Two Plans for a Drink

Two writers, Laleh and Mateo, retell an old fable about a thirsty crow. Each heading names the writer of that version.

Laleh's Version

A crow flew into a sunny orchard. Under a peach tree stood a pitcher, a tall jug with a narrow opening. Crow peered inside. There was water at the bottom, but his beak could not reach it. He pushed against the pitcher to tip it. The pitcher was too heavy. He rested in the shade for a moment. Then he looked around for a different way to reach the water.

Then Crow spotted a pile of smooth pebbles beside the tree. He carried one in his beak and dropped it into the water. The water rose a little. Crow added more pebbles, one at a time. At last, the water was high enough for him to drink. “Small things can do a big job,” he said.

Mateo's Version

A crow landed in a quiet pottery yard. She found a pitcher with water deep inside. Its narrow opening kept her beak from reaching the water. “Perhaps I can fill the bottom with these,” she said, looking at bits of bark. She dropped some bark into the pitcher. It floated on top instead of sinking.

Crow paused to think. She scraped loose dirt with her feet and uncovered some small stones. “These should sink,” she said. She dropped them into the pitcher. As the stones sank, the water rose. She kept adding stones until she could take a drink. “A plan can change when you learn something new,” she said.