Colin the Crab Falls in Love

ENGLISH EDITION
Colin the Crab
Falls in Love
Tuula Pere
Roksolana Panchyshyn
W
ickWick

Colin the Crab Falls in Love, Original English Edition
Story by Tuula Pere
Illustrations by Roksolana Panchyshyn
Layout by Peter Stone
English translation by Mirka Pohjanrinne
Edited in US English by Susan Korman
ISBN 978-952-325-908-9 (ePub)
ISBN 978-952-325-408-4 (Print)
First edition
Copyright © 2018 Wickwick Ltd
Published 2018 by Wickwick Ltd
Helsinki, Finland
Printed in EU
Originally published in Finland by Wickwick Ltd in 2018
Finnish “Timo Taskurapu rakastuu”, ISBN 978-952-325-407-7 (Print), ISBN 978-952-325-907-2 (ePub)
English “Colin the Crab Falls in Love”, ISBN 978-952-325-408-4 (Print), ISBN 978-952-325-908-9 (ePub)
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ENGLISH EDITION
Colin the Crab
Falls in Love
Tuula Pere • Roksolana Panchyshyn
W
ickWick
Children’s Books from the Heart
1

2

Colin the Crab lived a happy life in a peaceful
river bay. Among the inhabitants of the river,
he was well known for his craftsmanship. For he
had built his house, all the way from the basement
to the attic, with his very own claws. And he never
said no when someone asked him for help.
Colin’s home was his favorite place in the world.
There, in the peace and quiet of his beautiful yard,
he was free to do his chores at his own pace. Late
in the evenings, he loved to admire the moonlight,
which cast a silvery tone over the hills along the
river.
“It’s so lovely here,” he often sighed contently,
holding a mug of herb tea firmly in his claws.
But still, every once in a while, Colin found himself
thinking how nice it would be to share his house
with someone else. Preferably with someone who
would appreciate its peacefulness and beauty as
much as he did.
“Well now, enough with the daydreams,” he told
himself sternly one evening. “Tomorrow is another
busy day at work.”
3

Early the next morning, Colin headed over to
see old Mrs. Catfish, who lived in a ramshackle
house. Without Colin’s constant care, the building
would fall apart.
“What would I do without you, Colin? I’d have
to leave my dear home and go live with strangers
somewhere. What a dreadful thought!” Mrs.
Catfish sighed.
The old fish woman wiped tears from her eyes with
a handkerchief trimmed with delicate antique lace.
Colin nodded gravely, and continued attaching a
new floorboard in the doorway to replace the old
rotten one.
“Don’t you worry, Mrs. Catfish,” Colin said
consolingly. “I will keep this house together, even
though I have to admit, it needs a lot of work.”
When the job was done, Mrs. Catfish offered her
helper cookies made of insects, and some fresh
water. As Colin was enjoying the snack on an old
heirloom sofa, the lady of the house
took out one of her many photo albums.
It was time for reminiscing.
4

5

Even though Colin was very busy today, he
didn’t have the heart to interrupt Mrs. Catfish.
All her stories were about the most important
events of her life.
“Look here, Colin, this is me. I was a beautiful
young bride once,” the old woman sighed. “It was
such a long time ago. Too long. Now I live in my
house all alone.”
“I live alone, too,” Colin reminded her gently.
6

“But that’s not the same thing at all!” Mrs. Catfish
exclaimed. She looked indignant. “You’ve never
had a spouse to lose. I miss my Mr. Catfish terribly.”
Colin looked down and blushed. The old fish
woman was right. He didn’t have a spouse, and
perhaps he’d never have one. Yet, deep inside his
heart, Colin often longed to have another crab by
his side.
7

On his way home, Colin passed by Sally the
Starfish’s house. As he walked along Sally’s
fence, he adjusted a couple of decorations to fit
better between the boards.
Sally was a vain young starfish who liked to
brighten up her yard with decorations. Now the
fence was filled with shimmering pieces of glass
and shiny corks.
Suddenly Sally herself appeared in a window.
“Colin dear,” she called. “Would you mind coming
over tomorrow? I’ve found the most wonderful
mirror, but I don’t know how to hang it on my
closet wall.”
“I could come in right now,” Colin replied.
“I’m afraid this isn’t a good time. I have to hurry to
a starfish ball. My boyfriend is coming to pick me
up soon, and I haven’t even dressed yet! I also have
to oil my arms!” She fussed.
“I’ll come tomorrow then. Have a great evening!”
Colin waved a claw, and continued on his way.
8

Colin had met Sally’s boyfriend, and quickly
come to the conclusion that the starfish was
not much of a handyman. The young starfish only
seemed interested in Sally, and admiring his own
looks.
Those who spend hours in front of a mirror are
rarely interested in building projects, Colin had
learned.
9

