The Thirsty Crow: a story for kids, its moral and an experiment

The story

It was the hottest part of a long summer. The ponds had dried up, the ground was cracked and the leaves hung still on the trees. A crow had been flying since morning, and now his wings were heavy and his throat felt as dry as dust.

He flew over fields and lanes, looking for even a few drops of water. Just when he thought he could go no further, he saw a garden with a clay pitcher standing in the shade. He swooped down and peered in. There was water! But it lay far below the neck of the pitcher. When he stretched his beak as far as it would go, he could not touch it.

He tried to tip the pitcher over, but it was far too heavy for a small bird. He tried to break it, but the clay was thick. The crow sat still and, instead of giving up, began to think.

Then he noticed a pile of small pebbles on the ground nearby. An idea came to him. He picked up one pebble in his beak, carried it to the pitcher and dropped it in. Plop. The water rose, just a little. He fetched another pebble, and another. Each time, the water climbed a little higher up the pot.

It took many trips. His beak was tired, but he kept going. At last the water reached the top, and the crow drank until he felt better. Then he flapped his wings, thanked the garden and flew off into the sky.

What is the moral?

The heart of the tale is that patience and clever thinking can solve a problem that looks impossible. The crow did not panic, did not blame the pitcher and did not stop after the first try. He looked at what was around him and used it. In Hindi, a saying that fits is जहाँ चाह वहाँ राह, roughly “where there is a will, there is a way”. Another is “necessity is the mother of invention”.

It is also worth telling children that many small efforts add up. No single pebble filled the pitcher. Each one moved the water a little, and the little steps together did the job.

Where does the story come from?

Many people assume the Thirsty Crow belongs to the Panchatantra, because it sits so happily beside those animal fables. In fact the tale is usually traced to The Crow and the Pitcher, a fable credited to Aesop of ancient Greece. It has travelled widely and been told in India for generations, in school books and by grandparents, in many languages. If you would like a story that is part of the Panchatantra, try the Monkey and the Crocodile, or browse the whole Panchatantra collection.

Questions to ask after reading

Keep these light and let your child lead. For younger children, ask them to act out each step. For older ones, ask for reasons.

• Why could the crow not reach the water at first?
• What did he try before he found the idea that worked?
• Tell me about a time something felt too hard until you tried a different way.

Try it at home: the pebbles-and-water experiment

You need a tall clear jar or bottle, some water, a handful of small, clean pebbles or marbles, and an adult nearby. Pour in a little water, mark the level with a rubber band or a marker, then drop in the pebbles one at a time. Watch the water climb. Ask your child to guess how many pebbles will bring it to the top, then count. The pebbles take up room, so they push the water upward.

More to explore on Rangooo

Try more fables next: the Panchatantra stories, solve the riddles in Paheli, or see our tips on telling moral stories.

Questions

What is the moral of the Thirsty Crow story?

Patience and clever thinking can solve a problem that looks impossible. The crow did not give up; he had an idea and kept trying, one pebble at a time.

Is the Thirsty Crow a Panchatantra story?

Not originally. It is usually traced to The Crow and the Pitcher, a fable credited to Aesop of ancient Greece, though it has been told in India for generations.

Can crows really drop stones into water?

This is a fable, so it is best enjoyed as a story rather than as a science fact. Crows are often described as clever birds.

What can children learn from the story?

They can retell the events in order, talk about patience, and try the pebbles-and-water experiment.