The Crow and the Pitcher
A thirsty crow finds a pitcher with water too low to reach. What clever trick will he use to get a drink?
Featured in the Book Audio available for B1 version
One hot and dusty day, a crow flew over the dry land, searching everywhere for water.
"I'm so thirsty!
I need to find water," the crow sighed.
After a long search, it spotted something in the distance.
A pitcher was sitting in the sand.
Hope filled the crow’s heart, and it hurried over to take a closer look.
Peeking inside, it saw just a little bit of water at the bottom. "Oh no!
I can’t reach it!" the crow said, feeling disappointed.
The pitcher was too deep and too narrow.
No matter how much the crow stretched its beak, the water stayed out of reach.
The crow thought hard. "What can I do?" it wondered.
Then it noticed some small stones scattered on the ground.
Suddenly, a clever idea popped into its head.
Picking up a stone with its beak, the crow dropped it into the pitcher. Plop!
The water rose just a little bit.
The crow smiled and picked up another stone. Plop! Then another. Plop!
With each stone, the water level climbed higher and higher.
At last, the water was high enough to reach.
The crow dipped its beak in and took a long, cool drink. "Ahh!
That’s so much better!" it said happily, feeling refreshed.
With a joyful flap of its wings, the clever crow soared into the sky, ready for its next adventure.
في منطقة جافة، كان هناك غراب يبحث عن الماء لأنه كان يشعر بالعطش الشديد. طار الغراب فوق الأرض حتى وجد أخيرًا إبريقًا به قليل من الماء في القاع.
أراد الغراب أن يشرب، فحاول أن يضع منقاره في الإبريق. ولكن الإبريق كان عميقًا وضيّقًا، فلم يستطع الغراب الوصول إلى الماء. حاول مرات عديدة، لكنه لم ينجح.
فكر الغراب في قلب الإبريق ليحصل على الماء، لكنه كان عالقًا في الرمل، فلم يكن ذلك ممكنًا.
بينما كان الغراب لا يزال يرغب في الشرب، خطرت له فكرة. رأى بعض الحجارة الصغيرة بالقرب من الإبريق. التقط الغراب حجرًا بمنقاره وأسقطه في الإبريق.
كل حجر كان يجعل الماء يرتفع قليلاً. استمر الغراب في إضافة الحجارة، وببطء ارتفع مستوى الماء حتى تمكن الغراب من الشرب.
أخيرًا، استطاع الغراب أن يشرب الماء. شعر بالسعادة والفخر لكونه ذكيًا جدًا.
In einem trockenen Gebiet suchte eine Krähe nach Wasser, weil sie sehr durstig war. Sie flog über das Land und fand schließlich einen Krug mit ein wenig Wasser am Boden.
Die Krähe wollte etwas Wasser trinken und versuchte, ihren Schnabel in den Krug zu stecken. Aber der Krug war zu tief und eng, als dass die Krähe das Wasser erreichen konnte. Sie versuchte es viele Male, aber es gelang ihr nicht.
Die Krähe dachte darüber nach, den Krug umzukippen, um das Wasser zu bekommen, aber der Krug steckte im Sand fest, sodass dies nicht möglich war.
Da sie immer noch durstig war, hatte die Krähe eine Idee. Sie sah einige kleine Steine in der Nähe des Krugs. Die Krähe nahm einen Stein mit ihrem Schnabel und ließ ihn in den Krug fallen.
Jeder Stein ließ das Wasser ein wenig steigen. Die Krähe schmiss immer mehr Steine in den Krug und langsam stieg der Wasserspiegel so hoch, dass sie trinken konnte.
Endlich konnte die Krähe das Wasser trinken. Sie war sehr glücklich und stolz darauf, so schlau gewesen zu sein.