Just when Colin the Crab was about to open
the pretty gate to enter his yard, he heard a
humming sound from upstream. It was Eddie
the Eel, approaching on his motocopter. When he
noticed Colin, Eddie braked hard.
“How’s it going, old chap? On your way out this
evening?” Eddie the Eel asked with a big smile. “I
could offer you a ride, if you like. I’m going to take
my wife out for a little while to get some fresh air.”
10

Eddie was always in a good mood when he got
to drive around with his motocopter and tell
others about its many splendid qualities.
“I think I’m going to stay in this evening and rest a
little. Say hello to your wife for me!” Colin replied.
Eddie started the engine of the motocopter again,
and quickly disappeared around the bend in the
river. Colin walked across the yard to his pavilion,
stopping to admire the streaming water.
Perhaps one night I could go out and visit some
friends or something, Colin thought. But going out
on my own doesn’t seem like much fun. He sighed.
He’d like to look for a spouse. But where in the
world could he find one?
11

All week long, this idea of finding a spouse
continued to whirl about inside Colin’s head.
But he felt quite uncertain about how to handle
this unfamiliar matter. He decided to invite his
friends to his pavilion this weekend to celebrate
the full moon. He could ask their advice then.
After sunset on Saturday evening, there was a
buzz at Colin’s gate. Eddie the Eel made quite an
appearance by showing up in his motocopter. His
wife sat beside him, and Mrs. Catfish was in the
back. She climbed off, looking a bit dizzy. She had
just experienced the fastest ride of her life.
“How wonderful that an older fish woman like me
gets to spend an evening with you youngsters!”
Mrs. Catfish smiled with delight. “I brought my
gramophone and some records, just in case we’d
like to do some dancing.”
Next, Sally the Starfish arrived with her boyfriend.
They were both dressed in gorgeous evening wear
and practically glowing with happiness. The
couple sat down on a nice bench in the pavilion,
gently intertwining their arms.
12

13

The Newt family arrived with their children.
The smallest ones were in baby carriers, and
the family had also brought along camp beds, just
in case.
“This is what it’s like when you have kids,” Norma
the Newt said happily, bustling about with her
husband. She looked for good spots for the little
ones, right next to the table where Colin had set
all the treats.
It was a nice evening. Everyone ate and talked,
and they played wistful tunes on Mrs. Catfish’s
gramophone. The full moon rose to the sky and
cast its light over the river bay, lighting up Colin’s
pavilion and yard. After the little newts had fallen
asleep, Colin plucked up his courage.
“Promise me you won’t laugh,” he began shyly. “I’d
like to ask your advice about something a bit delicate.”
“Of course, Colin! We’d love to help you in any
way we can,” his friends exclaimed, almost in one
voice.
14

15

Colin cleared his throat and got to the point.
“You see, the thing is, I’ve always lived here by
myself. I don’t have many relatives, and they live
far away, so I don’t get to see them often.”
“But all of your friends are here!” Norma the Newt
pointed out.
“That’s true. I do have many good friends, but
none of you lives here with me,” Colin said quietly.
16

His friends glanced at each other. Was Colin
unhappy with his life? Was he tired of his
friends, or was something else going on?
Then Sally the Starfish nodded as she caressed one
of her boyfriend’s arms. “I understand you very
well, Colin. There are friends, and then there are
special friends. There’s a big difference between
the two!”
“Oh, now I get it. Colin needs a spouse!” Eddie the
Eel said. “I charmed my wife by taking her for a
ride with my previous motocopter. But mind you,
the new one is much finer and—”
“Oh, give it a rest, Eddie!” Mrs. Eel cut him off.
“This is serious!”
17

18

Colin the Crab stared at his friends. Fortunately,
they weren’t laughing or teasing him
but taking the matter seriously. A lively discussion
followed. Everyone had a story about how he or
she had met a spouse. Eventually, the group started
pondering what could be done to help Colin.
“You could buy yourself a little motocopter. Even a
used one would do,” Eddie the Eel suggested. “And
before you know it, you’ll meet a cute girl crab who
wants to go for a ride with you.”
“But I’m quite happy with my cart,” Colin said.
“It’s very handy for carrying building equipment
and groceries.”
Sally the Starfish attempted to persuade Colin to
update his wardrobe.
“Girl crabs would be eager to date you if you
weren’t always wearing those same old overalls,”
Sally insisted.
“But these are so practical. I can carry my tools
and other useful things in my pockets,” Colin
defended his wardrobe.
19

