “Well, it makes no difference to me,” Mr. Bear remarked. “I am not interested in eggs, and we are going home tomorrow.”

  “I am afraid we can’t go home tomorrow,” said Mr. Badger seriously, “on account of these eggs.”

  “I don’t understand,” said Mr. Lobster. “Please explain.”

  “Eggs have to be kept warm or the birds in them never come out,” explained Mr. Badger. “The owl told me. It is terribly important. And I think there must have been an accident, and the bird who was sitting on these eggs is lost. So we must keep them warm and save the little new birds.”

  Mr. Bear gave a low growl.

  “You mean that we can’t leave because of these miserable eggs?” he demanded.

  “Yes,” replied Mr. Badger. “It was a bird who saved Mr. Lobster’s life, and so we must save all the birds in the eggs. Heroes can never forget their obligations.”

  “I suppose you are right,” agreed Mr. Lobster, “but what shall we do?”

  Mr. Badger thought seriously for a few minutes, looking at the eggs all the while.

  “I have an idea,” he said finally. “It is this. Of course, Mr. Lobster is too cold to sit on them. He could never keep them warm even if he is a hero. And I am too small to cover so many eggs. I should be resting right on top of them and break them all.”

  “I know what’s coming,” said Mr. Bear at this point. “Please don’t say another word.”

  “Mr. Bear must sit on the eggs,” said Mr. Badger very firmly, not paying the slightest attention to Mr. Bear. “He is so big that he can cover this hole and all the eggs without breaking them.”

  “Never!” cried Mr. Bear in a rage. “It would be ridiculous for a bear to sit on eggs.”

  “This is not ridiculous. It is our duty, and duty is never ridiculous,” said Mr. Badger. “Don’t you agree, Mr. Lobster?”

  “I am afraid you are right,” said Mr. Lobster, “although it is rather hard on Mr. Bear.”

  Mr. Bear growled then, and it was no small growl either.

  “Just my luck!” he said. “Just when everything is going beautifully, and I have had plenty of honey, and we are ready to go home—this happens! Life is full of nothing but sorrow for me.”

  “Think of all the poor little birds,” said Mr. Badger.

  “I hate birds!”

  “Never mind,” said Mr. Lobster. “I am sure you will be happy when it is all over, for it will certainly be a good deed, and you are bound to be happy when you do good deeds.”

  Mr. Bear only growled in reply.

  He was miserable, and he felt ridiculous indeed. He was sure that it was silly for a bear to sit on eggs. And yet he knew that he was helpless. Whenever Mr. Lobster and Mr. Badger agreed on anything, it had to be done.

  So, with a great deal of grumbling and growling, and the strangest look on his face, Mr. Bear lay down on the sand so that he covered the place where the eggs lay.

  “You can pretend you are a bird,” said Mr. Badger.

  “Go away!” growled Mr. Bear. “If I have to sit here after I get hungry, you will have to bring me my food, and now you can leave me alone.”

  Mr. Lobster and Mr. Badger thought it best to leave Mr. Bear alone as he suggested.

  “He is really very cross,” observed Mr. Lobster when they had gone some distance.

  Mr. Badger began to laugh, and he laughed until the tears came to his eyes.

  “It is the funniest thing I have ever seen in my life,” he said. “That enormous creature sitting on those eggs and growling all the time. I can hardly keep a straight face when I am near him.”

  WITH A GREAT DEAL OF GRUMBLING AND GROWLING, MR. BEAR LAY DOWN ON THE SAND.

  “I suppose it is necessary?” said Mr. Lobster.

  “Absolutely,” said Mr. Badger. “That is the best part of it—to have something necessary and funny at the same time. It is so unusual.”

  The next morning, when they returned with a fish for Mr. Bear, they could hear poor Mr. Bear growling and muttering to himself as soon as they drew near.

  “How long do I have to stay here?” he asked.

  “Oh, you never can tell,” said Mr. Badger. “Sometimes it takes weeks.”

  “Then that settles it,” said Mr. Bear. “If you think I am going to wait here weeks before going home—and just for dozens of little birds—you are mistaken. I am leaving right now.”

  “Probably the bird did most of the sitting, and it may take only a few days,” said Mr. Lobster, trying to be encouraging.

  Mr. Bear snorted, but he did not move.

  “You must remember that you are a hero,” said Mr. Badger. “You will be very important.”

  For the first time since he had started sitting on the eggs Mr. Bear had a gleam of happiness. Being important was a new thought, and it made his task a bit easier. He settled back in some comfort now.

