The Pitcher and the Crow

On a hot summer day, a very thirsty crow was flying over a village. His beak was dry, and he needed water badly. Just when he thought he couldn’t go on, he spotted a tall pitcher sitting on the ground. “Oh, thank goodness!” the crow exclaimed, feeling a bit hopeful.

The crow swooped down to the pitcher and peeked inside. To his surprise, there was water! But it was only a tiny bit at the bottom, far too low for him to reach. “Oh no,” the crow sighed, “how am I going to drink this water?”

The clever crow didn’t give up. He sat for a moment and thought, then suddenly had a great idea. “I know what to do!” he chirped. He flew around and found small pebbles nearby. One by one, the crow began to drop the pebbles into the pitcher.

With each pebble, the water slowly rose higher. The crow became excited. “It’s working!” he said happily. After dropping in many pebbles, the water finally reached the top of the pitcher.

“Now I can drink!” the crow said with a big smile, and he took long sips of the cool, refreshing water. The crow had learned that thinking smart and using clever ideas can help solve even the toughest problems.

Moral:

Use clever solutions to solve problems.

Additional Lessons:

• Wisdom: The crow demonstrates wisdom by thinking creatively and solving the problem of reaching the water with a clever solution.
• Courage: The crow shows courage by not giving up and finding a way to overcome the challenge of quenching his thirst.

Parenting Tip: Encourage your child to think creatively when faced with challenges. Share examples of how persistence and problem-solving can lead to success, just like the clever crow did. Reinforce that giving up isn’t the only option—there’s often a smart solution waiting to be discovered!

Fun Questions For Curious Kids:

Engage your child in the story with these fun and reflective questions:

• What would you have done if you were the crow and saw the water at the bottom of the pitcher?
• How do you think the crow felt when he realized his idea was working?
• Why is it important to stay calm and think when faced with a problem?
• Can you think of a time when you solved a problem by thinking creatively?
• Why do you think the crow didn’t give up, even though the water was hard to reach?
• How many pebbles do you think the crow needed to raise the water to the top?
• What do you think the crow learned from this experience?
• If you could help the crow, how would you do it?

Did You Know? Fun Animal Facts!

1. Crows are among the smartest birds! They can use tools and even recognize human faces.
2. A group of crows is called a “murder,” but don’t worry—they’re not scary, just social!
3. Crows have amazing problem-solving skills, just like the crow in the story. In real life, they’ve been seen using sticks to get food or solving puzzles for rewards.
4. Did you know that water makes up about 70% of a bird’s body? Staying hydrated is very important for animals, especially in hot weather.
5. In nature, some animals, like elephants and camels, are known for finding or storing water in clever ways.
6. Pebbles are often smooth because they’re shaped by water over time. Rivers and streams polish rocks into pebbles!
7. Pebbles aren’t just helpful for crows—they’re used by people in construction, gardening, and even art projects.

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!