A C-gripper for arranging at a cross-member or at a suspension element and a cross-member having at least one such C-gripper for for handling a load, formed from an upper strut, a vertical strut and a support strut which forms a so-called hook base, onto which the load can be placed. The upper strut and the vertical strut are, as with conventional constructions, rigidly connected to one another and substantially arranged at right angles to one another. Other angles likewise lie within the framework of the invention. However, the support strut is not rigid, but rather connected in a rotatably mounted manner to the vertical strut and, indeed, in such a manner that a clear dimension (h) of a mouth of the C-gripper can be modified, that is to say can be increased or decreased. Moreover, the vertical strut is telescopable. It is thus configured as a telescopic strut.