The Bodhisatta was a brahmin farmer of Sālindiya. On the way to his fields he passed a pond and grew friendly with a golden crab living in the pond. A she-crow longed to eat the farmer’s eyes, and persuaded her husband to induce a snake to bite the farmer. This he did, and, overcome with the poison, the farmer fell near the pool. Attracted by the noise, the crab emerged, and, seeing the crow about to peck out the farmer’s eyes, caught the crow with his claws. When the snake came to the rescue of the crow, the crab fastened on him too. The crab made the snake suck the poison from the farmer’s body, and, when he stood up, the crab crushed the necks of both the snake and the crow and killed them.

The story was told in reference to Ānanda’s attempt to save the Buddha from the elephant (Dhanapāla) sent by Devadatta to kill him, by standing between the elephant and the Buddha.

Māra was the serpent, Devadatta the crow, and Ānanda, the crab. Ciñcamāṇavikā was the female crow. J.iii.293-8.