The Fox and The Stork
A clever fox plays a trick on a stork at dinner. But when it’s the stork’s turn to serve food, who will outsmart whom?
Featured in the Book Audio available for B1 version
In a sunny forest, there lived a clever fox. One bright afternoon, she thought of a trick to play on her neighbor, the stork. “Why don’t you come over for dinner?” she asked with a mischievous grin. The stork, always friendly, agreed right away.
When dinner time came, the fox made a big pot of yummy soup. But instead of putting it in a bowl, she poured the soup onto a flat plate. She smiled and said, “Here’s your meal, enjoy!”
The stork bent down to eat, but his long, pointy beak couldn’t scoop up any soup. The soup kept slipping off the plate! He tried and tried, but it was no use. Meanwhile, the fox happily ate her soup and giggled as she watched the stork struggle.
The stork felt a little embarrassed but stayed polite. He smiled and said, “Thank you, fox,” and left quietly.
A few days later, the stork had an idea for a little payback. “Why don’t you come over for dinner?” he invited the fox. The fox, curious about what the stork would serve, grinned, “I’d love to!”
When it was time to eat, the stork placed a tall jar with a narrow neck on the table. The food inside smelled delicious, and the fox’s mouth watered. But when she tried to eat, her short snout couldn’t reach the tasty meal at the bottom of the jar!
She sniffed and licked the jar, but nothing worked. She couldn’t get a single bite. Meanwhile, the stork used his long beak to easily enjoy every bite, and by the end of dinner, the fox was still hungry.
Watching the satisfied stork, the fox sighed. She realized her trick had backfired and that treating others as she wanted to be treated was the right way.
كان يا مكان في غابة بعيدة، كانت تعيش ثعلبة ذكية. أرادت الثعلبة أن تمكر بجارتها اللقلق، فدعتها لتناول العشاء عندها.
عندما حان وقت العشاء، قدمت الثعلبة الحساء في صحن مسطح. ضحكت بصوت منخفض وهي تشاهد اللقلق يحاول تناول الحساء. لم يستطع اللقلق بأطراف منقاره الطويل والنحيف أن يمسك بأي حساء. مهما حاول، كان الحساء ينزلق من على منقاره.
بعد بضعة أيام، دعا اللقلق الثعلبة لتناول العشاء عنده. هذه المرة، قدم اللقلق الطعام في إناء طويل ذو عنق ضيق. استخدم اللقلق منقاره الطويل للوصول إلى الطعام اللذيذ داخل الإناء.
لكن الثعلبة واجهت مشكلة. لم تستطع بخرطومها القصير والعريض أن تصل إلى الطعام في أسفل الإناء. حاولت اللعق والشّم حول الفوهة، لكنها لم تستطع الوصول إلى الطعام.
في النهاية، استمتع اللقلق بوجبة طيبة، بينما بقيت الثعلبة جائعة. أدركت الثعلبة أن مكيدتها انقلبت عليها.
Es war einmal ein schlauer Fuchs, der in einem großen Wald lebte. Eines Tages wollte der Fuchs seinen Nachbarn, den Storch, reinlegen und lud ihn zum Abendessen ein.
Als es Zeit zum Essen war, servierte der Fuchs die Suppe auf einem flachen Teller. Der Fuchs kicherte leise, während er beobachtete, wie der Storch versuchte zu essen. Der lange, dünne Schnabel des Storches konnte keine Suppe aufnehmen. Egal wie sehr er sich bemühte, die Suppe entwich seinem Schnabel immer wieder.
Ein paar Tage später lud der Storch den Fuchs zum Abendessen ein. Diesmal servierte der Storch das Essen in einem hohen Krug mit einem schmalen Hals. Der Storch benutzte seinen langen Schnabel, um das leckere Essen aus dem Krug zu holen.
Aber der Fuchs hatte ein Problem. Mit seiner kurzen, breiten Schnauze konnte er das Essen am Boden des Krugs nicht erreichen. Er versuchte, am oberen Rand zu lecken und zu schnüffeln, aber er kam einfach nicht an das Essen heran.