  But his task was not finished by any means. Day after day passed, and the endless sitting became a great trial to Mr. Bear. Often he was cross at Mr. Badger, who had caused the whole thing by discovering the eggs, and who, Mr. Bear suspected, was really enjoying the situation.

  And each day they all became more and more excited about the eggs and what would come out of them. It was hard to wait.

  Mr. Lobster, in the kindness of his heart, was sorry for Mr. Bear, and he did everything in his power to give Mr. Bear comfort and joy. So he spoke encouragingly to Mr. Bear about the birds.

  “I am sure they will be beautiful,” he said.

  “I don’t know. I’m not very lucky,” remarked Mr. Bear in a gloomy tone. He was feeling depressed because he wanted to go home and it seemed as if the birds would never come out of their eggs.

  “Perhaps they will be sea gulls,” said Mr. Lobster.

  “They may only be sparrows.”

  “They might be eagles.”

  Then Mr. Bear brightened up.

  “I never thought of that,” he said. “Do you think that is really possible? Eagles! Think of it—the most important birds there are!”

  After that Mr. Bear was much happier, and everyone was in even greater suspense. This whole business was one of the strangest things the three friends had ever encountered, and they began to feel that some great event was going to happen.

  Fortunately, the weather was fair and warm, so Mr. Bear did not suffer from being out all the time, day and night. And he began to get some pleasure from ordering Mr. Badger to bring more and more fish. In fact, he did his best to keep Mr. Badger working, even ordering meals when he was not very hungry.

  But it was the thought of the glorious eagles that gave Mr. Bear the greatest comfort.

  “I am positive they will be eagles,” he said to Mr. Lobster one day.

  Mr. Lobster wasn’t so sure about the eagles. However, he was now so curious about what was going to come out of the eggs that he could hardly sleep nights. The very thought of it made him tremble with excitement, and he came ashore earlier and earlier in the morning and stayed there all day waiting. Mr. Badger was kept busy catching fish, but he also hovered around Mr. Bear and the eggs as much as possible.

  The three friends were all more excited than ever before, and it was plain that something would have to happen pretty soon or they wouldn’t be able to eat or sleep or do anything but wait for the coming of the birds.

  One afternoon, just as Mr. Badger was hurrying to Mr. Bear with his supper, the great moment came.

  Something stirred in the nest under Mr. Bear, and he felt it plainly.

  “There is something happening!” he called out.

  “Hurry!” called Mr. Lobster to Mr. Badger.

  “The eagles are coming!” exclaimed Mr. Bear.

  Mr. Badger dropped his fish and came on the run.

  Mr. Bear tried to look extremely
important.

  “I have done it,” he declared proudly.

  “What? Tell me at once!” cried Mr. Badger, who was now very much excited but could see nothing.

  “I have hatched the eagles,” answered Mr. Bear.

  “Do wait a few minutes more,” advised Mr. Badger. “We must save them all.”

  “You mean I must save them all,” said Mr. Bear. “I think I get the credit for this! And please remember that these eagles are mine!”

  He waited for a few minutes. It was so exciting that Mr. Lobster had to hold his breath to keep still. Then, very slowly, and in the most dignified and impressive manner, Mr. Bear rose from the nest and carefully stepped to one side before turning to see what had come out of the eggs.

  Before Mr. Badger or Mr. Lobster could see a thing, Mr. Bear made a hideous sound of pure horror. Then he growled in frightful rage.

  Mr. Badger and Mr. Lobster looked.

  Out of the nest came scrambling forty-three little black turtles!

  “Turtles!” exclaimed Mr. Badger.

  “Oh!” gasped Mr. Lobster. “The turtle said that he had distant relatives living in a pond on this island. He said they were just mud turtles.”

  It was a dreadful moment, a crushing moment for all of them. But for Mr. Bear it was the most horrible disappointment of his life.

  He turned and started to walk away, his head hanging down. The forty-three little mud turtles followed him. Frightful sounds were still coming from deep down in Mr. Bear’s throat.

  Mr. Badger was trying to keep from laughing.

  Mr. Lobster was stunned.

  “Mud turtles!” Mr. Bear was saying. “My whole life is ruined. I am the unluckiest person on earth. All great sorrows fall upon me. I am disgraced forever. All on account of Mr. Badger. No one will ever believe that I am a hero after this.”

  He was slowly walking down the beach. The forty-three turtles were still following him. Mr. Lobster and Mr. Badger started after Mr. Bear and the turtles. It was a strange procession, indeed.

  “I give you my word of honor,” said Mr. Badger, “that I never knew turtles came from eggs.”

  “Do not speak to me,” growled Mr. Bear, not even looking around. “Never speak to me. I am going away by myself—probably forever!”