The Fox and the Crow

Quick Answer

Why This Story Works for Bedtime

It’s short, bright, and easy to discuss. A gentle bedtime lesson: compliments can be kind—or can be tricks. It encourages confidence without showing off.

Story Synopsis

One sunny morning, a crow perches on a branch with a piece of cheese in her beak. Below, a fox catches the scent and decides he doesn’t need to hunt; he can talk his way to breakfast. The fox approaches with a warm voice and extravagant compliments. He calls the crow beautiful and praises her feathers. The crow stays silent, gripping the cheese. Then the fox adds one last touch: surely a creature so lovely must have a voice to match. If she would only sing, the fox says, the forest would be honored. The crow’s pride swells. She opens her beak to sing—caw!—and the cheese falls straight into the fox’s waiting mouth. As the fox trots away, the crow learns that flattery can be a hook. The moral is gentle but clear: it’s wise to enjoy kind words, but also to keep your thinking steady when someone wants something from you.

Story Excerpt

One bright morning, a Fox padded softly through the woods. His nose twitched this way and that, sniffing for something small to eat. The trees were tall, and the air smelled like leaves and sunshine. The Fox looked under bushes. He looked beside the path. Then he stopped. Up above, on a strong tree branch, sat a Crow. And in the Crow’s beak was a bit of cheese. The Fox’s eyes grew very interested. “ No need to search any farther, ” he thought. “ There is a tasty bite for my breakfast. ” He trotted right up to the foot of the tree and tipped his head back to look at the Crow. “ Good - morning, beautiful creature! ” he called. The…

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