The monkeys that live in the forests skirting the great sea in the south, wait for the tides to recede, hoping to feast on the sea crabs that are left behind on the shore. When the monkeys spot a crab and quickly capture it and fill their stomachs.

At times, the sea crabs hoping to save themselves from the tyranny of the monkeys, dig themselves into the bed of sand. However, the monkeys being clever animals, spot the holes left behind by the sea crab and reach down into the holes with their long tails. Some sea- crabs have short tempers and irritated by the monkeys come out of hiding- it is at this moment that the monkeys win again- they devour the crabs in an instant.

But some crabs are patient and refuse to re-surface from the holes they have dug. The crabs grab on to the monkeys tail and refuse to let go- and when the next tide comes in the monkeys inevitably drown. In these situations, the crabs claim victory. When the tides recede, the lifeless monkey is left behind; All the sea crabs emerge from their holes to feast on the monkey.

Sourced From “Laos Folk-Lore of Farther India” by Katherine Neville Fleeson, 2011

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