The Tale of the Thirsty Crow: A Moral Story for Children

Storytelling has always been an integral part of our lives. Stories that we heard from our grandparents, parents, teachers, and siblings. Especially as children, stories are fascinating worlds of fantasy where children can let their imagination run wild, picture an imagery, and create their own versions from scratch. Every child loves reading story books, because they are not just a source of creative energy but also a great source of inspiration. Stories with morals and lessons end up laying a foundation of the people we become in the future.

One such story we have all grown up reading is the story of ‘A Thirsty Crow.’ A story that has been narrated through generations now has many valuable gems of wisdom to provide. Scroll down to read the crow and water story and the moral values we learn from it.

The Story-

Once upon a time, there was a clever crow who lived in a big forest. The crow used to find solutions to all his problems by using his cleverness. On a hot, sunny day, the crow felt thirsty and wanted to drink some water. So, he flew over the forest, in search of a small pond or a lake to drink water. It was the season of summer so all the lakes were dry and he could not find water to drink anywhere.
He refused to give up. He kept searching for water around the forest when he suddenly saw one shiny object on the ground. Keen by nature, the crow flew closer to the ground and to his surprise he saw that it was a water pot. The crow beamed with happiness and thought, “My efforts have paid off! I finally found some water.” As he landed to drink the water out of the pot, he was disappointed because the pot’s neck was too narrow. The crow tried tilting the pot to spill some water out of it but he could not do it because the pot was too heavy. He felt tired and frustrated. Then, he took a moment and thought to himself, “What can I do to take the water out of this pot?”

The crow used his cleverness. He looked around looking for some object that could help him. He saw some pebbles and stones lying around on the ground. He immediately got an idea. “If I put these pebbles into the pot, they will drown inside because they are heavy and the water will rise above. This way, I will be able to drink it easily!” the crow thought to himself. He started collecting all the heavy pebbles one by one and started dropping them into the jug. Every time he dropped a pebble, the water used to splash and rise above. He repeatedly put all the pebbles one by one into the pot till the water level came up high enough for him to drink from it. Nature, in its silent acknowledgment of the crow's resourcefulness, responded with a heartwarming reaction. The leaves rustled in harmonious applause, and a delicate drizzle began to fall—a gesture of appreciation for the crow's tenacity. The forest seemed to celebrate the crow's triumph, providing a relief to all the wildlife in the forest as a reward for the crow’s will to succeed.

He drank the water cheerfully and satisfied his thirst. He was proud of his efforts and hard work. “I am the smartest crow in the jungle!” he exclaimed. After that, he flew away across the clouds happily, motivated to solve all the problems life threw at him.

Summary of the story:

On a bright, summer day in the forest, a thirsty crow went on an expedition to look for water to drink. After looking everywhere, we finally found a pot of water on the land. As he landed near the pot, he saw that the mouth of the pot was too narrow and the water level was below his reach.

He did not give up and thought of a smart solution. He collected a lot of pebbles and stones lying around in the area and put them into the pot to bring the water level at a higher level for him to drink. He kept doing it till he was successful in his goal. He quenched his thirst and flew back into the forest, happy and satisfied. 

Moral of the story:

The Thirsty Crow moral of the story is “Where there is a will, there is a way.” A very profound saying which means if we are willing to find a solution, we will always find it around. To not lose hope in the most difficult times and to keep working towards our goal is what we learn from the smart crow. He flew across the forest, faced all the challenges, and did not give up. He also teaches us to ‘Never Give Up!’ because if we keep our focus on what we want to achieve, we will eventually achieve it. He worked hard (putting each pebble into the pot one by one) and was patient with his work. That led to sweet outcomes. As the clever crow embarked on his quest under the scorching sun, the oppressive heat added an extra layer of challenge to his pursuit of water. However, as he neared triumph, a subtle shift occurred. A gentle breeze whispered through the leaves, teaching us that nature rewards our hard work in unexpected, smaller ways.

As the clever crow embarks on his quest for water in the sun-drenched forest, the narrative symbolises the universal struggle against adversity. The crow's resilience stands for the indomitable human spirit, teaching children that challenges are the stepping stones to a larger goal of victory. Amid the dry landscape of the forest, the discovery of a water pot becomes a pivotal moment, underscoring the importance of adaptability. It is a reminder that solutions often lie in unexpected places, urging young readers to remember that keeping a keen eye for opportunities, even under difficult circumstances, will lead to success.

Children must learn from the crow and water story to remain calm under any situation, and look for a solution in whatever resources are available to them. They will find a way out of the problem eventually

Application of the story in real life:

Learning from the crow, children can try and do the scientific experiment to understand the water displacement theory by taking a bowl half filled with water and putting small pebbles in them to see the water level rise. They can also learn to work smarter and harder like the crow did when he was in an adverse situation by using pebbles to make his ends meet. In the same way, children should look for answers and inspiration in nature and be thankful to mother nature for its resources. Faced with a narrow neck and water below his reach, the crow's refusal to give up provides a profound lesson in problem-solving. It is a testament to the idea that challenges are opportunities for innovative thinking. The crow's moment of triumph, achieved through the strategic use of pebbles, becomes a compelling reminder that with a combination of intelligence and perseverance, no adversity is permanent.

The story also teaches us the value of water. Children can learn to be kind and start keeping a small utensil of water outside their homes so that other birds like the thirsty crow can come and drink water from it when thirsty.

These short stories for kids are not just entertaining, but also a source of life lessons. Storytelling has been an integral part of human culture, especially in the formative years of childhood. From grandparents to teachers, the narratives passed down through generations not only captivate young minds but also instil valuable morals and lessons. Children find solace and inspiration in these tales, building a foundation for their future selves. Such stories stay with us lifelong, making them the reference for any such situation we face in adulthood. Among the timeless stories, the fable of the Thirsty Crow stands out, offering a tapestry of wisdom that resonates through time. When children grow up, they can recollect how the crow never gave up and used his wise ways to fulfil his goal, and they can try and do the same at that point of time.

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