Aesop
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Greece

The Fox and the Crow

The cunning fox uses flattering words to trick a proud crow into dropping its cheese, which the fox then steals.
Trickery
Pride
Consequences
Aesop's Collection - The Fox and the Crow
Audio available for B1 version

Once upon a time, in a dense forest, there lived a clever fox and a cunning crow. One day, the crow found a delicious piece of cheese and flew to the top of a tree to enjoy his meal.

The fox, who was passing by, noticed the cheese in the crow's beak and desired it for himself. He decided to use his wit to trick the crow into giving up the tasty treat.

He approached the tree and began to flatter the crow. "My dear crow, you are so beautiful, and your feathers are so shiny! I have never seen such a splendid bird in my life," said the fox.

The crow, feeling very proud and pleased with the compliments, wanted to hear more. The fox continued, "I am certain that you must have an enchanting voice. Please, would you honor me with a song?"

The crow, full of pride and eager to show off his voice, opened his beak to sing. As he did, the cheese fell from his beak and was swiftly snatched by the fox.

Without wasting any time, the fox gobbled up the cheese and walked away, leaving the foolish crow to ponder his mistake.

Once upon a time, in a big forest, there lived a fox and a crow. One day, the crow got a tasty piece of cheese and flew up to the top of a tree to eat it.

The fox, walking by, saw the cheese in the crow's mouth and wanted it for himself. He thought of a plan to trick the crow to get the cheese.

He came up to the tree and started to praise the crow. "My dear crow, you are so pretty, and your feathers shine so much! I have never seen such a beautiful bird before," said the fox.

The crow felt very happy and proud of the kind words and wanted to hear more. The fox said, "I am sure you have a lovely voice too. Could you sing a song for me?"

The crow, full of pride and wanting to show his voice, opened his mouth to sing. When he did, the cheese fell from his mouth and the fox quickly took it.

The fox ate the cheese fast and walked away. The crow was left alone to think about his mistake.

There is a big forest. A fox and a crow live there. One day, the crow finds a piece of cheese. The crow flies to the top of a tree to eat it.

The fox walks by and sees the cheese in the crow's mouth. The fox wants the cheese. He thinks of a trick.

The fox stands under the tree. He says nice things about the crow. "Dear crow, you are so pretty. Your feathers are shiny. You are a very beautiful bird."

The crow feels happy and proud. The fox says, "I think you have a nice voice. Can you sing for me?"

The crow feels very proud. The crow opens his mouth to sing. The cheese falls out. The fox grabs the cheese and eats it.

The fox goes away. The crow is alone and sad.

Once upon a time, in a big forest, there lived a fox and a crow. One day, the crow got a tasty piece of cheese and flew up to the top of a tree to eat it.

The fox, walking by, saw the cheese in the crow's mouth and wanted it for himself. He thought of a plan to trick the crow to get the cheese.

He came up to the tree and started to praise the crow. "My dear crow, you are so pretty, and your feathers shine so much! I have never seen such a beautiful bird before," said the fox.

The crow felt very happy and proud of the kind words and wanted to hear more. The fox said, "I am sure you have a lovely voice too. Could you sing a song for me?"

The crow, full of pride and wanting to show his voice, opened his mouth to sing. When he did, the cheese fell from his mouth and the fox quickly took it.

The fox ate the cheese fast and walked away. The crow was left alone to think about his mistake.

Once upon a time, in a forest filled with more trees than you can shake a stick at, there was a clever fox and a tricky crow. They were a bit like best buddies, but not really. More like frenemies, if you ask me.

One day, Mr. Crow found a piece of cheese. "Oh, yummy yum yum," he cawed, "I'm going to eat this cheese, but first, let's find a spot where no one can see me." So, he flew to the top of a tree, higher than a very tall giraffe wearing a top hat!

The fox was strolling by, and his nose began to twitch. "Sniff, sniff," he said. "I smell something cheesy. And I want it!"

He looked up and saw the crow. "Hello, Mr. Crow!" he called, smiling like a fox who's just found a new pair of socks. "You're looking extra shiny today! You must've used that fancy bird shampoo!"

The crow felt quite pleased. "Well, hello there, Mr. Fox. Thank you for noticing! Go on, don't be shy!"

The fox's eyes twinkled. "I bet you sing as nicely as you look. Would you sing me a song? I'll even dance along!" And he did a silly little fox dance.

The crow thought, "Why not? I'll show off my voice. It'll be fun!" But when he opened his beak, the cheese fell out! PLOP!

"Got it!" the fox cheered, catching the cheese in his paw. "Thank you for the song and the snack, Mr. Crow!"

"Oh, fiddlesticks!" cried the crow, realizing he'd been tricked.

The fox laughed and skipped away, munching on the cheese. "Cheese and thank you, Mr. Crow! Next time, don't crow before you've flown, or something like that!"

