Jean de La Fontaine
|
France

The Weasel in the Granary

A hungry weasel becomes trapped in a farmer's storage room after overeating and must wait to become thin again to escape.
Greed
Moderation
Consequences
The Weasel in the Granary
Audio available for B1 version

Once upon a time, there was a tiny weasel who was feeling very hungry. She found a small hole in the wall of a farmer's storage room. Since she was thin from being sick, she could easily squeeze through the hole and get inside. Inside the storage room, the weasel discovered grains, corn, and all sorts of delicious things the farmer had stored.

The weasel, excited by her discovery, began to eat as much as she could. Every day, she would come back to the storage room and feast. She ate so much that soon she wasn’t thin anymore. She had grown quite fat from all the food she had eaten.

One day, the weasel heard a noise. Worried that someone might find her, she decided it was time to leave. She hurried to the small hole she had used to enter the storage room. But when she tried to squeeze through, she found that she couldn't fit. She was now too fat to get through the hole!

Panicked, the weasel ran around the storage room, searching for another way out, but there was none. She returned to the hole and tried again and again to squeeze through, but it was no use. She was stuck.

A clever rat noticed the weasel's struggle. Watching her, he said, "You seem to be in trouble, friend. What’s the matter?"

The weasel, now very desperate, replied, "This is the hole I came through when I was thin and hungry. Now I can't get out! What should I do?"

The rat chuckled and said, "When you entered, you were thin because you hadn't eaten. But now, after all the food you’ve consumed, you are too fat to leave. You will have to wait until you are thin again."

The weasel realized the rat was right. She had eaten so much that she had trapped herself in the storage room. With no other choice, she had to wait and eat only small amounts of food until she became thin enough to escape through the hole again.

Once upon a time, there was a tiny weasel who was feeling very hungry. She found a small hole in the wall of a farmer's storage room. Since she was thin from being sick, she could easily squeeze through the hole and get inside. Inside the storage room, the weasel discovered grains, corn, and all sorts of delicious things the farmer had stored.

The weasel, excited by her discovery, began to eat as much as she could. Every day, she would come back to the storage room and feast. She ate so much that soon she wasn’t thin anymore. She had grown quite fat from all the food she had eaten.

One day, the weasel heard a noise. Worried that someone might find her, she decided it was time to leave. She hurried to the small hole she had used to enter the storage room. But when she tried to squeeze through, she found that she couldn't fit. She was now too fat to get through the hole!

Panicked, the weasel ran around the storage room, searching for another way out, but there was none. She returned to the hole and tried again and again to squeeze through, but it was no use. She was stuck.

A clever rat noticed the weasel's struggle. Watching her, he said, "You seem to be in trouble, friend. What’s the matter?"

The weasel, now very desperate, replied, "This is the hole I came through when I was thin and hungry. Now I can't get out! What should I do?"

The rat chuckled and said, "When you entered, you were thin because you hadn't eaten. But now, after all the food you’ve consumed, you are too fat to leave. You will have to wait until you are thin again."

The weasel realized the rat was right. She had eaten so much that she had trapped herself in the storage room. With no other choice, she had to wait and eat only small amounts of food until she became thin enough to escape through the hole again.

There is a small weasel. She is very hungry. She finds a little hole in the wall. The wall is in the farmer's storage room. The weasel is thin. She goes through the hole.

Inside, the weasel sees grain and corn. She is happy. She eats a lot of food every day. She eats so much that she becomes fat.

One day, the weasel hears a noise. She is scared. She wants to leave. She goes to the hole. But now, she is too fat. She cannot fit through the hole.

The weasel is worried. She looks around. She cannot find another way out. She tries to fit through the hole again, but it is no use. She is stuck.

A clever rat sees the weasel. He asks, "What is wrong, friend?"

The weasel says, "I came in when I was thin. Now I am fat and cannot get out. What should I do?"

The rat laughs and says, "You ate too much. Now you are fat. You must wait until you are thin again."

The weasel knows the rat is right. She eats only a little bit of food. She waits to become thin again. Then, she can go through the hole and be free.

