The Peacock and The Crane
Aesop | Greece
The Peacock boasts of his beauty, but the Crane shows the usefulness of her plain feathers by flying high.
Once upon a time, in a green forest, there lived a beautiful Pearooster and a simple Crane. They were neighbors and often met at a lake nearby to drink water and talk.
One day, the Pearooster felt very proud of his pretty feathers. He started to brag to the Crane. "Look at my amazing tail," said the Pearooster, showing his feathers. "I am the most beautiful bird in the world!"
The Crane listened quietly as the Pearooster talked about how beautiful he was. The Pearooster then made fun of the Crane for her plain looks. "And look at you," he laughed, "your feathers are so plain and gray. You must wish you were as beautiful as me."
The Crane did not feel bad or jealous. She replied calmly, "It is true that you have beautiful feathers, my friend, but they are only for showing off. My feathers may not be colorful, but they have their own use."
With that, the Crane spread her long wings and flew high into the sky. She could fly far away, seeing the world's beauty from above. The Pearooster, who couldn't fly very far because of his heavy feathers, could only watch as the Crane flew away.
A Boasting Mule
A confident mule enjoying a carefree break believed he had racing horse lineage, but after a day of labor, he doubted his heritage.
Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock
Curious spider Anansi finds a magical rock that puts animals to sleep; he tricks them but is eventually outsmarted.
Anansi and the Wisdom Pot
A spider named Anansi gathered all the wisdom in a large pot, but a child's simple suggestion shattered it, spreading wisdom everywhere.
A Thunny and A Dolphin
A frightened Thunny being chased by a Dolphin cleverly leads them both to the shore, where they both get stranded.