On a sunny day in September, ten crayfish were swimming in a small creek. They all watched as a big truck pulled in.

“What a large truck,” pointed out one crayfish.

“Look at its tires,” another observed.

The truck pulled up next to the creek, and a man with a large net proceeded out of the vehicle.

“Run!” screeched one crayfish.

“Swim!” squealed another.

Well, they did swim and run as fast as they could, but they were no match for the man with the net. With one stroke of his net, he picked up all ten crayfish. He put them into a glass jar full of water and brought them to the car. He laid them in the trunk of his car and slammed the door shut.

“What are we going to do?” cried one crayfish.

“We will all die a horrible death,” one whined.

“Let’s look on the bright side,” pointed out one. “He might let us free.”

“Yeah, as soon as I grow legs ten feet tall and smash his van,” one exclaimed.

“Smash! Smash! Smash!” they chanted as they attempted to smash open the jar they were being contained in. It, obviously, was no use.

“We are all going to die,” one sighed.

As soon as the crayfish said that, the man with the net returned. He yanked one crayfish out and examined it. He wrote down some notes and put that one in a separate jar. He did the same with the other nine, then left. He slammed the door shut, and one crayfish made a keen observation.

“Hey, look. He forgot to put the lid on.”

Mass hysteria followed. Each crayfish tried and tried again, but none could reach the top.

“I have an idea,” a quite large crayfish (known as Goliath) announced.

“What is it? What is it?” the smaller crayfish asked.

“I will tell you my idea if you all agree on this one condition: You must do everything I say, no matter how ridiculous it sounds.”

“I agree,” they all stated.

“Well, you shall all hoist me to the top of the jar. I will jump out, and since I am so big and strong, I will knock the jar over, setting you all free.”

Everyone agreed, and Goliath was hoisted to the top of the jar. He was lifted right to the top, so he jumped right out.

“Set us free, set us free,” the smaller crayfish yelled in unison.

“You are stupid, stupid crayfish. Even I, Goliath, could not push over a jar as mighty as that. You will all die a horrible death as I will live. So long!”

Just as Goliath finished talking, the man with the net returned. He picked up the jar and brought it to the creek, setting them all free.

He returned to his truck, and as he walked around the truck, he noticed Goliath, running around the ground.

And do you know what the man with the net did?

He squished Goliath with his shoe.