The Clever Crow and the Snake
In a dense, bustling forest, there lived a diligent crow named Kiki. She had a nest full of eggs, carefully tucked away in the branches of a tall tree. Unfortunately, a cunning snake resided at the base of the same tree. One day, when Kiki was away, the snake slithered up the tree and devoured all her eggs.
Returning to an empty nest, Kiki was crestfallen. Determined to protect her future eggs, she devised a plan. She had noticed a shiny necklace in the house of a nearby farmer. It was an ornate piece of jewelry that the farmer’s wife cherished.
With her sharp beak, Kiki swooped down and picked up the necklace, then dropped it into the snake’s burrow. The farmer, noticing the theft, followed Kiki and found his wife’s necklace in the snake’s burrow.
Thinking the snake had stolen it, he killed the snake in his anger. Grateful for the farmer’s unintended help, Kiki could finally rest at ease. Her nest was safe once again, and she could look forward to a peaceful future.
Vocabulary:
- Diligent: ‘Diligent’ describes someone who is hardworking and careful in their work or duties. In our story, Kiki, the crow, is ‘diligent’ in caring for her eggs and devising a plan to protect them.
- Crestfallen: If someone is ‘crestfallen’, they are sad and disappointed. When Kiki finds her nest empty, she is ‘crestfallen’.
- Ornate: Something ‘ornate’ is decorated in a complex and typically flashy manner. The farmer’s wife’s necklace is described as ‘ornate’, meaning it is likely detailed and decorated.
- Slithered: ‘Slithered’ is a manner of movement, typically used to describe how snakes move. The snake in our story ‘slithers’ up the tree to Kiki’s nest.
- Devoured: To ‘devour’ something means to eat it quickly and hungrily. The snake ‘devours’ Kiki’s eggs when she is away.
- Swooped: ‘Swooped’ is a term often used to describe a sudden, swift descent or attack, usually from the air. Kiki ‘swoops’ down to pick up the necklace.
Moral: Intelligence is one’s greatest ally. Even in the face of adversity, clever thinking can lead to safety and peace, as Kiki showed us. It’s also important to remember that our actions have consequences, and those who harm others, like the snake, eventually face their own downfall.
