Early one morning, a clever fox was wandering through the woods. His tummy was rumbling because he was very hungry. As he looked around for something tasty to eat, he spotted a crow perched high up on a tree branch. The crow had a yummy piece of cheese in her beak. “Oh, I love cheese!” thought the fox. “That would make a perfect breakfast! But how can I get it?”
The fox sat down and thought hard. Then, he came up with a sneaky idea. “I’ll make her talk!” he decided. So, he sat at the bottom of the tree and called up to the crow, “Good morning, Miss Crow! Isn’t it a beautiful day?”
The crow looked down at the fox but didn’t say a word. “Good morning!” repeated the fox. “Can you hear me up there?”
The crow was smart and didn’t trust the fox. She held onto her cheese tightly and stayed quiet. “Hmm, this is tricky,” thought the fox. But he didn’t give up. He smiled up at the crow and said, “You know, you are the most beautiful bird I’ve ever seen! Your feathers are so shiny, and your eyes are so bright! Your beak is so… pointy! Everything about you is just perfect!”
Still, the crow didn’t say anything. So, the fox kept talking. “Miss Crow, I’ve heard that your voice is amazing! Could you sing a song for me? Just one song! Then I can tell everyone that you are the queen of all birds!”
The crow felt very proud. She wanted everyone to know she had a wonderful voice. She smiled a little, then a lot. She opened her mouth to sing her best song. But as she did, the cheese fell right out of her beak and landed straight into the fox’s mouth! He gobbled it up quickly. “Mmmmmm!”
“Thank you for the delicious breakfast, Miss Crow!” laughed the fox as he walked away happily. “Have a lovely day!”
The story teaches us to be careful of people who give us too many compliments. They might just want something from us!
Compliment Experiment: Try giving a compliment to a family member or friend today. Notice how they react. Do they smile or say thank you? Talk with your parents about why compliments can make people feel good and how they should be genuine, not just to get something in return.
Role-Playing Game: With a friend or family member, act out the story of the fox and the crow. You can take turns being the fox and the crow. After each role-play, discuss how the crow could have kept her cheese safe. What could she have done differently?
Observation Walk: Go for a walk in your neighborhood or a park with an adult. Look for birds and observe their behavior. Do they seem cautious or curious? Talk about how animals in the wild need to be careful, just like the crow should have been with the fox.
**The Fox and the Crow**
(A version of the tale by TheFableCottage.com)
Early one morning, a fox is walking through the woods. He is hungry and looking for something to eat. He sees a crow sitting on the highest branch of a tree. The crow has a piece of cheese in her beak. “Mmm… I love cheese!” thinks the fox. “I think I’ve found my breakfast! But how can I get the cheese?”
He thinks and thinks. Then he has a clever idea. “I will make her talk!” He sits at the bottom of the tree and looks up at the crow. “Good morning, Miss Crow!” he says. “It’s a lovely day, isn’t it?”
The crow looks down at the fox but says nothing. “I said, good morning!” says the fox. “Did you hear me? Maybe you can’t hear me up there…”
The crow is suspicious. She holds the cheese tightly in her beak and remains silent. “Hmm. This is not so easy,” thinks the fox. But he doesn’t give up. He smiles at the crow. “You know… you really are the most beautiful bird,” he says. “Your feathers are so shiny! Your eyes are so intelligent! Your beak is so… umm… pointy! Everything about you is perfect!”
Still, the crow says nothing. So the fox continues: “Tell me, Miss Crow… is your voice also magnificent? I hear that you have the most wonderful voice. Please sing for me! Just one song! Then I can tell everyone you really are the most incredible bird—the queen of all birds, in fact!”
This makes the crow feel good. She wants everyone to know she has a wonderful voice. She wants everyone to know that she is the queen of all birds. She smiles a little smile, then a big smile. Then she opens her mouth to sing her best song for the fox. And… plop! The cheese drops out of her beak and falls straight into the mouth of the fox. He swallows it in one gulp. “Mmmmmm!”
“Thank you for the delicious breakfast, Miss Crow!” laughs the fox as he walks away. “Have a lovely day!”
**Moral:** Beware of flatterers. They often want something from you.