Am Ende genoss der Storch sein Mahl, während der Fuchs immer noch hungrig war. Der Fuchs erkannte, dass sein Streich nach hinten losgegangen war.
एक समय की बात है, एक जंगल में एक चालाक लोमड़ी रहती थी। एक दिन उसने अपने पड़ोसी सारस को बेवकूफ बनाने की सोची और उसे रात के खाने के लिए अपने घर बुलाया।
खाने का समय आया, तो लोमड़ी ने हँसते हुए सारस को एक सपाट थाली में सूप परोसा। वह चुपचाप सारस को देख मुस्कुराई क्योंकि सारस अपनी लंबी और पतली चोंच से सूप नहीं पी पा रहा था। वह चाहे जितना भी प्रयास करे, उसकी चोंच से सूप बार-बार गिर जाता।
कुछ दिनों बाद, सारस ने लोमड़ी को अपने घर, रात के खाने पर बुलाया। इस बार सारस ने भोजन एक लंबे, पतले मुँह वाले बर्तन में परोसा। सारस अपनी लंबी चोंच से आसानी से बर्तन के अंदर का स्वादिष्ट भोजन खा रहा था।
लेकिन लोमड़ी के साथ एक समस्या थी। उसकी छोटी और चौड़ी नाक बर्तन के अंदर तक पहुँच ही नहीं पा रही थी। उसने बर्तन के ऊपर से सूँघने और चाटने की कोशिश की, पर उसे खाना नहीं मिल पाया।
अंत में सारस ने स्वादिष्ट भोजन खाया और लोमड़ी भूखी रह गई। तब लोमड़ी को समझ में आया कि उसकी चाल उसी पर उल्टी पड़ गई थी।
Det var en gång en listig räv som bodde i en stor skog. En dag ville hon spela sin granne storken ett spratt, så hon bjöd in honom på middag.
När det var dags att äta, serverade räven soppa på en flat tallrik. Hon fnissade tyst för sig själv medan hon såg storken försöka äta. Storkens långa, smala näbb kunde inte fånga upp någon soppa. Hur mycket han än försökte, gled soppan bara av näbben.
Några dagar senare bjöd storken räven på middag. Denna gång serverade storken maten i en hög vas med smal hals. Storken använde sin långa näbb för att nå den läckra maten inuti vasen.
Men för räven var det svårt. Hennes korta, breda nos kunde inte nå maten i botten av vasen. Hon försökte slicka och nosa runt kanten, men hon kunde inte nå själva maten.
Så blev det att storken njöt av sin måltid, medan räven fortfarande var hungrig. Räven insåg att hennes spratt hade slagit tillbaka mot henne själv.
在很久很久以前，有一只聪明的狐狸住在森林里。她想捉弄她的邻居鹳鸟，于是邀请他来家里吃晚饭。
到了吃饭时间，狐狸端上了一盘汤，但这汤是放在一个扁平的盘子里的。狐狸悄悄地笑了笑，心想：“看他怎么喝这汤。” 鹳鸟的嘴又细又长，怎么也喝不到汤。不管他怎么努力，汤总是从他的嘴尖滑下来。
几天后，鹳鸟邀请狐狸去他家吃晚饭。这次，鹳鸟把食物放在一个长颈的高罐子里。他用他长长的嘴轻松地把美味的食物吃了起来。
但是，狐狸遇到了麻烦。她又短又宽的嘴根本够不到罐子底的食物。她舔了舔罐子的边缘，又闻了闻，却怎么也吃不到。
最后，鹳鸟吃得很饱，而狐狸却饿着肚子回了家。狐狸这才明白，她的小伎俩反倒害了自己。
Kwihlathi elinelanga, kwakuhlala impungutye ekrelekrele. Ngenye injikalanga eqaqambileyo, wacinga iqhinga lokudlala nommelwane wakhe, ingwamza. “Kutheni ungezi isidlo sangokuhlwa?” Wabuza enoncumo elinobuqhinga. Ingwamza, eyayisoloko inobubele, yavuma ngoko nangoko.