After Colin rejected Mrs. Catfish’s suggestion
to buy antique furniture and a porcelain
tableware to impress female crabs, his friends
finally gave up. They started to get ready to leave.
“I’m afraid we aren’t much help,” Norma the Newt
sighed.
“We’ll let you know if we come up with some other
ideas,” Eddie the Eel promised.
The moon had traveled across the bay by the time
that Colin waved good-bye to his last guest. It was
time to close the gate and go to bed.
Actually, I did get a lot of help from them, Colin
thought. Now I know that I have to find a spouse in
my own way. It wouldn’t be like me at all to show off
with fancy clothes or by driving around in a motocopter.
In his bedroom, Colin could see the silvery moon
shining through the curtain. Before falling asleep,
he went over the conversation with his friends
once more.
“I am Colin the Crab and nobody else,” he decided.
“I should do fine, just the way I am.”
20

21

The new week began with a burst of activity.
On Monday morning, the sun had barely
risen when Colin’s phone rang loudly.
“This is Finley the Frog, the director of the
museum. We have an emergency here!”
“How can I help you?” Colin said, still sleepy.
“Our shell collection!” Finley sounded out of
breath. “A huge shelf containing our most valuable
shells and corals has collapsed. Now they’re lying
on the floor all over the place!”
“I’ll come and help you right away,” Colin said.
22

Colin quickly packed some supplies onto his
cart, and slipped the most important tools
into the pockets of his overalls. There was no time
to waste!
Finley the Frog was waiting for Colin on the stairs.
He ushered Colin into the museum.
“Just look at this mess!” the director moaned.
“Soon I won’t have a museum to run anymore!”
“Perhaps it’s best you go to your office for a little
while, so I can have a closer look,” Colin suggested.
23

24

The director sat down at his desk, but he kept a close eye on Colin through a glass
wall as the crab inspected the damage. Colin moved carefully among the fallen
shelves and museum pieces.
“I can fix this,” Colin murmured. “First, I’ll collect the most fragile pieces and put
them beside the wall, and then, I’ll handle the shelves.”
“I can help with collecting the shells and corals,” a quiet voice said from behind
Colin. “I’ll bring new glass jars to replace the broken ones.”
25

Colin spun around quickly. There she was . . .
a girl crab with the most beautiful eyes in the
world!
The girl crab stood in the middle of the mess.
She stared back at Colin with a startled look. She
flushed, and it seemed to take her a moment to
speak.
“I’m the museum assistant, Clara the Crab. I know
the pieces very well and can help you get everything
back together. But maybe I should take some
herb tea to the director Finley the Frog first, so
he’ll calm down and stay out of our way.”
26

Colin couldn’t help laughing. Despite her shy
appearance, Clara seemed like a very determined
young lady! She knew just how to handle
Finley and a situation like this!
As Clara swung into action, Colin began working
too. While he fixed the shelves, he couldn’t help
sneaking peeks at Clara. First, she took a cup of tea
to the frazzled director. Then she replaced broken
glass jars, reorganized the shells and corals, and
found their labels. Clara definitely had an orderly
way of working.
“Here’s some tea and biscuits for you!” Clara
handed Colin a small tray.
“Thank you. I might as well take a little break
now,” Colin said, pleased. “Almost all the shelves
have been fixed!”
27

28

Clara and Colin had a nice cup of tea together.
The two crabs chatted easily, never once
running out of things to talk about. And after their
break, the remaining work went very smoothly.
The exhibition area was back in order by late afternoon.
Finley the Frog looked delighted. “Colin, your
help was indispensable!” he declared. “We couldn’t
have rebuilt the exhibition without you.”
Colin glanced toward Clara. “It wouldn’t have
gone this well without Clara’s help. All I did was
build the shelves and remove the broken pieces.”
“We worked well together, didn’t we?” the girl crab
said with a smile. “And I’d love to come over to see
your blue pavilion. I’m sure it’s quite lovely!”
On his way home, Colin the Crab whistled happily.
His cart felt light as he bounced up and down on
the rocks along the streambed. What a great day
this had been. Such a great day!
29

No one could have imagined how much Colin’s
life would change after his emergency repair
at the museum. Nevertheless, his friends could tell
that something quite extraordinary had happened
to him.
The first one to notice the change in Colin was Sally
the Starfish. She was very familiar with matters of
the heart.
“I suspect that Colin the Crab has fallen in love,”
Sally said to her boyfriend.
“How can you tell?” the boy starfish wondered.
30

“Have you seen him? He bought new overalls, and
he’s wearing a waterlily in his breast pocket. It’s
not like him at all!”
Eddie the Eel had also observed something new in
the air. One evening Colin had dropped by to ask
Eddie about motocopter lessons. If he could learn
to drive it, perhaps Eddie would let him borrow
the old motocopter for a little trip?
“But of course, dear chap! It’s quite easy to drive,”
Eddie said. “I’m sure you will learn quickly.”
31

