Jean de La Fontaine
|
France

The Acorn and the Pumpkin

A man questions nature's design until an acorn falls on him, making him appreciate the wisdom of nature's arrangement.
Understanding
Contentment
Wisdom
The Acorn and the Pumpkin
Audio available for B1 version

Once there was a man who lived in the country. One day, he saw a big, round pumpkin growing on a thin stem. Near the pumpkin, on a tall oak tree, he saw small acorns growing. He thought, "This seems wrong."

"If I could change things, I would make pumpkins grow on oak trees. They are big and strong. And I would make the small acorns grow on the thin pumpkin stem," he said to himself.

After thinking a lot, he got tired and decided to rest under the oak tree. Soon, he fell asleep. While he was sleeping, an acorn fell from the tree and hit him on the nose.

He woke up quickly, feeling surprised. "Wow!" he said. "What if a big pumpkin fell on my face instead of this small acorn? That would really hurt! Maybe things are made the way they should be after all."

Once there was a man who lived in the country. One day, he saw a big, round pumpkin growing on a thin stem. Near the pumpkin, on a tall oak tree, he saw small acorns growing. He thought, "This seems wrong."

"If I could change things, I would make pumpkins grow on oak trees. They are big and strong. And I would make the small acorns grow on the thin pumpkin stem," he said to himself.

After thinking a lot, he got tired and decided to rest under the oak tree. Soon, he fell asleep. While he was sleeping, an acorn fell from the tree and hit him on the nose.

He woke up quickly, feeling surprised. "Wow!" he said. "What if a big pumpkin fell on my face instead of this small acorn? That would really hurt! Maybe things are made the way they should be after all."

There is a man. He lives in the country. One day, he sees a big, round pumpkin. The pumpkin grows on a thin stem. Near the pumpkin, he sees a tall oak tree. Small acorns grow on the tree.

The man thinks, "This is wrong. Big pumpkins should grow on the strong oak tree. Small acorns should grow on the thin pumpkin stem."

The man thinks a lot. He gets tired. He decides to rest. He sits under the oak tree. Soon, he falls asleep.

While he is sleeping, an acorn falls from the tree. It hits his nose. The man wakes up. He is surprised. He says, "Wow! If a big pumpkin falls on my face, it will hurt a lot! Maybe things are right the way they are."

Once there was a man who lived in the country. One day, he saw a big, round pumpkin growing on a thin stem. Near the pumpkin, on a tall oak tree, he saw small acorns growing. He thought, "This seems wrong."

"If I could change things, I would make pumpkins grow on oak trees. They are big and strong. And I would make the small acorns grow on the thin pumpkin stem," he said to himself.

After thinking a lot, he got tired and decided to rest under the oak tree. Soon, he fell asleep. While he was sleeping, an acorn fell from the tree and hit him on the nose.

He woke up quickly, feeling surprised. "Wow!" he said. "What if a big pumpkin fell on my face instead of this small acorn? That would really hurt! Maybe things are made the way they should be after all."

Once upon a time, in a quiet countryside, there lived a man with a very curious mind. One sunny day, while strolling through his garden, he stumbled upon a big, round pumpkin growing on a very thin vine. Nearby, he noticed small acorns sprouting from the branches of a tall, sturdy oak tree. He scratched his head and thought, "Well, this seems all wrong, doesn't it?"

"If I could be in charge," he mused aloud, "I'd make pumpkins grow on oak trees. They’re big and strong enough to handle those heavy pumpkins. And I'd put the little acorns on these thin vines. That makes more sense, right?"

As he pondered his grand ideas, he felt a bit tired. "Time for a nap," he said with a yawn. He found a nice shady spot under the oak tree, lay down, and soon drifted off to sleep, dreaming about his grand plans.

While he snored softly, an acorn decided it was time for a little mischief. It let go of its branch and dropped straight onto the man's nose. He jolted awake, eyes wide with surprise. "Ouch!" he exclaimed, rubbing his nose. "What was that?"

Then he saw the tiny acorn lying next to him and chuckled. "Imagine if that was a pumpkin instead of an acorn! I'd have a pumpkin face for sure!" He laughed at the thought, shaking his head.

Just then, a squirrel poked its head out from behind the tree, chattering away. "Hey, buddy, you think you know better than nature? Good luck with that!" it squeaked.

The man sat up, still laughing. "You know, Mr. Squirrel, maybe things are just right the way they are. Pumpkins on oak trees? What was I thinking?"

With a final chuckle, he got up and headed home, feeling quite pleased with his newfound wisdom. He gave the oak tree a pat and waved at the squirrel. "Thanks for the lesson, little acorn!"

And so, he continued his walk, smiling at how sometimes the smallest things can teach us the biggest lessons.

Once there was a country fellow,
Who beheld a pumpkin yellow,
Dangling from a fragile vine;
Acorns on the oak did shine.

