The Boy and the Filberts
Quick Answer
A boy reaches into a jar of filberts and grabs too many at once—then can’t pull his hand out. Only when he lets go of the extra nuts can he be free. A classic Aesop-style fable about greed and self-control.
Why This Story Works for Bedtime
It’s short, clear, and non-scary, with a practical lesson. At bedtime it invites a calm reflection: sometimes the easiest way forward is to relax and let go.
Story at a Glance
RECOMMENDED AGES
4-8 years
READING TIME
2 min
Story Synopsis
A boy discovers a jar filled with filberts (hazelnuts) and plunges his hand inside, thrilled by the treasure. Instead of taking just a few, he grabs a whole fistful. But now his hand is too big to slip back through the narrow opening. He tugs and struggles, growing upset. An older voice—often a parent or caregiver in retellings—points out the simple solution: if he releases some of the nuts and takes fewer, his hand will come out easily. The boy doesn’t want to let go, but the problem won’t change until he does. Finally he drops the extra filberts, frees his hand, and learns that trying to keep too much can leave you stuck. It’s a small story with a big lesson: choosing “enough” can be wiser than grabbing for “more.”
Story Excerpt
Once, there was a boy whose mother kept a tall glass jar filled with delicious filbert nuts. One day, she told him he could have a few for a treat. The boy was so pleased. He reached his hand deep down into the jar and gathered up the biggest handful he possibly could. But when he tried to pull his hand back out, it was stuck! The opening of…
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In One Glance
In The Boy and the Filberts, a boy grabs a fistful of hazelnuts from a jar and then can’t pull his hand back out. The opening is too narrow unless he lets go of the extra nuts. Once he releases some, he frees his hand. The fable teaches that greed or over-grabbing can trap us, and that self-control helps.
Frequently Asked Questions
A boy grabs too many nuts from a jar and gets stuck until he lets go of the extra.
No—it’s a simple, practical fable.
Ages 4–8.
Sometimes peace comes from choosing ‘enough’ and letting go of the urge for more.