Are you looking for an English short story for reading exercise? ”The Crow and the Pitcher” is a great story with an amazing moral message about the strength of unity. We have three versions of the story for different levels of English readers: Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced. Use the appropriate level for you or your students.
In this article, we also provide the moral of the story of the crow and the pitcher, along with reading comprehensive questions and answers. Also, learn a list of key vocabulary from this English short story.
The Crow and the Pitcher Story
If you know your English reading level, jump to the appropriate one. If not, start with the beginner level and see if you’d be able to challenge yourself to read the intermediate or advanced version of “The Crow and the Pitcher.”
Beginner
Once upon a time, in a sunny meadow, there was a clever crow named Charlie. One very hot day, Charlie was very thirsty and couldn’t find any water. He saw a pitcher with a little water inside, but it was too low for him to reach.
Charlie didn’t give up. He found some shiny pebbles nearby and dropped them into the pitcher, one by one. Each pebble made the water level rise a little. Charlie kept doing this until the water was high enough for him to take a drink.
Happy and relieved, Charlie flew away. The story teaches us that being smart and using our creativity can help us solve problems, just like Charlie did with the pebbles and the pitcher.
Intermediate
Once upon a time, in a sunny meadow, there was a clever crow named Charlie. One scorching day, Charlie found himself extremely thirsty. He searched for water everywhere but couldn’t find any ponds or streams nearby.
Tired and desperate, Charlie finally spotted a pitcher with a little water at the bottom. However, the water level was too low for him to reach with his beak. Determined, Charlie didn’t give up. He looked around and saw a collection of shiny pebbles nearby.
Using his sharp beak, Charlie picked up the pebbles one by one and dropped them into the pitcher. With each pebble, the water level rose a little. Charlie continued this clever strategy until the water was high enough for him to take a refreshing drink.
Relieved and satisfied, Charlie quenched his thirst and flew away, leaving behind a valuable lesson about creativity and problem-solving.
The moral of the story is that intelligence and creativity can help overcome challenges. Just like Charlie, we can find solutions to our problems by thinking smartly and using the resources around us.
Advanced
Once upon a time, in a sunny meadow bordered by tall trees, there lived a clever crow named Charlie. One scorching summer day, the heat was unbearable, and Charlie found himself desperately thirsty. His usual sources of water had dried up, and he began searching for a refreshing drink.
After a relentless search, Charlie finally spotted a pitcher partially buried in the ground. Excitement filled him as he hurried towards it, hoping to find some water. However, to his dismay, the water level in the pitcher was too low for him to reach with his beak.
Undeterred, Charlie pondered for a moment. Then, his eyes gleamed with an idea. He looked around and noticed a collection of shiny pebbles scattered nearby. With determination, Charlie picked up the pebbles, one by one, and dropped them into the pitcher.
As each pebble fell into the pitcher, the water level gradually rose. Charlie continued this clever strategy, patiently adding more pebbles until the water reached a level where he could finally take a refreshing drink.
Relieved and satisfied, Charlie thanked his creativity and problem-solving skills. With a triumphant caw, he flew away, leaving behind a valuable lesson for anyone who witnessed his ingenuity.
The story of Charlie and the pitcher teaches us that intelligence, creativity, and perseverance can help overcome challenges. Instead of giving up when faced with difficulties, like Charlie, we can find innovative solutions by thinking smartly and utilizing the resources around us.
The Crow and the Pitcher: Moral of the Story
The moral of the story about the crow and the pitcher is: “Being clever and using your creativity can help you find solutions to problems, even when things seem difficult.”
Vocabulary
Review and learn the words that appear in the story to build your vocabulary.
- pitcher: a container used for holding liquids.
- pebbles: small rocks.
- streams: small rivers.
- collection: a group of something (coins, stamps, rocks, etc.)
- quenched: satisfied thirst by drinking something.
- unbearable: not able to be endured or tolerated.
- scattered: found in a random fashion, not all together.
The Crow and the Pitcher: Reading Comprehension
Reading comprehension activities assess and ensure that the reader has understood the story. These questions test the basic understanding and thinking skills such as analysis and interpretation. If you are an English teacher, use these reading comprehension questions to evaluate your student’s ability to extract meaning, make connections, and apply the information they’ve acquired.
Comprehension Questions
- Why was Charlie the crow thirsty?
- What did Charlie find when he was thirsty?
- Why couldn’t Charlie reach the water in the pitcher?
- What did Charlie use to solve the problem and reach the water?
- What is the moral of the story?
Answers
- Charlie was thirsty because it was a very hot day, and he couldn’t find any water.
- Charlie found a pitcher with a little water inside.
- The water in the pitcher was too low for Charlie to reach with his beak.
- Charlie used shiny pebbles. He dropped them into the pitcher one by one to make the water level rise.
- The moral of the story is that being clever and using creativity can help find solutions to problems, even when things seem difficult.
More Short Stories
- The Goose that Laid the Golden Eggs
- The Ant and the Grasshopper
- The Frog and the Ox
- A Bundle of Sticks
- The Bell and the Cat
The Crow and the Pitcher: Join the Conversation
What are your thoughts on this classic moral story about a crow and a pitcher? Do you agree with the moral of the story? Let us know in the comments. We’d love to hear from you.
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