Comical Crow

Summary

This story is about a clever crow who recounts his narrow escape from a cunning fox, underscoring a moral lesson. The crow, who is able to both fly and walk, narrates how the fox pretended to be asleep in a meadow, luring the crow and his friends closer. When the fox suddenly sprang awake, it managed to catch the crow's companions, but the fast-thinking crow flew to safety. The crow vows never to trust the fox and travels far and wide to warn others about the fox's deceptive nature. The tale uses the narrative to illustrate the proverb, 'Little leaks sink great ships,' emphasizing how small oversights or false assumptions can lead to significant adverse outcomes.

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The Comical Crow has a tale of woe,
And this is a story you ought to know.
He’s a wonderful Bird — he can fly and walk,
And sometimes he can even talk.

He says, “The Funny Fox one day,
Out in the meadow came and lay.
He pretended he was fast asleep,
So nearer and nearer the wheat I’d creep.
He came suddenly so wide awake,
Too late we learned our sad mistake.

My friends he caught upon that day,
But I spread my wings and flew away.
The Fox is cunning and very shy,
To be his friend I’ll never try.
I will travel as far as I choose
To tell on the Fox, I’ll spread the news.”

Which shows that “Little leaks sink great ships.”