Two Lunches Beside the Reeds
Two fictional animal authors retell Aesop's ancient Greek fable about Fox and Stork, showing different ways to respond when a guest cannot eat.
Play the quiz as a gameTwo make-believe authors, Mina Mouse and Teo Toad, retell a fable from Aesop, a storyteller from ancient Greece. Each heading names the author of that version.
Mina Mouse's Version: The Tall Jar
Fox invited Stork to lunch beside the reeds. He served soup on two flat plates. Fox lapped up his soup, but Stork's long beak could not scoop any up. She went home hungry.
The next day, Stork invited Fox to lunch. She served food in two tall jars with narrow openings. Her long beak reached the food easily. Fox's wide nose would not fit. He went home hungry, too. Fox felt ashamed when he remembered the plates. Now he understood how Stork had felt.
Teo Toad's Version: A Better Lunch
Fox invited Stork to lunch beside the reeds. He served soup on two flat plates. Fox lapped up his soup, but Stork's long beak could not scoop any up. Stork tapped her empty plate. "My beak needs a deeper dish," she explained.
"I did not think about your beak," Fox said. He found a tall jar and poured Stork's soup into it. Now they could both eat. Fox offered Stork more soup, and she smiled. The next day, Stork invited Fox to lunch. She set out a jar for herself and a flat plate for him. Fox thanked her for noticing what each guest needed.