Secret of the Swamp Hunting for mangrove crabs

The Koom family hunted for two types of crabs that lived in holes among the mangrove roots – the blue crabs and the large, hairy red crabs. Rose called them mangrove crabs because they ate the fallen leaves of the mangrove trees. Of course there were other smaller crabs, but those were eaten by the scarlet ibis and other wetland creatures.

Each day, Mr Koom and his sons got up early and rowed deep into the swamp in search of crabs. Sometimes on Saturdays, the whole family went out in their wooden pirogue. For Rose that was a family outing, lots of fun.

On a good day they could catch enough crabs to fill three large jute bags, The bags were so big Rose could creep in and hide. They were strong enough to hold the crabs and stop them from escaping. Crabs have eight legs, not counting the pincers, so Rose guessed they could run four times as fast as two legged creatures. But by the time the crabs were brought home they had already been tied with the strong vines that grew everywhere in the forest.

Three times each week, Mr Koom went to the big open market in Chaguanas to sell the crabs. It took little time to sell them all, as everyone wanted crabs for their weekend meals of curried crabs or callaloo

A lot of people depended on the crabs Mr Koom and his sons caught in the swamp.

Rose’s mother made a super tasty soup with the red crabs. She put dumplings, sweet potatoes and black-eyed peas in a pot with the crabs and left it to simmer. This was their Saturday afternoon soup and Rose had two full bowls when the family sat down to dinner at the wooden table in the kitchen.

Rose’s sister was crying.

What had her mother said?

...Continued next week

The Secret of the Swamp was written by Morton Books publisher Julie Morton, and illustrated by artist Tyler Villaruel @Tyss.artt on IG and @tyss.art on TikTok.