Aesop
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Greece

The Partridge and The Fowler

Clever Partridge captured by Fowler offers to bring more birds for freedom, but Fowler refuses and Partridge meets its fate.
Betrayal
Loyalty
Consequences
Aesop's Fables - The Partridge and The Fowler
Audio available for B1 version

Once upon a time, in a lush green forest, lived a Partridge. This bird was known for his cleverness and was respected by all his fellow creatures.

One day, a Fowler, a man who made his living by hunting birds, came to the forest. He spotted the Partridge and quickly caught him in his net. Terrified, the Partridge found himself facing a great danger.

Just as the Fowler was about to take the Partridge's life, the bird spoke. "Please, kind sir," pleaded the Partridge. "Spare me, and in return, I promise to bring you many more of my kind."

The Fowler looked at the Partridge with a stern gaze. He wasn't moved by the bird's plea. Instead, he said, "So, you are ready to betray your friends and family to save your own life. This makes me more certain that I should not spare you."

And with that, the fate of the Partridge was sealed. The Fowler's decision was unaltered, and the Partridge had learned a harsh truth, too late.

There is a bird. The bird is a partridge. It lives in a big forest. The partridge is smart. All the animals like the partridge.

One day, a man comes to the forest. He catches birds. He sees the partridge. He catches the partridge in a net. The partridge is scared.

The man wants to hurt the partridge. The partridge says, "Please, let me go. I will bring more birds for you."

The man looks at the partridge. He does not believe the partridge. He says, "You will betray your friends to save yourself. I will not let you go."

The man does not let the partridge go.

Once upon a time, in a beautiful green forest, there lived a smart partridge. This bird was clever, and all the other animals in the forest respected him.

One day, a man called the Fowler, who made his living by catching birds, came into the forest. He saw the partridge and quickly trapped him in a net. The partridge was very scared because he was in big trouble.

When the Fowler was about to kill the partridge, the bird begged, "Please, kind sir, let me go, and I will bring you many more birds like me."

The Fowler looked at the partridge seriously. He did not believe the bird's words. He said, "So, you would betray your friends and family just to save yourself? This shows me that I should not let you go."

And that was the end for the partridge. The Fowler did not change his mind.

Once upon a time, in a forest that looked like it had just been given the ultimate makeover, there lived a Partridge. This wasn’t any ordinary Partridge; he was the kind that would win bird trivia nights and dazzle everyone with his wisecracks.

One sunny day, a Fowler - which is just a fancy word for a bird-catcher, strutted into the forest, wearing a hat that might as well scream, "I’m up to no good!" He spied the Partridge and, with a move slicker than a buttered penguin on ice, caught him in a net.

“Blimey! This isn’t a spa treatment!” squawked the Partridge, realizing he was in a spot of bother.

As the Fowler was tightening his grip, the Partridge piped up, "Hey, mate! How about a deal? Let me go, and I'll fetch you more birds. You know, the two-for-one deal?"

The Fowler raised an eyebrow, gave the Partridge the kind of look you give someone who thinks chocolate milk comes from brown cows, and said, "Really? Betraying your bird buddies for some breathing space? Now, that’s a twist in the tale! It just makes me think I’ve caught the right bird after all."

And so, with a dramatic flair, the Partridge learned that trying to sell out his friends might not be the best exit strategy.

Partridge Feather was a bird so bright,
Known for smarts, in the forest quite a sight.
He'd chirp and hop, his feathers oh so fine,
Loved by all, from the oak to the pine.

One sunny day, as skies were fair and blue,
Came Mr. Fowler, with a net he threw.
Caught Partridge Feather, fear in his eyes,
Facing great danger, under open skies.

"Wait, Mr. Fowler, don't be so hasty,"
Chirped Partridge Feather, his voice a bit pasty.
"If you let me go, here's what I will do,
Bring more birds, lots of them, just for you!"

Mr. Fowler raised an eyebrow, his gaze so stern,
"Betray your friends to save yourself, will you never learn?"
"You make it easy for me to know what to do,
Your tricky plea just sealed your fate, it's true."

So Partridge Feather sat there, caught in his plight,
Realizing some truths are as clear as daylight.
He wished he'd known, before this fateful fray,
Some things, like friendship, you can't just give away.

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Word Finder

  1. Partridge

    A small bird that lives in forests.

  2. Smart

    Able to think well and learn quickly.

  3. Forest

    A big area with many trees.

  4. Catches

    Grabs and holds something or someone.

  5. Net

    A tool made of ropes for catching things.

  6. Scared

    Feeling afraid or frightened.

  7. Hurt

    Cause pain or injury to someone.

  8. Believe

    Think that something is true.

  9. Betray

    Turn against a friend to help yourself.

  10. Save

    Keep someone safe from danger.

  1. Partridge

    A small bird that lives in the forest.

  2. Respected

    Liked and admired by other people or animals.

  3. Fowler

    A person who catches birds for a living.

  4. Trapped

    Caught and unable to escape.

  5. Betray

    To hurt someone who trusts you by doing something bad.

  6. Friends

    People or animals you like and enjoy being with.

  7. Family

    People you are related to and live with.

  8. Save

    To keep someone or something safe from harm.

  9. Seriously

    In a way that shows you mean what you say.

  10. Mind

    The part of a person that thinks and feels.

Understanding Questions

  1. What kind of bird is in the story?

    1. A crow
    2. A partridge
    3. A sparrow
    4. A pigeon
  2. Where does the partridge live?

    1. In a city
    2. In a forest
    3. In a village
    4. In a desert
  3. Who catches the partridge?

    1. A man
    2. A dog
    3. A cat
    4. A fox
  4. What does the partridge ask the man?

    1. To feed it
    2. To let it go
    3. To give it a house
    4. To play with it
  5. Why does the man not let the partridge go?

    1. He does not believe the partridge.
    2. He is tired.
    3. He likes the partridge.
    4. He wants to keep it as a pet.
  1. Where did the smart partridge live?
  2. Who came into the forest and trapped the partridge?
  3. How did the partridge feel when he was caught in the net?
  4. What did the partridge promise to do if the Fowler let him go?
  5. Why did the Fowler decide not to let the partridge go?
  1. Why was the partridge admired by the other creatures in the forest?
  2. What immediate action did the Fowler take upon spotting the partridge in the forest?
  3. What did the partridge offer to do in exchange for his freedom?
  4. How did the Fowler perceive the partridge's promise, and what reason did he give for his final decision?
  5. What can be inferred about the Fowler’s values based on his response to the partridge’s plea?

Reflection Questions

  1. Why do you think the Partridge offered to betray his friends and family to the Fowler?
  2. How did the Fowler react to the Partridge's plea?
  3. Can you recall a time when you or someone else had to make a difficult choice? How does it compare to the Partridge's situation?
  4. What does this story teach us about the importance of loyalty and honesty?
  5. How might the Partridge have acted differently in this story, and how could those choices have changed the outcome?

Fable Quotes

To betray others to save oneself is not strength, but the greatest weakness.
To abandon one's kin in danger is to abandon loyalty itself.
Every choice we make comes with consequences, so choose wisely.
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