The Crow and the Pitcher – Story and Analysis
“The Crow and the Pitcher” is THE MOST famous tale in the Aesop Fables and has made thousands of translations into various languages without changing even the characters. It is the story of a crow which uses its intelligence to drink some water.
If you want to read another thought provoking tale from the Aesop Fables, you can read The Ox and the Gnat or The travellers and the plane tree.
The story:
Once upon a time, it was summer and the land was very dry. A crow was very thirsty and flew around searching for water. Soon it found a small pitcher containing very little water.
The crow said, “CAW CAW. Look, a pitcher of water. I can finally have a drink”.
He put his head down the pitcher. The crow could not reach the water. He felt more and more thirsty and did not know what to do.
“CAW CAW! The water is still too deep. What should I do?”
The crow looked around and found a mud patch having number of pebbles. Then he got a brilliant idea.
He flew to the mud patch. FLAP! FLAP! He picked up one pebble with his beak. He hopped over to the jug. HOP! HOP! And then he dropped the stone into the pitcher.
The water was still too deep. He flew to the mud patch. FLAP! FLAP! He picked up the second pebble with his beak. He hopped over to the jug. HOP! HOP! And then he dropped the second stone into the pitcher.
The water was still too deep. He did this many times. For each pebble, the water was rising slowly. Finally the water was high enough. The crow could reach the water and have its fill of water.
Moral of the Crow and the Pitcher
The moral of the story “The Crow and the Pitcher” is little by little does the trick!
“The Crow and the Pitcher” imparts a valuable lesson about ingenuity and resourcefulness, reminding us of the power of creative thinking and problem-solving. The fable serves as a reminder that even in challenging situations, there are often solutions if we are willing to think outside the box. By applying the wisdom of this fable to our lives, we can cultivate a mindset of resourcefulness, embrace our creativity, and overcome obstacles with determination. Let us draw inspiration from Aesop’s fables and embrace the virtues of ingenuity and resourcefulness in our everyday endeavors.
Analysis of the story
- Encouraging Creativity: “The Crow and the Pitcher” encourages us to embrace creativity and think innovatively when faced with challenges. By exploring alternative approaches and utilizing our imagination, we can discover unique solutions to problems.
- Developing Resourcefulness: The fable prompts us to develop resourcefulness, the ability to make the most of available resources. It teaches us to assess our surroundings and adapt our strategies to overcome obstacles efficiently.
- Fostering Perseverance: The story emphasizes the importance of perseverance in problem-solving. It encourages us not to give up easily and to keep trying different approaches until we find a successful solution.
Summary of the story
“The Crow and the Pitcher” tells the story of a thirsty crow who comes across a pitcher with a little water at the bottom. Desperate to quench its thirst, the crow tries to reach the water by inserting its beak into the narrow opening but fails. Realizing that the water level is too low for it to drink, the clever crow comes up with a creative solution.
Using its resourcefulness, the crow begins dropping small stones into the pitcher, causing the water level to rise. With each stone, the water level gradually reaches a height where the crow can finally drink and satisfy its thirst.
Questions and Answers on “The Crow and the Pitcher”
- What is the moral lesson of “The Crow and the Pitcher”?
- The fable teaches the importance of ingenuity and resourcefulness. It emphasizes that by using our intelligence and thinking creatively, we can overcome challenges and find solutions.
- How did the crow attempt to quench its thirst initially?
- The crow tried to reach the water by inserting its beak into the narrow opening of the pitcher.
- What did the crow do to solve the problem?
- The crow dropped small stones into the pitcher to raise the water level, enabling it to drink.
- What does the story teach us about problem-solving?
- The story highlights the value of thinking outside the box and finding unconventional solutions to overcome obstacles.
- What qualities are emphasized in the story?
- The story emphasizes the importance of intelligence, resourcefulness, and perseverance in finding solutions.
[…] you want to read another thought provoking tale from the Aesop Fables, you can read The pitcher and the crow or The travellers and the plane […]