Once upon a time, there was a tiny weasel who was feeling very hungry. She found a small hole in the wall of a farmer's storage room. Since she was thin from being sick, she could easily squeeze through the hole and get inside. Inside the storage room, the weasel discovered grains, corn, and all sorts of delicious things the farmer had stored.

The weasel, excited by her discovery, began to eat as much as she could. Every day, she would come back to the storage room and feast. She ate so much that soon she wasn’t thin anymore. She had grown quite fat from all the food she had eaten.

One day, the weasel heard a noise. Worried that someone might find her, she decided it was time to leave. She hurried to the small hole she had used to enter the storage room. But when she tried to squeeze through, she found that she couldn't fit. She was now too fat to get through the hole!

Panicked, the weasel ran around the storage room, searching for another way out, but there was none. She returned to the hole and tried again and again to squeeze through, but it was no use. She was stuck.

A clever rat noticed the weasel's struggle. Watching her, he said, "You seem to be in trouble, friend. What’s the matter?"

The weasel, now very desperate, replied, "This is the hole I came through when I was thin and hungry. Now I can't get out! What should I do?"

The rat chuckled and said, "When you entered, you were thin because you hadn't eaten. But now, after all the food you’ve consumed, you are too fat to leave. You will have to wait until you are thin again."

The weasel realized the rat was right. She had eaten so much that she had trapped herself in the storage room. With no other choice, she had to wait and eat only small amounts of food until she became thin enough to escape through the hole again.

Once upon a time, there was a tiny weasel who was always feeling as hungry as a bear in a honey shortage. One day, she found a small hole in the wall of a farmer's storage room. Since she was as thin as a rake, she could easily squeeze through the hole and get inside.

"Look at this!" she said to herself, eyes wide as saucers. "It’s like an all-you-can-eat buffet!" Inside the storage room, the weasel discovered grains, corn, and all sorts of tasty treats the farmer had stored.

Excited by her discovery, the weasel started to eat as if it was her birthday. Every day, she would come back to the storage room and feast. She ate so much that soon she wasn’t thin anymore. She had grown as round as a basketball from all the food she had eaten.

One day, the weasel heard a noise. "Uh-oh," she whispered, "Time to skedaddle!" She hurried to the small hole she had used to enter the storage room. But when she tried to squeeze through, she found that she couldn't fit. She was now too fat to get through the hole!

Panicking like a chicken in a fox’s den, the weasel ran around the storage room, searching for another way out. "Why, oh why, didn't I leave some room for dessert?" she cried. She returned to the hole and tried again and again to squeeze through, but it was no use. She was stuck like a marshmallow in a keyhole.

A clever rat, who was lounging nearby like he owned the place, noticed the weasel's struggle. Watching her, he said, "You seem to be in a bit of a pickle, eh? What’s the matter?"

The weasel, now very desperate, replied, "This is the hole I came through when I was skinny and hungry. Now I can't get out! What should I do?"

The rat, munching on a piece of cheese, chuckled and said, "Well, isn't that a fine how-do-you-do! When you entered, you were thin because you hadn't eaten. But now, after all the munching, you're too plump to leave. You'll have to wait until you're thin again."

The weasel realized the rat was right. She had eaten so much that she had trapped herself in the storage room. With no other choice, she had to wait and nibble on tiny bits of food until she became thin enough to escape through the hole again.

And so, the weasel learned that sometimes, too much of a good thing can land you in a tight spot.

Once there was a hungry weasel,
Skinny as a twig, like a needle.
She found a hole, so small and neat,
In the farmer’s store, where there was food to eat.

Through the tiny hole, she squeezed right in,
To grains and corn, where feasting could begin.
Each day she ate, from morning till night,
Her body grew round, her clothes getting tight.

One day she heard a noise, oh dear,
She needed to leave, but felt a fear.
Back to the hole, she hurried fast,
But now too big, she couldn’t get past.

She tried and tried, but got stuck tight,
She pushed and pulled with all her might.
A clever rat saw her in despair,
And gave advice with a chuckle and a stare.

“You were once thin when you came in here,
But now you’re fat, from all this cheer.
You must wait till you're thin once more,
To squeeze back out the little door.”

The weasel knew the rat was right,
She’d eaten too much, day and night.
She nibbled small bits, just enough to get by,
And slowly got thinner, as days went by.

