Crows are the most intelligent species on the planet, and studies reveal they are as intelligent as a seven-year-old child (1). The thirsty crow story for kids is an educative story that teaches them patience and understanding in a time of hardship. It is an old and popular story that also teaches about intelligence. Here in this post, we tell you the story, along with some tidbits that you can consider looking at.

The Thirsty Crow – Origin And History

The Crow and the Pitcher is an Aesop’s fable, which tells you the story of the thirsty crow. It is a simple tale of using logic to achieve the said goal. The story has been mentioned in several poems by Greek poets, in fable collections, and other books. The simplicity of the story and the moral it gives kids is perhaps why it was into almost all the languages in the world. So here is the story again, so that you can read it out to your kids.

The Thirsty Crow Story In English

It was a hot summer’s day. A thirsty crow flew into a village in search of water. The crow flew over the houses, fields, and trees. But he didn’t find any water. After a long time, he came across a farm. Under one of the trees on the farm was a pitcher of water. Happy that he found some water finally, he swooped down to the tree and then down to the ground. He quickly moved towards the pitcher and looked inside. There was very little water in the pot. The crow put his beak inside the pitcher but could not reach the water. The water level was too low, and the narrow opening prevented his neck from going all the way down. He tried to push the vessel down to let the water out, but it was too heavy. The crow was disappointed. He was really thirsty and needed a drink of water badly. He could have given up and flown to another farm, looking for water. But he didn’t. Instead, he looked around and thought, “What else can I do?” He saw that there were a lot of pebbles on the farm. And, he had an idea! He collected a pebble and put it into the pitcher. He collected another pebble and another and put them all in the pitcher. As he added more and more stones, the water level came up to the brim. The crow drank the water and flew back home happily!

What Is The Moral Of The Thirsty Crow Story?

Every fable has a moral. And the moral of the thirsty crow story comes in several interpretations. In the Latin verse collection of fables, Avianus follows this story with this moral – “Thoughtfulness is superior to brutal force or strength”. In another edition of this story by Francis Barlow, the moral is – “Necessity is the mother of invention”. Modern 20th century writers chose a different moral – “Where there is a will, there is a way!” So now you see why telling your kid the thirsty crow story is a good idea? Your kid will learn moral values and also the science of water displacement! That’s right! The thirsty crow story for kids is perhaps one of the few parables that also teach principles of physics to kids!

Anytime Is Storytime!