Aesop | Greece
The Farmer and The Cranes
The hardworking farmer successfully defends his crops from pesky cranes by scaring them away with rocks, teaching them to finally leave.
In a small village, there was a farmer who worked very hard. He spent long hours every day in his large field, growing crops to feed his family and the villagers. One morning, he saw a group of cranes in his field, pulling out the seeds he had just planted with their long beaks.
The farmer tried to scare them away by waving his sling in the air. The cranes flew away when they heard the sound, but they always came back when the farmer wasn’t looking. This went on for days, and the farmer was getting tired while the cranes became braver.
As more of his crops were being eaten, the farmer knew he had to do something. So, he decided to put rocks in his sling. The next morning, when the cranes returned, the farmer swung his sling, and the rocks flew past the cranes, making them understand they were in danger.
The cranes, who had been fearless before, quickly realized the farmer was serious. They knew the field was no longer a safe place, so they flew away and didn’t come back. The farmer felt relieved, knowing his crops were now safe from the cranes.
