One day, a clam proudly opened its shells to sun itself on the river bank. A snipe passed by the clam and stretched its bill to peck at the clam's flesh.

The snipe said angrily:

Then the clam and the snipe began to quarrel.

The clam could not get itself free to return to the river either.

The clam hurriedly closed its shells and tightly grasped the snipe's bill between them. Despite all its efforts, the snipe could not extricate its bill.

The clam also said angrily:

"If it doesn't rain for one or two days, there will be no water. And you can't return to the river, then surely you will die anyway."

"If I don't let go of you for one or two days, you won't be able to pull out your bill. Don't hope that you can live."

Neither the clam nor the snipe would give in, and they kept on grappling. At this moment, a fisherman came along the riverside with a fishing net. He was very glad to see the snipe and the clam at a deadlock. Without the least effort, he caught them both, put them into his fish basket and carried them home.