The Bald Man and the Fly

A bald man learns a lesson about patience when a pesky fly teaches him not to sweat the small stuff.

The Bald Man and the Fly

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One warm summer day, a bald man was sitting outside, enjoying the sunshine. Suddenly, a little fly started buzzing around his head, zipping here and there. “Go away, fly!” he said, waving his hand to make it leave.

But the fly didn’t go away. It kept buzzing around his ears, making him more and more annoyed. The man got really frustrated and swung his hand hard to swat the fly. But instead of hitting the fly, he hit his own head—ouch!

The fly just buzzed away, laughing. “You only made things worse for yourself!” it seemed to say. The bald man rubbed his sore head and realized that getting too angry over a tiny thing only made him feel worse.

Moral:

Getting too upset over small things can make problems bigger.

Parenting Tip: Teach your child the value of staying calm when faced with small annoyances. The story of the bald man and the fly is a perfect example of how overreacting can sometimes hurt us more than the problem itself. Help your child practice patience and mindfulness in everyday situations.

Fun Questions for Curious Kids

  • Why do you think the fly kept buzzing around the bald man?
  • How would you have tried to get rid of the fly if you were the man?
  • Have you ever gotten upset about something small? What did you learn from it?
  • Why do you think the man hurt himself when trying to swat the fly?
  • If you could talk to the fly, what would you say to convince it to leave you alone?
  • What are some ways we can stay calm when something annoys us?

Activity Idea

Fly Chase Game
Play a fun game where you pretend to be flies buzzing around, and someone else pretends to swat them. Use safe and soft objects like a rolled-up piece of paper as the “swatter.” This helps kids burn off energy while learning about patience and staying calm when annoyed.

Did You Know? Fun Animal and Summer Facts

  1. Flies have compound eyes, which let them see in all directions at once! That’s why they’re so hard to catch.
  2. Bald eagles are named for their white-feathered heads, which make them look “bald” even though they have feathers!
  3. Flies taste food with their feet. When they land on something, they’re actually tasting it!
  4. The average fly only lives about 2-4 weeks but spends its short life very actively buzzing around.
  5. Swatting at a fly can create air movement, which helps the fly feel you coming before you can hit it.
  6. The term “bald” doesn’t just mean no hair—it originally meant “white” or “light-colored,” like in the word “bald eagle.”
  7. Flies are attracted to the smell of food, especially sugary or rotting items. That’s why they’re so common in summer!

Download Free Coloring Pages Related To This Story

Bring the story to life with coloring pages designed to spark creativity and make story time even more fun. Coloring helps kids express their creativity, improve focus, and reinforce the story’s themes in a fun, engaging way. After reading together, let them bring the story to life with colors!

Click on any of the free coloring pages below to download or print it!

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