Lathi lakufika ixesha lesidlo sangokuhlwa, impungutye yenza imbiza enkulu yesuphu emnandi. Kodwa endaweni yokuyifaka esityeni, wayigalela isuphu kwipleyiti esicaba. Yancuma yathi, “Nasi, isidlo sakho, sonwabele!”
Ingwamza yagoba ukuze itye, kodwa umlomo wayo omde, otsolo wawungenakukwazi ukukha isuphu. Isuphu yaqhubeka ityibilika esityeni. Yazama yaze yamaza, kodwa ayizange iphumelele. Ngelo xesha, impungutye yayitya isuphu yayo ngovuyo igigitheka njengoko yayibukele ingwamza itsala nzima.
Ingwamza yaziva ineentloni kodwa yabonakalisa intlonipho. Yancuma yathi, “Enkosi, mpungutye,” yaze yemka ngokuzolileyo.
Kwadlula iintsuku ezimbalwa, ingwamza yayinombono wokuzibuyisela. “Kutheni ungezi kwisidlo sangokuhlwa?” yamema impungutye. Impungutye, inomdla wokwazi ukuba ingwamza iza kuyilungisela ntoni, yancuma, “ndingathanda!”
Lathi lakufika ixesha lokutya, ingwamza yabeka ingqayi ende enentamo emxinwa etafileni. Ukutya ngaphakathi kwakunuka kamnandi, yaye umlomo wempungutye wawuvuza izingcwe. Kodwa xa ezama ukutya, impumlo yakhe emfutshane yayingakwazi ukufikelela kwisidlo esinencasa emazantsi engqayi.
Wanukisa wayikhotha ingqayi, kodwa akuzange kusebenze oko. Wayengakwazi ukuluma nakanye. Ngelo xesha, ingwamza yayisebenzisa umlomo wayo omde ukuze ilume inambithe lula, ekupheleni kwesidlo sangokuhlwa, impungutye yayisalambile.
Yaphefumlela phezulu impungutyane, ibukele ingwamza eyanelisekileyo. Yaqonda ukuba iqhinga lakhe aliphumelelanga, kwaye ukuphatha abanye njengoko wayefuna ukuphathwa yena kwakuyindlela efanelekileyo.
A fox lives in a forest. The fox is clever. She has a friend, the stork. The fox wants to play a trick. She invites the stork to dinner.
The fox makes soup. She puts the soup on a flat plate. The stork tries to eat. He cannot eat. His beak is long and thin. The soup falls off his beak. The fox laughs. The stork is sad.
A few days later, the stork invites the fox to dinner. The stork makes food. He puts the food in a tall jar. The jar has a narrow neck. The stork eats with his long beak. The food is good.
The fox tries to eat. She cannot eat. Her nose is short and wide. She licks the top of the jar. She sniffs the food. But she cannot reach the food. The fox is hungry.
The stork eats his meal. The fox is sad. She learns a lesson. Do not play tricks on your friends.
In a sunny forest, there lived a clever fox. One bright afternoon, she thought of a trick to play on her neighbor, the stork. “Why don’t you come over for dinner?” she asked with a mischievous grin. The stork, always friendly, agreed right away.
When dinner time came, the fox made a big pot of yummy soup. But instead of putting it in a bowl, she poured the soup onto a flat plate. She smiled and said, “Here’s your meal, enjoy!”
The stork bent down to eat, but his long, pointy beak couldn’t scoop up any soup. The soup kept slipping off the plate! He tried and tried, but it was no use. Meanwhile, the fox happily ate her soup and giggled as she watched the stork struggle.
The stork felt a little embarrassed but stayed polite. He smiled and said, “Thank you, fox,” and left quietly.
A few days later, the stork had an idea for a little payback. “Why don’t you come over for dinner?” he invited the fox. The fox, curious about what the stork would serve, grinned, “I’d love to!”
When it was time to eat, the stork placed a tall jar with a narrow neck on the table. The food inside smelled delicious, and the fox’s mouth watered. But when she tried to eat, her short snout couldn’t reach the tasty meal at the bottom of the jar!
