now though the monkey is always very fond of persimmon fruit, he had no use for the seed he had just found. the persimmon-seed is as hard and uneatable as a stone. he, therefore, in his greedy nature, felt very envious of the crab's nice dumpling, and he proposed an exchange. the crab naturally did not see why he should give up his prize for a hard stone-like seed, and would not consent to the monkey's proposition.