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The Fox and the Crow

A black crow perched on a high tree branch holding a bright yellow piece of cheese in her beak, against a vivid blue sky and lush green leaves

A black crow found a delicious piece of yellow cheese lying under a tree. She proudly carried it up to a high branch, hoping to enjoy it quietly all by herself.

A bright orange fox standing below looking up eagerly at a crow on a branch, eyes sparkling at the yellow cheese in her beak

A fox walked by and spotted the cheese in the crow's beak. His mouth watered, and he hatched a plan to trick her with sweet words.

A fox standing and looking up sweetly, flattering a crow perched on a branch, in a bright green sunlit forest in the afternoon

The fox looked up and said, "What beautiful feathers you have! Your voice must be the loveliest in the whole forest — won't you sing me a song?"

A crow with her beak wide open cawing loudly on a branch as a yellow piece of cheese falls from her mouth, bright blue sky behind

Flattered and eager to show off her voice, the crow opened her beak and let out a loud "Caw!" — and the piece of cheese tumbled straight to the ground.

A fox running off cheerfully carrying a piece of yellow cheese across a bright green meadow, a confused crow watching from a branch behind

The fox snatched up the cheese and dashed off with a grin, leaving the crow staring in confusion from her branch. She learned that overly sweet words often hide a hidden trick.

Moral of the story

Flattery often hides a selfish motive — don't let sweet words fool you into losing something valuable.

The original plot is in the public domain. Copyright is reserved in the Hoot Tales retelling, translation, illustrations, and presentation.

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About this story

A crow perches on a branch with a piece of cheese in her beak, and a clever fox showers her with flattery until she opens her mouth to sing — dropping the cheese right into his paws.

⏱ About 2–4 minutes👧 Best for ages 4–8📚 Aesop's Fables

What children can learn

Critical Thinking
Written and retold by
Aesop's Fables — retold by the Hoot Tales team
License
Public domain · Source: Aesop's Fables
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