Aesop
|
Greece

The Spendthrift and The Swallow

A young man spent all his money to impress friends but regretted it when he had nothing left for the future.
Regret
Responsibility
Consequences
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Aesop's Fables - The Spendthrift and The Swallow
Audio available for B1 version

Once upon a time, there was a young fellow who loved having fun with his friends. He was known for spending a lot of money, which made him very popular. But soon, he ran out of money because he spent it all just to look good in front of his friends. All he had left were the clothes on his back.

One morning, he was supposed to meet his friends. He was worried because he didn't have any money to impress them. Just as he was thinking about this, a Swallow, a small bird, flew by. It was chirping happily, which made the young man think that summer was here.

He got an idea and ran to a shop where they buy and sell clothes. He sold all his clothes, except for a light shirt, thinking he wouldn't need them in the warm summer weather.

But, a few days later, the weather changed. It got very cold and frosty. The poor Swallow, and the young man, were shivering because they were not ready for the cold.

The young man, standing in the frosty cold with bare arms and knees, realized his mistake. He had made choices thinking only about the present, without considering what could happen in the future.

Once upon a time, there was a young man who loved to have fun with his friends. He liked to spend a lot of money to buy nice things and show off. Because of this, he became very popular, and everyone wanted to be his friend. But soon, he spent all his money and had nothing left except for the clothes he was wearing.

One morning, the young man was supposed to meet his friends. He felt worried because he had no money to impress them. As he was thinking about this, a small bird called a Swallow flew by, chirping happily. The young man thought the bird's singing meant that summer was here.

He had an idea! He ran to a shop that buys clothes and sold all his warm clothes. He kept only a light shirt because he thought he wouldn't need warm clothes in the summer.

But, after a few days, the weather changed. It became very cold and frosty. The poor Swallow and the young man were shivering because they weren't ready for the cold.

The young man, standing in the freezing cold with his bare arms and knees, realized he had made a big mistake. He learned that making decisions without thinking about the future can lead to trouble.

Once upon a time, there was a young man who loved to have fun with his friends. He liked to spend a lot of money to buy nice things and show off. Because of this, he became very popular, and everyone wanted to be his friend. But soon, he spent all his money and had nothing left except for the clothes he was wearing.

One morning, the young man was supposed to meet his friends. He felt worried because he had no money to impress them. As he was thinking about this, a small bird called a Swallow flew by, chirping happily. The young man thought the bird's singing meant that summer was here.

He had an idea! He ran to a shop that buys clothes and sold all his warm clothes. He kept only a light shirt because he thought he wouldn't need warm clothes in the summer.

But, after a few days, the weather changed. It became very cold and frosty. The poor Swallow and the young man were shivering because they weren't ready for the cold.

The young man, standing in the freezing cold with his bare arms and knees, realized he had made a big mistake. He learned that making decisions without thinking about the future can lead to trouble.

Once upon a super-fun time, there was this young guy who thought life was one big party. "I'm the king of fun," he'd say, tossing around coins like they were shiny stickers. Everyone thought he was the coolest dude ever! But then, uh-oh, his piggy bank was suddenly as empty as a playground at bedtime.

"What am I gonna do? My friends expect a party, and I've got no coins for even a lollipop!" he worried. Just as he was scratching his head, a little Swallow flew by, singing a happy tune. "Wow, that birdie must mean it's summer!" he thought, happier than a frog in a pond.

A-ha! An idea popped into his head like a jack-in-the-box. He ran to the store that buys old clothes, puffing like the Big Bad Wolf. "Here, take my pants, my jacket, and even my socks," he told the shopkeeper. "Just leave me this T-shirt. Who needs warm clothes in summer, right?"

But hold on, kids! It was like Mother Nature heard him and said, "Summer? I think not!" Only a few days later, the air turned colder than ice cream! Our little birdie friend puffed up its feathers like a cotton ball and chirped, "Hey, who turned off the heat? I want to speak to the manager of the weather!" And our young guy? Well, he was standing there in his thin T-shirt, shivering like he was doing a funny dance.

He mumbled to himself, "Okay, maybe, just maybe, I should've thought this through a bit more." He looked like he'd just eaten a lemon, folks. Yep, sometimes the fun stuff now doesn't really help you out later.

And as he stood there, colder than a snow cone, he thought maybe next time he'd pay more attention to the real signs of weather, not just a singing bird. Or, you know, maybe he'd just keep a sweater handy. That works too!

