Aesop's Fables
The Ant and the Grasshopper
⏱ 2–4 min
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The Crow and the Pitcher
On a hot, dry day, a very thirsty crow searched for water for a long time. At last, it spotted a pitcher sitting under a tree.
Delighted, the crow flew down at once. But the water inside was too far down, and its beak was too short to reach it, no matter how hard it tried.
The crow tried many things. It tried pushing the pitcher over, but it was much too heavy. It almost gave up and flew away.
Suddenly, the crow noticed small pebbles scattered nearby. It had an idea: drop the pebbles into the pitcher one at a time, so the water would slowly rise.
The crow kept dropping pebbles in until the water finally rose high enough to reach. At last, it drank its fill, thanks to its patience and clever thinking.
Perseverance and clever thinking will always lead to a way forward.
About this story
A thirsty crow cleverly drops pebbles into a pitcher one by one until the water rises high enough to drink.
⏱ About 2–4 minutes👧 Best for ages 3–6📚 Aesop's Fables
What children can learn
Perseverance & Patience
- Written and retold by
- Aesop's Fables — retold by the Hoot Tales team
- License
- Public domain · Source: Aesop's Fables
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Parents' guide
Think and test with The Crow and the Pitcher
A good fit for
Children who enjoy experiments, cause and effect, or finding several possible solutions. Use it to practice pausing before acting without expecting one correct answer.
Know before reading
The thirsty crow nearly gives up, but the story ends safely. For the activity, use an unbreakable container with adult supervision and keep small objects away from mouths.
Words to explore
- thirsty
- needing or strongly wanting a drink
- water level
- the height of the water's surface
- pebble
- a small, often smooth stone
Before reading
- If your beak could not reach the water, what would you try first?
- Which object in the picture might help the crow?
While reading
- Why does pushing the pitcher not work?
- What do you predict after three pebbles go in?
After reading
- When does the crow stop and change its plan?
- Could anything else make the water rise?
- When one method fails, how can we decide whether to try again or ask for help?
A 10-minute after-reading activity
About 10 minutesMaterials: clear plastic cup, water, ice cubes or clean spoons
- Mark the starting water level on the cup.
- Predict what will happen as each object is added.
- Test, count the objects, and draw the new water line.
What may feel scary or confusing
A child may think the pebbles create more water. Explain simply that they take up space and push the water level higher.
For adults: leave room for the child's view
Do not reveal the crow's method immediately. Let ideas that will not work stay in the conversation; comparing reasons is part of experimenting.
Continue the conversation
Sources for the shared-reading approach
- Literacy Promotion: An Essential Component of Primary Care Pediatric Practice: Policy Statement — American Academy of Pediatrics
- How to teach your child to love reading — UNICEF Parenting
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