Based on the details in the excerpt, what is its primary purpose?
a. to explain to children that the moon causes the tides
b. to warn fishers to avoid pulling too hard on their lines
c. to entertain children with a joke about a rat and a fisherman
d. to inform fishers about when it is easiest to sail on the Perak River

Read the excerpt from "The Crab That Played with the Sea.”

And the Rat of the Moon stopped biting the line; and the Fisherman let his line down till it touched the Sea, and he pulled the whole deep Sea along, past the Island of Bintang, past Singapore, past Malacca, past Selangor, till the canoe whirled into the mouth of the Perak River again. ‘Kun?’ said the Fisherman of the Moon.‘Payah kun’ said the Eldest Magician. ‘See now that you pull the Sea twice a day and twice a night forever, so that the Malazy fishermen may be saved paddling. But be careful not to do it too hard, or I shall make a magic on you as I did to Pau Amma.’Then they all went up the Perak River and went to bed, Best Beloved.

In this excert, the author is making a convincing case. He uses short words to create a clear understanding of the children and other listeners. When comparing his writing and other familiar stories, this one is different because of the choice of words that quickly comprehended. Proverbs have been used in some instances; however, the words explaining them are short and precise. This helps children to master them quickly and write to them when they are asked to during their classwork tasks.