She sniffed and licked the jar, but nothing worked. She couldn’t get a single bite. Meanwhile, the stork used his long beak to easily enjoy every bite, and by the end of dinner, the fox was still hungry.
Watching the satisfied stork, the fox sighed. She realized her trick had backfired and that treating others as she wanted to be treated was the right way.
Once upon a time, in a dense and leafy forest, there lived a clever fox who loved playing tricks. One day, she thought of a mischievous plan and invited her neighbor, the stork, over for dinner.
When it was time to eat, the fox served soup. However, instead of using a bowl, she poured the soup onto a flat stone dish. The fox watched with amusement as the stork struggled to eat the soup with his long, thin beak. No matter how hard he tried, the soup kept slipping off his beak, leaving him unable to eat a single drop.
A few days later, it was the stork's turn to host dinner. He prepared a meal and served it in a tall jar with a very narrow neck. The stork easily dipped his long neck into the jar, eating the delicious food inside.
The fox, on the other hand, with her short and wide snout, couldn't reach the food at the bottom of the jar. She licked and sniffed around the top of the jar but couldn't get to the meal inside, no matter how hard she tried.
As the stork enjoyed his meal, the fox was left hungry, realizing that her trick had backfired on her.
In a far-off forest where the trees had a bit too much attitude and the grass was as soft as marshmallow, a sly fox, known for her cheeky pranks, thought, "I think it's time for a little mischief!" She nudged her friend, the always-dapper stork, for a dinner party.
"Come over!" said the fox, "I’m making my famous woodland soup. Trust me, it's the talk of the forest!"
Curious, the stork put on his favorite bowtie, anticipating a delightful feast. But when dinner was served, there was a twist! Instead of the usual bowls, the fox cheekily poured the soup onto a flat pancake-like dish.
"Isn’t this trendy?" smirked the fox, taking dainty licks of her soup. The stork, trying to be a good sport, attempted to sip the soup, but, alas! The liquid dribbled down his beak like a waterfall gone wonky. "Hmm, I've heard of a liquid diet, but this is a bit extreme, don't you think?"
Not to be outwitted, the stork had an idea for when it was his turn to host. He sent an invitation to the fox, promising a meal that was "out of this world". And on the big night, he served dinner in a tall, skinny jar that looked like it was meant for storing oversized pencils.
Peeking inside, the fox said, "A bit of an odd choice, but hey, I'm all for trying new things!" But try as she might, she just couldn’t reach the yumminess at the bottom. It was like trying to fish out the last cookie in a jar with a spatula.
The stork, with his perfect beak, slurped away contentedly. "Gourmet dining, wouldn't you say?"
The fox, her tummy rumbling, admitted, "Touché, Mr. Stork. I guess we're even now."
And the two, with mischief in their eyes and smiles on their faces, agreed that maybe next time, they'd just order pizza.
Amidst the trees where shadows lay,
Lived a fox, sly in every way.
She thought of a prank, both sly and neat,
Inviting the stork for a deceptive treat.
Soup was her choice, warm and fine,
But the fox had a playful design.
On a flat stone dish, the soup did splash,
Making it tough for the stork to mash.
The stork came by, ready to dine,
But with his long beak, he couldn't align.
He pecked and prodded, again and again,
The soup just slipped, to the stork's disdain.
Days went by, the stork’s turn came,
His revenge plan was not quite the same.
In his home, with a glint in his eye,
He prepared for the fox, a crafty surprise.
A tall jar, slender and long,
Held the food where it did belong.
With ease, the stork sipped away,
Enjoying his meal without any delay.
But the fox was vexed, her plan did fall,
With her short snout, she couldn't reach at all.
Departing that night, her hunger did pin,
Learning sometimes, the other side may win!
Word Finder
Clever
Smart and quick to understand.Friend
Someone you like and spend time with.Trick
Something done to fool someone.Invites
Asks someone to come.Flat
Smooth and not high.Plate
A dish to put food on.Sad
Feeling unhappy.Narrow
Thin, not wide.Beak
A bird's hard mouth.Lesson
Something learned from an experience.