The crow was left to think about what happened, and he knew he'd learned a very important lesson. Sometimes, if something sounds too good to be true, it might be a trick!

Deep within the woods where tall trees grow,
Lived a clever fox and a crow, you know.
One sunny day, to the crow's delight,
He found a cheese, oh, what a sight!

High on a branch, away from all,
Crow thought he'd feast on cheese—his call.
But Mr. Fox with a sneaky grin,
Thought, "How can that cheese be mine to win?"

He strutted forth, and began to say,
"Dear crow, you're dazzling in every way!
With feathers black and a shine so fine,
You're the grandest bird, like a star, you shine."

Crow felt so proud, his heart afloat,
With Fox's praise, he puffed his throat.
"Your voice," Fox added with eyes so sly,
"Must surely be sweet, would you please comply?"

Eager to show, crow opened wide,
Ready to sing, his pride as his guide.
But alas! The cheese took a downward dive,
Into Fox's mouth, it came alive.

Away went the fox, his mission complete,
Leaving crow alone, on his quiet seat.
"Ah," thought the crow, "a lesson I've had,
Not all that glitters is good, but rather can be bad."

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Word Finder

  1. Praise

    Saying nice things about someone.

  2. Trick

    Fool someone into doing something.

  3. Feathers

    Soft covering on a bird's body.

  4. Lovely

    Very nice, beautiful.

  5. Pride

    Feeling good about yourself.

  6. Mistake

    Something done wrong.

  7. Tasty

    Delicious, enjoyable to eat.

  8. Crow

    A black bird with a loud voice.

  9. Shine

    Reflect light, sparkle.

  10. Sing

    Make musical sounds with your voice.

Understanding Questions

  1. Where did the crow go to eat the cheese he found?
  2. What did the fox do when he saw the cheese in the crow's mouth?
  3. How did the fox praise the crow to trick him?
  4. What did the crow do when the fox asked him to sing?
  5. What happened to the cheese when the crow opened his mouth to sing?

Word Finder

  1. Forest

    A big area with many trees.

  2. Crow

    A black bird that makes loud sounds.

  3. Cheese

    A food made from milk.

  4. Trick

    A smart plan to fool someone.

  5. Feathers

    Soft, light parts that cover birds.

  6. Shiny

    Reflecting light, bright.

  7. Proud

    Feeling very happy about oneself.

  8. Voice

    The sound made when speaking or singing.

  9. Alone

    Without anyone else.

  10. Sad

    Feeling unhappy.

  1. Praise

    Saying nice things about someone.

  2. Trick

    Fool someone into doing something.

  3. Feathers

    Soft covering on a bird's body.

  4. Lovely

    Very nice, beautiful.

  5. Pride

    Feeling good about yourself.

  6. Mistake

    Something done wrong.

  7. Tasty

    Delicious, enjoyable to eat.

  8. Crow

    A black bird with a loud voice.

  9. Shine

    Reflect light, sparkle.

  10. Sing

    Make musical sounds with your voice.

Understanding Questions

  1. Where do the fox and the crow live?

    1. In a city
    2. In a desert
    3. In a big forest
    4. In a lake
  2. What does the crow find one day?

    1. A piece of bread
    2. A piece of cheese
    3. A piece of meat
    4. A piece of cake
  3. Where does the crow go to eat the cheese?

    1. On the ground
    2. Inside a cave
    3. To the top of a tree
    4. To a river
  4. What does the fox say about the crow?

    1. "You are ugly."
    2. "You are pretty and have a nice voice."
    3. "You are slow."
    4. "You are big."
  5. What happens when the crow opens his mouth to sing?

    1. The fox runs away.
    2. The crow drops the cheese.
    3. The crow eats the cheese.
    4. The fox climbs the tree.
  1. Where did the crow go to eat the cheese he found?
  2. What did the fox do when he saw the cheese in the crow's mouth?
  3. How did the fox praise the crow to trick him?
  4. What did the crow do when the fox asked him to sing?
  5. What happened to the cheese when the crow opened his mouth to sing?
  1. What was the initial reaction of the crow upon finding the piece of cheese?
  2. Describe the fox's strategy to obtain the cheese from the crow.
  3. How did the crow respond to the fox's flattery and why?
  4. What was the consequence of the crow opening her beak to sing?
  5. What lesson did the crow learn at the end of the fable?

Reflection Questions

  1. Why do you think the fox wanted the cheese that the crow had?
  2. What made the crow drop the cheese, and how do you think the crow felt afterward?
  3. Can you think of a time when someone said nice things to you because they wanted something from you?
  4. What does this story teach us about the dangers of flattery and the importance of not letting pride cloud our judgment?
  5. How can we use the lesson from this story in our daily lives to make sure we don't get tricked by flattering words?

Fable Quotes

Flattery can make you drop your cheese.
Pride paves the path to folly.
Actions have repercussions; one moment of pride can lead to a lifetime of regret.
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