The Crab. Cancer, the Crab, plays a minor role in the Twelve Labors of Hercules. The Crab was sent by Hydra, the goddess Hera, to distract Hercules during his fight with the multi-headed monster. The crab clung onto the his toe with its claws. Hercules, barley noticing the crab, crushed it with his foot. Hera, grateful for the crab's valiant but pitiful exertion, gave it a place in the sky. Cancer, due to its Zodiacal origins, is famous, in spite its futile efforts to defeat Hercules. The famous Beehive Cluster (M44) is located in Cancer.