The Farmer and The Stork
A farmer catches a stork with cranes eating his crops, ignores the stork's pleas, and punishes it with the cranes.
Once upon a time, in a distant countryside, there lived a farmer who was troubled by the cranes that came to his fields every day. These cranes would eat the seeds he had sown, which made it difficult for him to grow crops and provide for his family.
To deal with this problem, the farmer devised a clever plan. He set a trap in his field, hoping to catch the cranes and put an end to their mischief. One day, as the cranes arrived to feast on the seeds, they fell into the farmer's trap, just as he had hoped.
However, along with the cranes, the trap had also caught a stork who had been standing nearby. The stork pleaded with the farmer to let him go, saying, "Please, kind sir, have mercy on me! I am not one of those mischievous cranes that have been eating your seeds. I am a stork, a harmless and innocent bird. I do not deserve to be punished like them!"
The farmer listened to the stork's pleas but was not swayed. He replied, "You may claim to be an innocent stork, but you were caught in the company of the cranes, who have caused me much trouble. Whether you are innocent or not, you must share their fate."
And with that, the farmer carried out his punishment, disregarding the stork's pleas for mercy.
Something went wrong. Please try again.
Reflection Questions
- Why did the farmer decide to set a trap in his field?
- How do you think the stork felt when he was caught in the farmer's trap?
- Can you think of a time when you or someone else were unfairly blamed for something because of the people you were with?
- What does this story teach us about the company we keep and the concept of guilt by association?
- How can we apply the lesson from this story in our own lives, to choose our friends wisely and to understand that we may be judged by the company we keep?
Fable Quotes
Innocence in the midst of mischief, bears the same consequence.
The responsibility lies not only in our actions but also in the company we choose.
Associating with bad companions will lead to bad consequences.
Just One More Fable
- Wisdom
- Deception
The Talking Cave
A mighty lion in a jungle tries to catch a clever jackal in a cave but fails due to the jackal's trickery.
- Justice
- Deception
The Wolf, The Fox, and The Ape
A sly Fox and gruff Wolf sought justice for a vanished meal; the Fox was found not guilty, but his mischievous reputation remained.
- Gratitude
- Wisdom
The Peasant and the Eagle
A kind peasant frees a trapped Eagle, which later saves him from a collapsing wall, leaving him grateful.
- Responsibility
- Justice
The Flea and The Man
A man fought a bothersome flea, caught it, confronted its plea for mercy, but ultimately chose to punish it anyway.