Aesop
|
Greece

The Dove and The Crow

A proud dove boasts about her chicks in a cage, but is confronted by a crow who suggests freedom might be better.
Freedom
Pride
Perception
Aesop's Fables - The Dove and The Crow
Audio available for B1 version

In a small village, a dove lived inside a cage. The dove was very proud of the many chicks she had. She was always talking about them, happy to have a big family.

One day, a crow was flying by. He heard the dove talking about her many chicks. He landed on the cage and listened to the dove. The dove was boasting about her chicks, her voice full of pride.

The crow looked at the dove and her chicks in the cage. Then he looked at the wide open sky. He said to the dove, "Yes, you have many chicks. But they are all in this cage. It's nice to have a big family. But isn't it better for them to be free and fly in the sky?"

The dove looked at the crow, then at her chicks, then at the sky. She fell silent, thinking about what the crow had said.

There is a dove. The dove lives in a cage. She has many chicks. She is very happy with her chicks. She talks about her chicks every day.

One day, a crow flies by. The crow hears the dove. He lands on the cage. He listens to the dove. The dove keeps talking about her chicks.

The crow looks at the chicks. He looks at the sky. He says, "You have many chicks. But they are in the cage. It is good to have chicks, but they should fly in the sky."

The dove looks at the crow. She looks at her chicks. She looks at the sky. She stops talking and thinks about what the crow said.

In a small village, there was a dove living in a cage. She had many chicks and felt very proud of them. She often talked about her chicks with great joy.

One day, a crow flying nearby heard the dove talking about her chicks. Curious, he landed on the cage to listen more closely. The dove was happily chatting, boasting about how many chicks she had.

The crow looked at the chicks in the cage and then at the open sky. He said to the dove, "It’s wonderful that you have many chicks, but they are all inside this cage. Having a big family is great, but wouldn’t it be better if they could fly free in the sky?"

The dove looked at the crow, then at her chicks, and finally at the sky. She stopped talking and thought deeply about the crow’s words.

In a quirky little village, tucked away behind seven mountains and a rainbow, a dove lived inside a cage. Oh, not just any cage – a cage fit for the queen of bird-dom! You see, this dove was particularly proud of her many chicks.

She'd boast to anyone who'd listen, "Look at my chicks! Aren't they the fluffiest, cutest little things you've ever seen? I could start a feathered marching band, I could!" And she'd laugh at her own jokes, because, you know, someone had to.

One day, a crow was flying by, feeling a bit peckish and maybe just a tad bit curious. He overheard the dove talking about her many chicks. Intrigued, he landed on the cage, giving the bird equivalent of a raised eyebrow.

The dove was going on and on, her voice practically dripping with pride. "They've got the softest feathers in the whole village! A big family is a blessing, a treasure! It's like having a soccer team without the grass stains!"

The crow looked at the dove, then at her chicks, then back at the wide open sky. Finally, he said, "Yes, you've got many chicks. Enough for a football team and a backup band! But they're all in this cage. It's nice to have a big family, and hey, they're all great at staying in one place! But isn't it better for them to be free and fly in the sky? I mean, wings, open air, the wind in your feathers - you know, all that good birdy stuff?"

The dove looked at the crow, then at her chicks, then at the sky, a bit stumped. She finally said, "Well, you've got a point there. I suppose they could join the Bird Olympics or something. But just between you and me, Mr. Crow, how will they ever learn to do the Chicken Dance? It's a tradition in our family, you know!"

The crow just shook his head, laughing at the dove's whimsy. "Chicken Dance or not, let them taste the freedom of the sky. They can dance all they want up there!"

With that, the dove's heart swelled with understanding, and she realized that sometimes, the best way to love her family was to let them be free.

The crow flew off, leaving behind a thoughtful dove and a cage that felt just a little bit bigger. But the dove's spirit felt brighter, and she knew that her chicks would soon be ready to spread their wings and fly.

Amidst a village, quiet and sage,
Lived a dove with her chicks in a small cage.
With flaps and chirps, loud and clear,
She sang of her love for those she held dear.

"My lovely babies, my chicks so bright!"
She'd sing every day, and even at night.
Her heart full of joy, her voice full of glee,
Singing to all, "These chicks belong to me!"

A crow flew over, hearing her song,
Landed close by, not taking too long.
With a curious look, he started to say,
"Why sing of a cage, when there's a whole sky to play?"

The crow spoke gently, without any tease,
"Isn't flying free, a wonderful breeze?
You love your chicks, that everyone can see,
But maybe it's nice, to let them fly free?"

The dove looked up, thinking so deep,
At her chicks, then the sky, and took a big leap.
She thought of the crow's wise and kind way,
Hoping someday, her chicks too would play.

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Word Finder

  1. Dove

    A type of bird, often white and small.

  2. Cage

    A box made of wire or bars for animals.

  3. Chicks

    Baby birds that have just hatched.

  4. Happy

    Feeling good and pleased about something.

  5. Crow

    A black bird known for its loud cawing.

  6. Lands

    Comes down to the ground from the air.

  7. Talking

    Using words to say things to others.

  8. Sky

    The space above us where birds and clouds are.

  9. Fly

    To move through the air using wings.

  10. Thinks

    Uses the mind to consider or decide something.

  1. Village

    A small group of houses in the countryside.

  2. Dove

    A type of bird, similar to a pigeon.

  3. Cage

    A structure of bars to keep animals inside.

  4. Chicks

    Baby birds that have just hatched.

  5. Proud

    Feeling happy and satisfied with something.

  6. Boasting

    Talking with too much pride about something.

  7. Curious

    Wanting to know or learn more about something.

  8. Landed

    Came down to the ground from the air.

  9. Wonderful

    Extremely good; making you feel happy.

  10. Deeply

    In a serious or thorough manner.

Understanding Questions

  1. Where does the dove live?

    1. In a tree
    2. In a cage
    3. In a nest
    4. In the sky
  2. How does the dove feel about her chicks?

    1. Sad
    2. Angry
    3. Happy
    4. Tired
  3. Who hears the dove talking about her chicks?

    1. A cat
    2. A crow
    3. A dog
    4. A squirrel
  4. What does the crow say about the chicks?

    1. They should stay in the cage.
    2. They should fly in the sky.
    3. They should sing.
    4. They should sleep.
  5. What does the dove do after the crow speaks?

    1. She keeps talking.
    2. She flies away.
    3. She thinks about what the crow said.
    4. She feeds her chicks.
  1. Where did the dove and her chicks live?
  2. How did the dove feel when she talked about her many chicks?
  3. What did the crow do when he heard the dove talking about her chicks?
  4. What suggestion did the crow give to the dove about her chicks?
  5. How did the dove react to the crow’s words about her chicks?
  1. Why did the dove take great pride in her chicks?
  2. What prompted the crow to land on the dove's cage and listen?
  3. How did the crow contrast the life of the dove's chicks with the open sky?
  4. What reaction did the dove have after hearing the crow's remarks?
  5. What does the crow imply about the importance of freedom compared to having a large family?

Reflection Questions

  1. Why do you think the dove was so proud of her many chicks?
  2. How do you think the dove felt when the crow said it's better to be free and fly in the sky?
  3. Can you think of a time when someone's advice made you reconsider something you were proud of?
  4. What does this story teach us about the value of freedom compared to having a lot of something?
  5. How can we apply the lesson from this story in our lives to better appreciate our freedoms?

Fable Quotes

A gilded cage is still a cage, true joy lies in the wings spread wide.
Pride is a cage that often traps the proudest.
Perspective shapes our reality: a cage or a haven, freedom or security.
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