The Owl and the Grasshopper
One of the most famous and well known stories of the Aesop’s Fables collection is the story called “The Owl and the Grasshopper”(wiki). In this old Aesop’s Fables story, a grasshopper is very arrogant and tries to bother an own by chirping loudly!!! Read on about the story….
Story:
Once upon a time, there was a very old and wise owl. The owl lived in the hollow of an old oak tree. She used to sleep all day and woke up only at sundown. Then she would fly around all night slowly and hunt for bugs and insects when it was very dark. She loved to eat insects and bugs and mice and frogs very much.
And what did the owl sing at night? “Whoooooo Whoooooo Whoooooo” she sang as she flew around in the night. She could not see very well during the day as she was very old.
One summer she was sleeping well in the morning. A grasshopper saw her and wanted to make fun of her. The grasshopper started to chirp very loudly.
“Churp Churp Churp Churp. Chirp Chirp Chirp Chirp. Churp Churp Churp Churp. Chirp Chirp Chirp Chirp” he sang in a very loud and irritating way.
The owl woke up because of the sound and popped out its head from the tree.
“Mr Grasshopper. If you don’t mind, can you please sing somewhere else? I am very old and need to sleep.”
The grasshopper was very naughty and replied back in a very rude manner.
“My dear owl. Maybe you should sleep somewhere else. I am free and can sing wherever I want. I am free and can sing however loudly I want.”
Saying so, the grasshopper continued to sing more loudly than before.
The wise owl knew that it would not do her any good by arguing with the brash young grasshopper. She knew that, during the day, she could not catch the grasshopper and punish him.
So she said to him in the sweetest of tones, “But you have mistaken me. I am unable to sleep because your sound is so melodious. We must drink to your voice. I have a bottle of wonderful wine with me, the best in the world. It has remained unopened for so long. Now I think is the best time to open it. Come and join me”
The grasshopper was filled with pride and was moved by the flattery of the owl. He flew into the den of the owl. The owl quickly moved towards the grasshopper and ate him.
Moral of the Story:
The moral of the story The Owl and the Grasshopper is that flattery is not a proof of true admiration. Never let flattery throw you off your guard against an enemy.
Questions and Answers on “The Owl and the Grasshopper“
- Who are the main characters of the story?
- How did the grasshopper make fun of the owl?
- What happens in the end?
- What is the moral of the story?
Answers
- The main characters of the story are an owl and a grasshopper.
- The grasshopper wanted to make fun of the owl by chirping very loudly.
- The grasshopper was filled with pride and flew into the den. The owl quickly moved towards the grasshopper and ate him.
- The moral of the story is, “Flattery is not a proof of true admiration. Never let flattery throw you off your guard against an enemy.”
The Owl and the Grasshopper – PDF
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