Once upon a time, in a big, open field, there stood a tall, mighty oak tree. It had thick branches and a trunk so strong that it thought nothing could ever knock it down. Beside the oak, there were many slender reeds growing by a small pond. The oak would often look down at the reeds and laugh.

“You poor little reeds,” the oak said one day, shaking its leaves proudly. “Look at how weak you are! You bend every time the wind blows. But look at me! I stand tall and strong, no matter what.”

The reeds didn’t say anything back. They just swayed gently in the breeze as they always did. They weren’t bothered by the oak’s teasing. They knew something the oak didn’t.

One day, dark clouds covered the sky, and the wind began to howl. A fierce storm was coming. The wind blew harder and harder, bending everything in its path. The oak tree stood firm, just as it always did. “I am strong,” it thought. “This wind won’t move me.”

But as the wind grew stronger, the oak found it harder and harder to stay upright. The force of the wind was pushing against its heavy branches, and its roots began to shake. The reeds, on the other hand, bent and swayed with the wind, letting it pass over them without resistance.

The storm raged on, and finally, with a loud crack, the mighty oak was uprooted and fell to the ground with a great crash. It had stood tall for so long, but it could not withstand the storm because it refused to bend.

When the storm was over, the oak lay on the ground, broken and defeated. The reeds, however, stood straight again, as if nothing had happened. They had bent and swayed with the wind, but they were still standing.

The oak, lying on its side, looked at the reeds with new respect. “I see now,” it said quietly. “You may be small and slender, but you are wise. You knew how to bend with the wind, while I stood too stiff and proud. And now, here I am, uprooted.”

The reeds rustled gently, as if to say, “Sometimes, it’s better to bend than to break.”

Moral:

Being flexible is better than being stubborn. Sometimes, it’s okay to bend with the challenges that come our way, rather than standing too firm and breaking.

Parenting Tip: Help children understand the value of adaptability. Just like the reeds in the story, teaching kids to be flexible and adjust to challenges can help them navigate life’s storms with resilience and grace. Use examples from their daily lives, such as sharing toys or trying a new approach to solving problems, to reinforce this idea.

Fun Questions for Curious Kids

• Why do you think the oak tree was so confident at the beginning of the story?
• What do you think made the reeds stay standing even after the storm?
• Can you think of a time when being flexible helped you or someone you know?
• What would you tell the oak tree if you could speak to it after the storm?
• Why do you think the reeds didn’t argue back when the oak teased them?
• What are some ways you can “bend with the wind” when things don’t go your way?
• Imagine if the reeds could speak during the storm—what do you think they would have said to the oak?
• Which would you rather be: the oak or the reeds? Why?

Did You Know? Fascinating Plant Facts And More

1. Oak trees can live for hundreds of years. The oldest oak tree in the world is estimated to be over 1,000 years old!
2. Acorns, the seeds of oak trees, are an important food source for animals like squirrels and birds.
3. Reeds are actually grasses! They grow near water and can survive strong winds because of their flexibility.
4. Reeds have been used for thousands of years to make mats, baskets, and even roofs!
5. Bamboo is another plant known for its flexibility. It can bend in strong winds without breaking, just like the reeds.
6. Palm trees are designed to withstand hurricanes because they bend instead of snapping.
7. Did you know the fastest wind speed ever recorded on Earth was 253 miles per hour during a tornado in Oklahoma, USA?

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!