एक सूखे इलाके में एक कौवा बहुत प्यासा था और पानी की खोज कर रहा था। वह इधर-उधर उड़ता रहा और अंततः उसे एक मटका दिखा जिसमें हल्का सा पानी था, जो मटके की तली में था।
कौवे ने पानी पिने के लिए अपनी चोंच मटके में डाली। लेकिन मटका बहुत गहरा और संकरा था, जिससे कौवा पानी तक नहीं पहुँच सका। उसने कई बार प्रयास किया पर सफल नहीं हो पाया।
कौवे ने मटके को पलटने का विचार किया ताकि पानी बाहर आ जाए, पर मटका रेत में फंसा हुआ था, इसलिए यह संभव नहीं था।
पानी पीने की इच्छा अब भी थी, इसलिए कौवे ने एक उपाय लगाया। उसने मटके के पास कुछ छोटे-छोटे कंकड़ देखे। कौवे ने अपनी चोंच से एक कंकड़ उठाया और मटके में डाल दिया।
हर कंकड़ से पानी थोड़ा-थोडा ऊपर उठने लगा। कौवा कंकड़ डालता रहा और धीरे-धीरे पानी का स्तर इतना बढ़ गया कि वह उसे पी पाया।
अंततः कौवा पानी पीने में सफल हुआ। उसे अपनी चतुराई पर अत्यंत प्रसन्नता और गर्व का आभास हुआ।
Det var en gång en kråka som flog omkring i ett torrt område för att leta efter vatten, för den var mycket törstig. Efter att ha flugit runt en stund fick den syn på en kruka med lite vatten på botten.
Kråkan ville dricka, så den försökte sticka ner näbben i krukan. Men krukan var både för djup och för smal för att kråkan skulle kunna nå vattnet. Den försökte flera gånger, men det gick inte.
Kråkan funderade på att välta krukan för att få ut vattnet, men den satt fast i sanden, så det gick inte heller.
Kråkan hade nu blivit ännu törstigare men fick en smart idé. Den såg några små stenar bredvid krukan. Kråkan plockade upp en sten med näbben och släppte ner den i krukan.
Varje sten fick vattennivån att stiga lite. Kråkan fortsatte att lägga i stenar, och långsamt steg vattnet tillräckligt högt för att den skulle kunna dricka.
Till slut kunde kråkan äntligen dricka vattnet. Den kände sig mycket glad och stolt över hur smart den hade varit.
在一个干旱的地方,一只乌鸦渴得不得了,它到处飞着寻找水源。它飞过一片片土地,终于发现了一只罐子,罐子底部有一点点水。
乌鸦想喝水,于是它试着把嘴伸进罐子里。但罐子太深太窄,乌鸦的嘴根本够不到水。它试了很多次,都没办法喝到水。
乌鸦想把罐子推倒让水流出来,可是罐子陷在沙子里,推不动。
乌鸦还是很想喝水,突然它有了一个好主意。它看到罐子旁边有一些小石子。乌鸦用嘴叼起一块石子,丢进了罐子里。
每丢一块石子,水位就升高一点。乌鸦不停地往罐子里丢石子,慢慢地,水位终于升到它可以喝到的高度。
最后,乌鸦终于喝到了水。它感到非常开心,也为自己的聪明感到自豪。
Ngenye imini efudumeleyo, egqubayo, unomyayi wabhabha ngentla komhlaba owomileyo ezingela amanzi. "Ndinxaniwe! Ndidinga amanzi.”
Emveni kwethuba elide lokuzingela, yetshe into ekudeni. Kwakuhleli ijokho phezukwesanti. Kwazala ithemba entliziyweni kanomyayi, waleqa kuze afumane ingqwalasela.
Wakroba ngaphakathi, kwabe kukho intwana yamanzi ngezantsi. "Oh yhini! Andikwazi ukufikela kuwo" esitsho edanile.
Ijokho yayinzulu kakhulu, ibhityile. Wazama ukuvula umlomo, kwabe kungafikeki emanzini.
Wangabacinga unomyayi "Ndingenza njani?"
Waqaphela ilityana phantsi, kweqatha iqhinga. Wachola ilitye ngomlomo, Gxumfu! Waphinda ngelinye, Gxumfu! Kwabangangena ilitye, amanzi aye esonyukela. Ekugqibeleni, amanzi enyukela ngokwaneleyo.
Unomyayi we nxu umlomo warhabula amanzi. “Ahh! Kwatsho kwangcono!” esitsho ngovuyo, ekholesekile. Waphekuza iimpiko yimincili wandiza unomyayi okrelekrele, Sele elungele uhambo lwakhe olulandelayo.
In a hot place, a crow is very thirsty. The crow flies around to find water. Then, it sees a pot. The pot has a little water inside.
The crow tries to drink the water, but the pot is too deep. The crow cannot reach the water.
The crow thinks and thinks. It wants to push the pot, but the pot is stuck in the sand.
Then, the crow has an idea. It sees some small stones. The crow picks up one stone and puts it in the pot. Then, the crow picks up another stone and puts it in the pot again.
