Pages from My Illustrated Children's Book

How The Crab Got A Crack On It’s Back by Michelle Chin

How The Crab Got A Crack On It’s Back

Early one Saturday while it was dark still,
Tia and Tara made their way down a hill.

Each carried a basket of clothes on their head,
Inside were dirty dresses: blue, yellow and red.

At the river with water that was kind of blue-green,
They needed to make their dirty clothes clean.

While they were washing, an old woman came,
To bathe in the river, she said, was her aim.

The old woman was feeble and walked with a stick,
To get over the rocks she needed help quick.

“Will no one help me, no one at all?
Without some assistance I know I will fall.”

“Shut up!” said Tia, “I have work to do.”
“Why should I waste my time helping you?”

“Stop that!” said Tara, “don’t be unkind.”
To the old woman, she said, “Pay her no mind.”

“Just hold on to me and you’ll be alright.”
“Thank you.” Said the woman, and held on to her tight.

On a rock the woman had taken a seat,
While Tara scrubbed first her back, then her feet.


“I could never touch that ugly old witch”,
Said Tia. “Just the thought of it is making me itch.”

Tia made fun of Tara and the old woman too.
But the woman was cunning and new just what to do.

In truth the old woman was really a witch.
She rewarded Tara by making her rich.

She then raised her stick and with a loud wack.
Brought it down hard across the mean girl’s back.


“Abra-Ka-Dabra Ka-Dabra-Ab,
Instead of a girl, you now are a crab.”

So if you happen to see a crab with a crack,
Right down the center of its old hard back.

It’s really Tia, so it has been told,
So be kind to all, whether young or old.

Crick Crack, monkey break he back for ah piece ah pomerac.

Written by Michelle Chin