The Fox and Monkey
A fox and a monkey find statues; the monkey boasts about them, but the fox exposes the monkey's false claims.
Once upon a time, a clever fox and a chatty monkey were walking together. They saw a big field full of beautiful stone statues.
The monkey, with a twinkle in his eye, said to the fox, "Do you see all these statues? They were made to remember my great-great-grandparents. They were very important and did many wonderful things."
The fox tilted his head, thinking about what the monkey said. He looked at the statues, then back at the monkey. With a wise smile, the fox said, "That's a nice story you tell, my friend. But these statues can't talk to say if it's true or not."
The fox then walked away, leaving the monkey standing there with his mouth open. The monkey looked at the statues, then at the fox walking away. He understood that it's easy to say big things when no one can check if they're true, but that doesn't make it right. His cheeks turned red as he learned his lesson.
Audio available for B1 version
Once upon a time, a clever fox and a chatty monkey were walking together.
They saw a big field full of beautiful stone statues.
The monkey, with a twinkle in his eye, said to the fox, "Do you see all these statues?
They were made to remember my great-great-grandparents.
They were very important and did many wonderful things."
The fox tilted his head, thinking about what the monkey said.
He looked at the statues, then back at the monkey.
With a wise smile, the fox said, "That's a nice story you tell, my friend.
But these statues can't talk to say if it's true or not."
The fox then walked away, leaving the monkey standing there with his mouth open.
The monkey looked at the statues, then at the fox walking away.
He understood that it's easy to say big things when no one can check if they're true, but that doesn't make it right.
His cheeks turned red as he learned his lesson.
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Word Finder
Statues
Stone figures made to remember important people.Clever
Smart and quick to think of good ideas.Chatty
Likes to talk a lot, very talkative.Twinkle
A small, quick light, like a sparkle.Important
Having great value or meaning to others.Tilted
Moved something slightly to one side or angle.Wise
Showing good judgment, understanding, and experience.True
Something real, correct, or not made up.Check
Look at something to make sure it's correct.Lesson
Something you learn that helps you in life.
Understanding Questions
- What did the fox and the monkey see in the field they walked by?
- How did the monkey describe his relationship to the statues in the field?
- What was the fox's reaction to the monkey's story about the statues?
- Why couldn't the statues confirm if the monkey's story was true?
- How did the monkey feel at the end of the story after the fox walked away?
Reflection Questions
- Why do you think the Monkey decided to lie about the statues?
- How do you think the Fox knew that the Monkey was not telling the truth?
- Can you remember a time when you realized someone was not telling the truth, like the Fox did?
- What does this story tell us about the importance of being honest, even when it might be easier to lie?
- How can we apply the lesson from this story to be more truthful in our own lives?
Fable Quotes
Making grand claims is easy, but truth is in the proving, not the saying.
True wisdom sees through deceitful tales, revealing the hidden truths that statues cannot speak.
Greatness cannot be claimed, it must be earned and recognized by others.
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