32

Colin and Clara loved spending time together.
Every now and then, they went shopping at Ozzie
the Octopus’s store. But they were both very careful
about money. When Ozzie tried to talk them into
buying trendy summer sandals or floppy hats,
it only made them smile. Colin and Clara only
bought things that were really necessary.
On her first visit, Clara marveled at Colin’s house.
“What a beautiful home!” she said. “You have
worked hard for it.”
Colin showed his girlfriend all around the house.
She saw its every room and corner, every bush
and stone in the yard, the fence and the toolshed.
Finally, he took her inside the blue pavilion and
offered her a cup of evening tea.
“Sitting here in the evenings must be very nice,”
Clara sighed.
“It’s all the more lovely now that you are sitting
here next to me,” Colin said quietly, blushing.
Both crabs were silent for a moment before they
went back to drinking tea. That evening
was very calm and deep blue in color.
33

Colin the Crab was anxiously waiting for the
weekend. After finally gathering his courage,
he had invited Clara to join him for a picnic
upstream. There was only one problem. Colin still
had no idea how to drive the peculiar vehicle!
He’d been going to Eddie the Eel’s place for driving
lessons. But despite Eddie’s patient efforts to show
the crab how to start up the vehicle and use the
steering controls, Colin was baffled. “I know how
to use my tools, but motocopters just aren’t for
me,” he said with a sigh.
34

It was their last lesson before the weekend. The
vehicle jumped up and down and bounced
uncontrollably along Eddie’s driveway.
“Honestly, you are the most challenging student
I have ever had!” Eddie complained. “And as
you know, I’ve taught about a dozen motocopter
drivers in my own driving school.”
Frustrated, Colin shook his head. He had tried to
get the stubborn vehicle under his control so many
times. What if he had to cancel the picnic with
Clara? He had waited so long for this occasion.
35

Colin took a deep breath, and decided to give
the motocopter one more try. He reviewed
Eddie’s instructions, and started to press buttons
on the dashboard.
“Which gear should I use? Where’s the gas pedal?
The clutch?” Drops of sweat appeared on Colin’s
forehead.
As his panic grew, Colin clenched the steering
wheel in his claws so tightly that it broke into
pieces. Then one of his legs got stuck beside the
gas pedal. “Aah!” Colin cried as the vehicle sped
forward. He couldn’t find the brake anywhere.
Boom! With a loud crash, Colin slammed into a
wall of Eddie’s house.
36

“I’m all right, but I can’t get out!” Colin waved his
claws back and forth.
“Just stay put. I’ll get some help,” cried Eddie the
Eel. He rushed inside to make a phone call.
Soon the fire brigade of carps, and the river ambulance
of eels arrived, along with a large number
of locals. Everyone was relieved to see that Colin
appeared to be all right. The rescue workers
began working on freeing him from the wrecked
machine.
37

Clara rushed to the accident scene. Colin was
still stuck in the motocopter.
“Thank goodness you were not hurt!” Clara bent
down and hugged Colin so tightly that their claws
clattered.
“I don’t think I’m much of a motocopter man,”
Colin sighed gloomily.
“And you don’t have to be! It’s better to let go of
such fancies,” Clara said.
Eventually, Colin was set free. The river ambulance
crew left the scene, once they had made sure
that Colin’s shell was unbroken, and each of his leg
joints was all right.
Colin felt embarrassed about all the trouble and
worry he had caused. “I’m so sorry, Eddie.”
Fortunately, Eddie was not angry at all. “You are
fine, Colin. That’s all that matters! Besides, I have
excellent insurance on all my vehicles,” Eddie said
cheerfully. With that, he left the young couple
alone.
38

39

40

Later that day, Colin and Clara climbed onto the roof
of Colin’s house. They sat side by side for quite a while,
not saying a word.
“I was trying to learn how to drive a motocopter because I
wanted to take you on a very special trip,” Colin confessed.
“Why? It’s quite lovely here in our home bay,” Clara said.
Colin hesitated. “I thought . . . in the lookout spot upstream,
I could . . . ask you to be my wife,” Colin blurted out. “And
now, you have to settle for this place.”
There was a long moment of silence. They could almost
hear their little crab hearts beating under their breastplates.
At last Clara smiled. “My answer is the same, no matter
where we are. Of course! Colin the Crab, you are exactly
the kind of crab I want to live with for the rest of my life.”
That evening two very happy crabs sat side by side on
the roof of Colin’s charming house, admiring the silvery
moon, and planning their future. Even the wind stilled,
to listen to the two crabs dreaming in the quiet.
41

Colin the Crab is a hard worker who loves
spending his spare time with friends. He
has a charming home, but lately it has started
to feel a bit empty and lonely. Is it time for
Colin to find a spouse? Colin is confused,
and none of his friends knows how to
advise him.
One day Finley the Frog, the director
of the river museum, calls Colin for
help when an accident befalls
an important exhibition of
shells and corals. Among the
broken shelves, Colin makes
a delightful discovery: a
girl crab with the most
beautiful eyes along
the riverbank.
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