Whenever the crab general led his army into battle, he always charged ahead, but when it was time to retreat, he was always at the back. When he returned to the camp, everyone praised him for his bravery. The crab said, “It is not that I am brave. When I charged, I was in the front because I was horizontal and slower than everyone else, so I set out one step ahead of everyone; when I retreated, I actually wanted to save my life more than anyone else, but because I was horizontal and slower than everyone else, I was left behind.”
Although the crab did not admit its bravery and attributed its behavior to the fact that it was the result of being too slow in moving sideways, everyone praised it more, admired it, and, finally, entered its bravery and humility into the annals of animal history.
It is wise to “take the initiative to get down and creep forward.” Because they fell first, others can not make you lose again, and creeping forward can be silent to do things that others can not even dream of.
Prostration may seem too slow, too painless, and to lack heroism. But the one who can ascend to the highest position is often the one who is closest to the ground.