Soon she was slim, just like before,
And slipped right out the tiny door.
With a lesson learned, she felt quite wise,
And saw her greed with open eyes.

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Word Finder

  1. Weasel

    Small, thin animal with a long body.

  2. Squeeze

    Press or force into a tight space.

  3. Storage

    Place where things are kept or stored.

  4. Grains

    Small, hard seeds of plants like wheat.

  5. Excited

    Very happy and enthusiastic about something.

  6. Feast

    Eat a lot of food with great enjoyment.

  7. Worried

    Feeling anxious or concerned about something.

  8. Panicked

    Suddenly very scared and unable to think clearly.

  9. Clever

    Smart and able to solve problems easily.

  10. Consumed

    Eaten or used up completely.

Understanding Questions

  1. Why was the weasel able to squeeze through the hole in the beginning?
  2. What did the weasel find inside the farmer's storage room?
  3. Why couldn't the weasel get out of the storage room later on?
  4. What did the rat suggest the weasel should do to escape the storage room?
  5. What lesson did the weasel learn from her experience in the storage room?

Word Finder

  1. Weasel

    Small animal with a long body.

  2. Storage

    Place to keep things safely.

  3. Grain

    Small seeds from plants like wheat.

  4. Corn

    Yellow vegetable with kernels on a cob.

  5. Noise

    Sound that can be heard.

  6. Fit

    Be the right size or shape.

  7. Worried

    Feeling of being scared or nervous.

  8. Stuck

    Unable to move or get out.

  9. Clever

    Smart and quick to think.

  10. Thin

    Not fat, having little body weight.

  1. Weasel

    Small, thin animal with a long body.

  2. Squeeze

    Press or force into a tight space.

  3. Storage

    Place where things are kept or stored.

  4. Grains

    Small, hard seeds of plants like wheat.

  5. Excited

    Very happy and enthusiastic about something.

  6. Feast

    Eat a lot of food with great enjoyment.

  7. Worried

    Feeling anxious or concerned about something.

  8. Panicked

    Suddenly very scared and unable to think clearly.

  9. Clever

    Smart and able to solve problems easily.

  10. Consumed

    Eaten or used up completely.

Understanding Questions

  1. What does the weasel find in the farmer's storage room?

    1. Water
    2. Grain and corn
    3. Cheese
    4. Milk
  2. Why does the weasel become fat?

    1. She drinks a lot of water
    2. She eats a lot of food every day
    3. She exercises a lot
    4. She sleeps all the time
  3. Why can't the weasel get out of the hole?

    1. The hole is closed
    2. She is too fat
    3. She is scared
    4. The farmer is there
  4. Who helps the weasel with advice?

    1. A dog
    2. A cat
    3. A rat
    4. A bird
  5. What does the weasel need to do to get out of the hole?

    1. Find a bigger hole
    2. Eat more food
    3. Wait until she is thin again
    4. Ask the farmer for help
  1. Why was the weasel able to squeeze through the hole in the beginning?
  2. What did the weasel find inside the farmer's storage room?
  3. Why couldn't the weasel get out of the storage room later on?
  4. What did the rat suggest the weasel should do to escape the storage room?
  5. What lesson did the weasel learn from her experience in the storage room?
  1. What circumstances allowed the weasel to initially enter the farmer's storage room?
  2. Describe the weasel's routine after discovering the storage room and its impact on her physical condition.
  3. What problem did the weasel encounter when she decided to leave the storage room, and what caused it?
  4. How did the rat explain the weasel's predicament, and what advice did he offer?
  5. What realization did the weasel come to after hearing the rat's advice, and what course of action did she decide to take?

Reflection Questions

  1. Why do you think the weasel was able to enter the granary initially but not able to leave the same way?
  2. What does this story tell us about the consequences of overindulgence?
  3. Can you think of a situation where having too much of something made it difficult for you or someone else?
  4. How do you think the weasel felt when she realized she couldn’t escape through the hole? What would you do in her place?
  5. What lesson can we learn about planning and foresight from the weasel’s experience?

Fable Quotes

"Too much of a good thing can turn into a bad thing."
"The best measure of what you need is to take only what you can carry."
"Short-term pleasures can lead to long-term traps."
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