“If I could, I’d make things right,
Pumpkins on the oaks so bright,
Acorns on the vine so slim,
Wouldn’t that be nice and trim?”

Tired from his thoughts profound,
He sought rest upon the ground,
Underneath the mighty oak,
Dreaming dreams without a cloak.

As he slumbered, deeply napping,
An acorn fell with gentle tapping,
Landed squarely on his nose,
Startled him from his repose.

“Goodness me!” he cried in shock,
“What if pumpkins from this block,
Fell upon my sleeping face,
What a mess, what a disgrace!”

He jumped up, a wiser man,
“Nature’s got a clever plan,
Pumpkins on the ground do stay,
While acorns fall in a safer way.”

With a laugh, he walked away,
Thankful for the lesson of the day,
Nature knows just what to do,
Balancing each part and piece for you.

So he left the oak and vine,
Grateful for the grand design,
Knowing now that big and small,
Each have their place, after all.

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Word Finder

  1. Country

    An area outside cities; a rural place.

  2. Pumpkin

    A large, round, orange fruit.

  3. Stem

    The main part that supports a plant.

  4. Acorns

    Small nuts from an oak tree.

  5. Seems

    Appears to be a certain way.

  6. Change

    Make something different or new.

  7. Rest

    Take a break to relax.

  8. Quickly

    In a fast or rapid way.

  9. Surprised

    Feeling unexpected shock or amazement.

  10. Decided

    Made a choice or decision.

Understanding Questions

  1. What did the man see growing on the thin stem in the country?
  2. What did the man think was wrong when he saw the pumpkin and the acorns?
  3. What change did the man wish to make regarding the growth of pumpkins and acorns?
  4. Why did the man decide to rest under the oak tree?
  5. What lesson did the man learn after an acorn fell on his nose?

Word Finder

  1. Country

    An area with fields and farms.

  2. Pumpkin

    A large, round, orange vegetable.

  3. Thin

    Not wide, narrow in size.

  4. Stem

    The part of a plant holding flowers or fruits.

  5. Oak

    A type of big, strong tree.

  6. Acorn

    A small nut from an oak tree.

  7. Decides

    Makes a choice or chooses something.

  8. Rest

    To stop and relax for a while.

  9. Surprised

    Feeling shocked by something unexpected.

  10. Hurt

    Feeling pain in the body.

  1. Country

    An area outside cities; a rural place.

  2. Pumpkin

    A large, round, orange fruit.

  3. Stem

    The main part that supports a plant.

  4. Acorns

    Small nuts from an oak tree.

  5. Seems

    Appears to be a certain way.

  6. Change

    Make something different or new.

  7. Rest

    Take a break to relax.

  8. Quickly

    In a fast or rapid way.

  9. Surprised

    Feeling unexpected shock or amazement.

  10. Decided

    Made a choice or decision.

Understanding Questions

  1. Where does the man live?

    1. In the city
    2. In the country
    3. By the sea
    4. In the mountains
  2. What does the man see growing on the thin stem?

    1. Acorns
    2. Apples
    3. Pumpkins
    4. Flowers
  3. What does the man see growing on the tall oak tree?

    1. Big pumpkins
    2. Small acorns
    3. Flowers
    4. Apples
  4. Where does the man decide to rest?

    1. In his house
    2. Under the oak tree
    3. Near the river
    4. On the pumpkin
  5. What hits the man's nose while he is sleeping?

    1. A pumpkin
    2. A leaf
    3. An acorn
    4. A branch
  1. What did the man see growing on the thin stem in the country?
  2. What did the man think was wrong when he saw the pumpkin and the acorns?
  3. What change did the man wish to make regarding the growth of pumpkins and acorns?
  4. Why did the man decide to rest under the oak tree?
  5. What lesson did the man learn after an acorn fell on his nose?
  1. What did the bumpkin initially find peculiar about the pumpkins and acorns in the fable?
  2. How did the bumpkin believe he could improve the arrangement of pumpkins and acorns in nature?
  3. Describe the sequence of events that led to the bumpkin falling asleep under the oak tree.
  4. What event caused the bumpkin to reconsider his thoughts about rearranging nature?
  5. What conclusion did the bumpkin reach after the acorn fell on his nose, and how did this change his perspective on nature's arrangement?

Reflection Questions

  1. Why did the man think pumpkins should grow on oak trees instead of thin stems?
  2. What changed the man's mind about where pumpkins and acorns should grow?
  3. Can you think of a time when you realized something was better the way it was, just like the man did?
  4. Why is it important to appreciate things as they are, like the man learned to do?
  5. What does this story teach us about questioning and accepting the way things are?

Fable Quotes

"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better."
"Find contentment in the natural order of things."
"Wisdom is the daughter of experience."
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