A greedy wolf asks a crane to remove a bone from his throat, but refuses to reward her.
A greedy wolf chokes on a bone and begs a crane to remove it with her long beak, promising a handsome reward. After the crane saves him, the wolf laughs at her request for payment, claiming that not biting her head off was reward enough.
A Wolf had been feasting too greedily, and a bone had stuck crosswise in his throat. He could get it neither up nor down, and of course he could not eat a thing. Naturally that was an awful state of affairs for a greedy Wolf.
So away he hurried to the Crane. He was sure that she, with her long neck and bill, would easily be able to reach the bone and pull it out.
"I will reward you very handsomely," said the Wolf, "if you pull that bone out for me."
The Crane, as you can imagine, was very uneasy about putting her head in a Wolf's throat. But she was grasping in nature, so she did what the Wolf asked her to do.
When the Wolf felt that the bone was gone, he started to walk away.
"But what about my reward!" called the Crane anxiously.
"What!" snarled the Wolf, whirling around. "Haven't you got it? Isn't it enough that I let you take your head out of my mouth without snapping it off?"
Introduction
The Wolf and the Crane is a classic fable by Aesop that warns against expecting gratitude from the wicked.
About Aesop
Aesop was a Greek fabulist and storyteller credited with a number of fables now collectively known as Aesop's Fables.
Moral of the Story
Expect no reward for serving the wicked.
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The Wolf & the Crane
The Wolf and the Crane is a classic fable by Aesop that warns against expecting gratitude from the wicked.
About This Fable
This fable is attributed to Aesop, a storyteller from ancient Greece. It teaches a lesson about the nature of gratitude and identifying those who are untrustworthy.
About Aesop
Aesop was a Greek fabulist and storyteller credited with a number of fables now collectively known as Aesop's Fables.
Moral of the Story
Expect no reward for serving the wicked.
Caution
Gratitude
Wisdom
Fun Activities
Can you pretend to be the Wolf? Or the Crane?
🎨Role play the scene
💬Draw the crane's long neck
✨Discuss why the wolf didn't say thank you
Frequently Asked Questions
❓Why did the wolf need help?
He had a bone stuck in his throat from eating too greedily.
❓What reward did the crane get?
The wolf said her reward was not getting her head bitten off.
❓Who wrote The Wolf and the Crane?
It is attributed to Aesop, an ancient Greek storyteller.