Clever
Smart and quick at thinking of ideas.Mischievous
Playful in a way that tricks others.Grin
A big, happy smile showing teeth.Scoop
To lift or pick up something.Slipping
Sliding away from where it should be.Struggle
Try hard but find something difficult.Embarrassed
Feeling shy or silly about something.Payback
Doing something to get even.Narrow
Thin, not wide in shape.Backfired
Went wrong and caused trouble instead.
Dense
Very thick with trees or leaves.Leafy
Full of leaves, like a forest.Clever
Smart and able to think of good ideas.Mischievous
Enjoys causing trouble or playing tricks.Invited
Asked someone to come to an event.Amusement
Feeling of being entertained or finding something funny.Struggled
Tried very hard to do something difficult.Narrow
Not wide, thin in width.Snout
The nose and mouth of some animals, like a fox.Backfired
When a plan goes wrong and has the opposite effect.
Sly
Clever and sneaky in a tricky way.Cheeky
Playfully rude or bold.Mischief
Playful troublemaking or naughty behavior.Dapper
Neat and stylish in appearance.Curious
Eager to know or learn something.Trendy
Very fashionable or up-to-date.Dainty
Delicately small and pretty.Outwitted
Defeated by being smarter or more clever.Gourmet
High-quality or fancy food.Contentedly
Happily and satisfied.
Amidst
In the middle of; surrounded by.Shadows
Dark shapes made when something blocks light.Deceptive
Meant to trick or mislead.Design
A plan or idea for how something is made.Splash
To make liquid scatter in drops.Align
To put things in a straight line.Disdain
A feeling of dislike or disrespect.Revenge
Getting back at someone for something.Slender
Thin in an attractive or graceful way.Vexed
Annoyed or frustrated.
Understanding Questions
- Where does the fox live?
- In a city
- In a forest
- In a house
- In a desert
- Who is the fox's friend?
- The lion
- The rabbit
- The stork
- The deer
- What does the fox make for dinner?
- Salad
- Soup
- Bread
- Fruit
- Why can't the stork eat the soup?
- The plate is too flat.
- The soup is too hot.
- His beak is too short.
- The soup tastes bad.
- Why can't the fox eat from the jar?
- The food is too hot.
- The jar has a narrow neck.
- The food is too spicy.
- The fox is not hungry.
- What did the fox serve for dinner when she invited the stork?
- Why couldn't the stork eat the soup from the flat plate?
- How did the stork get back at the fox when he invited her for dinner?
- What was the problem the fox faced when trying to eat from the jar?
- How did the fox feel at the end of the story, and why?
- What was the fox's plan when she invited the stork over for dinner?
- Why was the stork unable to eat the soup served by the fox?
- How did the stork ensure that the fox couldn't eat the meal he served at his dinner?
- What was the fox's reaction when she couldn't reach the food in the jar served by the stork?
- What lesson did the fox learn from her experience with the stork's dinner?
Reflection Questions
- Why did the fox invite the stork to dinner?
- How did the stork make it difficult for the fox to eat the food?
- Can you think of a time when someone played a trick on you? What happened?
- What lesson does this story teach us about how we should treat others?
- What else could the stork have done instead of playing the same trick in return?
Fable Quotes
The one who lays traps may one day find themselves caught in one.
Trickery may seem fun, until the trick is on you.
Cunning may win the moment, but wisdom wins the day.
Just One More Fable
- Respect
- Strength
The Lion and A Donkey
The Lion, a respected leader, ignored an Donkey's disrespectful behavior, teaching others that true strength lies in composure and dignity.
- Equality
- Understanding
The Two Dogs
Hunting Dog confronts rewarded Guard Dog, who blames their master for not training him to work for sustenance.
- Wisdom
- Consequences
The Tale of Two Fish and a Frog
Two fish ignore frog's warning of danger from fishermen and get caught, while the frog moves to a safer place.
- Honesty
- Friendship
The Wolf and The Horse
A wolf tries to deceive a horse with a feast of oats but fails, learning that honesty is better to build friendships.
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“The Fox and The Stork” is one of the 25 illustrated fables in our book, 25 Fables for Fun Quality Time.
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