Once upon a time, in a peaceful valley, there was a small bridge over a wide, fast river. This bridge was old and fragile, but it was the only way to cross the river for many miles in any direction. It was barely wide enough for one person to walk on.
One sunny morning, two goats came towards the bridge from different sides. One came from the north, and the other came from the south. Both goats wanted to cross the bridge and reach the fresh, green fields on the other side.
As the goats started walking across, they saw each other in the middle of the bridge. However, neither goat wanted to move and let the other pass. They stared at each other, both too stubborn to give in.
After a few tense moments, the goats began to fight, pushing each other with their horns. The more they fought, the more the bridge shook under their weight. Their battle was intense, and they were determined to win.
But the narrow bridge couldn't handle their fight. With a loud noise, the wooden planks broke, and the goats fell into the deep river below.
The river's current was strong and unyielding. The goats, still fighting, were carried away by the water and couldn't swim to safety. They eventually drowned, their stubbornness leading to their unfortunate end. And so, the lush pastures on the other side of the river remained untouched that day.
Once upon a time, in a super-cool valley, there was a teeny-weeny bridge over a fast river that just wouldn't slow down. This bridge was old, like, fairy-tale grandma old.
One morning, when the sun was shining like a big yellow beach ball, two goats arrived at opposite ends of the bridge. One goat was groovin' in from the north and was all like, "Yay, grass party!" The other sashayed in from the south, thinking, "Yum, yum, can't wait to munch!"
They trotted onto the bridge and—Oops!—bumped into each other in the middle like characters in a cartoon.
"Hey, buddy," said the first goat. "Why don't you let me go first? I've got important munching to do."
"Oh, important munching?" replied the second goat. "Well, I've got VIP tickets to the all-you-can-eat grass buffet!"
Their eyes met. Imagine two superheroes staring each other down, but with fur and hooves.
That's when they started bonking their heads together, not like they were dancing or anything. The bridge began to shake like it was scared.
"Uh-oh," said Goat One. "Do you feel that? It's like the bridge is joining our dance-off."
"Yeah," said Goat Two. "Or maybe it's telling us to cut it out!"
But nope, they kept at it—Bonk! Bang! Thud! Until—Snap! The bridge gave up. It just couldn't handle their goat drama and broke like a popped balloon, sending the goats into the water below.
Getting carried away by the river, they were still fussing and fighting. Goat One yelled over the water, "Ever think maybe we should've just shared the bridge?"
Goat Two, splashing all over the place, shouted back, "Share? Why didn't I think of that? Let's remember that for next time!"
But, oh dear, there was no next time. The river said, "Party's over, dudes," and swept them away, never to see that tasty, amazing grass they both wanted. And so, the grass on the other side stayed perfectly green and delicious, like it was waiting for someone who knew how to share.
Two goats, one white, one black,
Came upon a bridge's narrow track.
One from the north, and one from the south,
Both dreamt of green grass in their mouth.
As they met in the bridge's center,
Neither one would step back nor enter.
They glared, they stared, noses in the air,
Both thinking, "I won't move, I swear!"
With horns they pushed, they tussled, they clashed,
And the frail bridge under them thrashed.
A creak, a snap, down the bridge did sway,
Both goats tumbled into the waterway.
The river roared, swift and so wide,
And the two stubborn goats were swept by the tide.
If only they'd learned to share the path that day,
Both could have grazed and happily played.
While the grasshopper dances through summer, the ant works hard, gathering food. Which one will survive when winter arrives?
The powerful North Wind and the gentle Sun try to make a traveler take off his cloak to prove who is stronger. Which one will succeed?
Steady and patient, a slow tortoise dares to race against a confident hare. Who will cross the finish line first?
A thirsty crow finds a pitcher with water too low to reach. What clever trick will he use to get a drink?
When a farmer brings a bundle of sticks to his sons, they stop arguing. How did a simple bundle of sticks teach them?
A king's elephant and a dog form a friendship, are suddenly separated, but they are reunited by the king and live happily.
A lion spares a tiny mouse who promises to return the favor one day. How could such a small mouse possibly help a lion?
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Enjoy 25 selected fables for life, in print. Every purchase supports free stories for children, parents, and teachers worldwide at fablereads.com
Learn More