Every time the crow puts a stone in the pot, the water comes up a little. The crow keeps putting stones in the pot. Soon, the water is high.
At last, the crow can drink the water. The crow is happy. It feels good about its idea.
One hot and dusty day, a crow flew over the dry land, searching everywhere for water.
"I'm so thirsty! I need to find water," the crow sighed.
After a long search, it spotted something in the distance. A pitcher was sitting in the sand. Hope filled the crow’s heart, and it hurried over to take a closer look.
Peeking inside, it saw just a little bit of water at the bottom. "Oh no! I can’t reach it!" the crow said, feeling disappointed.
The pitcher was too deep and too narrow. No matter how much the crow stretched its beak, the water stayed out of reach.
The crow thought hard. "What can I do?" it wondered.
Then it noticed some small stones scattered on the ground. Suddenly, a clever idea popped into its head.
Picking up a stone with its beak, the crow dropped it into the pitcher. Plop! The water rose just a little bit.
The crow smiled and picked up another stone. Plop! Then another. Plop! With each stone, the water level climbed higher and higher.
At last, the water was high enough to reach. The crow dipped its beak in and took a long, cool drink. "Ahh! That’s so much better!" it said happily, feeling refreshed.
With a joyful flap of its wings, the clever crow soared into the sky, ready for its next adventure.
In a very dry region, a crow was desperately searching for water. Its beak was parched and it felt weak from the heat. After flying over the barren land for what seemed like hours, it finally spotted a pitcher with a small amount of water at the bottom.
Eager to quench its thirst, the crow tried to reach the water by sticking its beak into the pitcher. However, the pitcher was both too deep and too narrow, making it impossible for the crow to reach the water. It stretched its neck as far as it could, but still, the water was out of reach.
Frustrated but not willing to give up, the crow considered its options. It tried to tip the pitcher over, but it was wedged firmly in the sand and wouldn’t budge.
Determined to find a way, the crow paused to think. Suddenly, an idea struck it. The crow noticed small pebbles scattered around the pitcher. One by one, it picked up the pebbles with its beak and dropped them into the pitcher.
With each pebble that fell into the pitcher, the water level rose a little higher. The crow continued this process patiently, adding pebble after pebble, watching the water slowly rise to the top.
Finally, the water level was high enough for the crow to drink. It drank deeply and felt a rush of relief and satisfaction. The crow felt a great sense of pride for having been clever and persistent enough to solve its problem.
In a land as dry as a day-old scone, a thirsty crow found itself winging about, craving something wetter than a desert's sense of humor. You see, it's not easy being a crow in such a parched place, especially when one's got a thirst mightier than a dragon's love for treasure!
After what felt like a gazillion flaps of the wings, the crow spotted a pitcher, looking as inviting as a plate of cookies at granny's house. But alas, the water inside was farther away than the last time it rained around these parts - deep, narrow, and unreachable.
The crow, not one to be beaten by a mere container, tried to reach the water with its beak. "Oh, come on!" it squawked, stretching its neck this way and that. "I've seen teapots friendlier than you!" But the pitcher was as uncooperative as a cat at bath time.
Determined to sip that elusive H2-Oh-So-Good, the crow looked around and had a eureka moment. Well, more of a "I've got a plan, and it's as clever as a fox wearing glasses" moment. Pebbles, scattered around like breadcrumbs, were the key.
With a twinkle in its eye and a grin in its beak, the crow began to pick up the pebbles, one by one, dropping them into the pitcher. Plink! Plonk! Splash! The sounds were as delightful as a fairy tale's ending.
The water started to rise, higher and higher, like the hopes of a frog waiting for a kiss. Patiently, the crow kept at it, each pebble a step closer to victory. "What did one pebble say to the other?" it quipped. "I think we're making waves here!"
And just like that, the water was within reach. The crow dipped its beak into the pitcher, tasting victory. "Cheers!" it exclaimed, satisfied with its cleverness and persistence. "Now that's using the ol' noodle!"
And so, in a world where brains can beat a thirsty beak, the crow fluttered off, leaving behind a pitcher, pebbles, and a tale as bubbly as a giggle on a sunny day.
In a land where rivers ran shy,
A crow with a thirst nearly touched the sky.
Flying and searching, its beak all dry,
A pitcher it found, with water oh so nigh!