On a bright and sunny day,
There was a lad, so fond of play.
Gold and silver, he'd toss and fling,
Without a thought of what tomorrow might bring.

His friends would cheer, close by they'd stay,
For with his wealth, he washed their worries away.
But as days passed by, his riches took flight,
No more shimmering coins, no golden light.

Dressed up so fine, with the world to share,
He wondered aloud what next he'd wear.
Then a Swallow flew by, singing so strong,
"Summer's here, but not for long."

An idea in his mind, quick as can be,
"I'll sell my warm clothes, summer's all I see!"
To the shop he went, his garments he traded,
Just a light shirt left, he was unshaded.

But then skies turned gray, and cold winds began,
Winter arrived, spoiling his plan.
The Swallow, now cold, perched up so high,
And the lad too shivered, asking the sky why.

With bare arms and knees, in the snow he'd stand,
Wishing he had made a better-laid plan.
Choices made quick, without a foresee,
Had left him so cold, by a snow-covered tree.

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Word Finder

  1. Popular:

    Liked by many people or well-known.

  2. Impress:

    Make others think highly of you.

  3. Chirping:

    Making short, high-pitched bird sounds.

  4. Swallow:

    A small bird that flies quickly.

  5. Frosty:

    Very cold, often with ice forming.

  6. Shivering:

    Shaking from cold or fear.

  7. Bare:

    Not covered by clothes or anything.

  8. Mistake:

    A wrong action or decision.

  9. Decisions:

    Choices made after thinking about something.

  10. Trouble:

    Problems or difficulties that cause worry.

Understanding Questions

  1. Why did the young man sell all his warm clothes?
  2. What did the young man think when he saw the Swallow flying by?
  3. How did the young man feel when the weather became cold again?
  4. What was the young man's main concern when he was about to meet his friends?
  5. What mistake did the young man realize he had made at the end of the story?
Word Finder
  1. Popular:

    Liked by many people or well-known.

  2. Impress:

    Make others think highly of you.

  3. Chirping:

    Making short, high-pitched bird sounds.

  4. Swallow:

    A small bird that flies quickly.

  5. Frosty:

    Very cold, often with ice forming.

  6. Shivering:

    Shaking from cold or fear.

  7. Bare:

    Not covered by clothes or anything.

  8. Mistake:

    A wrong action or decision.

  9. Decisions:

    Choices made after thinking about something.

  10. Trouble:

    Problems or difficulties that cause worry.

Understanding Questions
  1. Why did the young man sell all his warm clothes?

    1. He wanted to help others.
    2. He thought it would be warm forever.
    3. He needed money for food.
    4. He wanted to travel light.
  2. What did the young man think when he saw the Swallow flying by?

    1. It was a sign of good luck.
    2. It reminded him of summer.
    3. It was just a bird.
    4. He felt sad.
  3. How did the young man feel when the weather became cold again?

    1. Happy and excited.
    2. Regretful and cold.
    3. Indifferent.
    4. Grateful for his friends.
  4. What was the young man's main concern when he was about to meet his friends?

    1. He wanted to impress them.
    2. He was worried about the weather.
    3. He felt nervous about his outfit.
    4. He had nothing to say.
  5. What mistake did the young man realize he had made at the end of the story?

    1. He didn't appreciate his friends.
    2. He sold his warm clothes.
    3. He ignored the Swallow.
    4. He forgot to buy food.
  1. Why did the young man sell all his warm clothes?
  2. What did the young man think when he saw the Swallow flying by?
  3. How did the young man feel when the weather became cold again?
  4. What was the young man's main concern when he was about to meet his friends?
  5. What mistake did the young man realize he had made at the end of the story?
  1. Why did the young man sell all his warm clothes?
  2. What did the young man think when he saw the Swallow flying by?
  3. How did the young man feel when the weather became cold again?
  4. What was the young man's main concern when he was about to meet his friends?
  5. What mistake did the young man realize he had made at the end of the story?
Reflection Questions
  1. Why do you think the young man sold his clothes just because he saw the Swallow?
  2. How did the young man's actions affect his life when the weather changed?
  3. Can you think of a time when you or someone else made a decision too quickly and it led to problems later on?
  4. What lesson does this story teach us about the importance of thinking ahead and not making decisions based only on the present moment?
  5. How can we apply this lesson in our own lives to make better decisions about saving and spending money wisely?
Fable Quotes
Looking back with regret is the price of hasty decisions.
Neglecting responsibility leads to fleeting pleasures and lasting consequences.
Actions without foresight lead to regret when consequences unfold.
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