The Magic Crab

My favorite newspaper, The Phnom Penh Post, featured an article about a crab that was recently found by an 11 year old boy.  He told his mom it was a magic crab because there's a vague image of a woman wearing a crown on it's yellow shell.  The family decided to keep the crab as a revered pet.  People in their village visit the crab and take some water from it's jar to give to loved ones who are sick.  The mother, Srey, said, “I saw the woman’s face wearing a crown, and when we asked [the face] to smile, it smiled.  It does what we order it to do.”

At first, I thought about the people and their quirky superstitions.  Then, I started remembering all the other times I have heard of stories like this.  Sure, it may not be a crowned lady.  It could be Dorito chip in the form of the virgin Mary.  But it's the same thing.  We all love symbols that give us hope.