But alas, the water was far too deep,
The crow's beak couldn't reach, not even a seep!
Stretching and straining, with nary a sip,
The thirsty crow knew it needed a tip.
Then bright as the sun, a thought did appear,
Pebbles and stones lay scattered near!
One by one, with a purpose so clear,
The crow dropped them in, the solution was here!
With every pebble, the water rose high,
Closer and closer to the dry, thirsty sky.
Patiently working, not a wing did it flap,
Until the water was near, right in its lap!
A dip and a drink, a happy caw of delight,
The crow's clever trick had worked just right.
Satisfied and refreshed, off it flew in the light,
Knowing that wisdom had won its parched flight!
Word Finder
Thirsty
Wanting to drink water.Flies
Moves through the air.Deep
Goes far down inside.Reach
To get to something.Stuck
Cannot move from place.Stone
A small, hard rock.Idea
A new, good thought.Picks
Takes something up.Push
Move something away.Continues
Keeps doing something.
Dusty
Covered in tiny dry dirt pieces.Dry
Lacking moisture; not wet, damp, or fresh.Spotted
Saw something suddenly while looking.Pitcher
A container for holding and pouring water.Disappointed
Feeling sad because something didn’t happen.Narrow
Thin, not wide, with little space.Scattered
Spread out in different places.Clever
Smart and good at solving problems.Soared
Flew high and fast in the sky.Refreshed
Feeling better and full of energy again.
Desperately
With extreme urgency and need for something.Parched
Very dry, especially from heat or thirst.Barren
Empty and unable to produce anything.Spotted
Saw or noticed something from a distance.Quench
Satisfy thirst by drinking.Frustrated
Feeling annoyed and upset because of inability.Willing
Ready and eager to do something.Considered
Thought about something carefully.Scattered
Spread or thrown over an area.Relief
A feeling of relaxation and happiness after stress.
- Very dry, like the ground with no rain.
- Parched
- Alas
- A word used to show you're sad or sorry about something.
- Uncooperative
- Not willing to work with others or help.
- Eureka
- Something you say when you suddenly find a solution.
- Elusive
- Something hard to find or catch.
- Gazillion
- A very big number, used to say something is a lot.
- Pebbles
- Small, round stones found on the ground or near water.
- Persistence
- Keep trying, even when things get tough.
- Cleverness
- Being smart and quick to find solutions to problems.
- Bubbly
- Full of energy and happiness, like bubbles in a drink.
Rivers ran shy
Rivers were scarce or hidden.Thirst
A strong desire for drink.Pitcher
A container for holding and pouring liquids.Alas
An expression of sadness or regret.Straining
Trying very hard.Nary
Not any, none at all.Pebbles
Small, round stones.Scattered
Spread out randomly.Patiently
Waiting calmly, without complaining.Parched
Very dry or thirsty.
Understanding Questions
- Where is the crow?
- In a cold place
- In a hot place
- In a big city
- In a small house
- What does the crow want?
- Food
- Water
- A friend
- A toy
- Why can’t the crow drink the water?
- The pot is too deep.
- The water is hot.
- The pot is broken.
- The water is cold.
- What does the crow put in the pot?
- Sticks
- Leaves
- Stones
- Flowers
- How does the crow feel at the end?
- Sad
- Angry
- Happy
- Scared
- Why was the crow searching for water?
- What did the crow find in the sand?
- Why couldn’t the crow drink the water from the pitcher at first?
- What idea did the crow have to get the water?
- How did the crow feel after drinking the water?
- How does the setting of the story contribute to the crow's initial problem?
- What challenges does the crow face when trying to drink water from the pitcher?
- How does the crow's approach to solving the problem change throughout the story?
- What role do the pebbles play in the crow's eventual success?
- How does the crow's persistence and ingenuity impact the outcome of the story?
Reflection Questions
- Why was the crow looking for water?
- How did the crow manage to drink water from the pitcher?
- Can you think of a time when you solved a problem by being clever or creative?
- What lesson does this story teach us about solving challenges?
- How can thinking carefully before you do something help you in your daily life?
Fable Quotes
Necessity is the mother of invention.
When obstacles arise, persistence becomes the bridge to satisfaction.
In the hands of resourcefulness, small pebbles make great waves.


Read it on paper, too
“The Crow and the Pitcher” is one of the 25 illustrated fables in our book, 25 Fables for Fun Quality Time.
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