The Cunning Fox and the Wise Crane: A Tale of Lessons Learned
Class: Basic 4
Subject: English Studies
Topic: Comprehension
The Cunning Fox and the Wise Crane
Passage
Once upon a time, there lived a cunning fox known for making fun of others. One day, the fox decided to invite a crane to his home for dinner. “Mr. Crane,” he said, “why don’t you come over for dinner tonight?” The crane accepted the invitation, excited about the evening.
That evening, the crane arrived at the fox’s house. The fox was very talkative and continued to chatter for a long time. Meanwhile, the crane was feeling very hungry. At last, the fox brought out two shallow plates and said, “Please enjoy this soup, Mr. Crane.”
However, the crane could not drink from the shallow dishes because of his long beak. After struggling for a while, the crane went home feeling disappointed and hungry. He decided it was time to teach the fox a lesson.
The next day, the crane invited the fox to dinner. When the fox arrived, the crane served the soup in two narrow jars. This time, the crane could easily put his long beak inside the jars and finish all the soup while the fox could only watch helplessly. The fox tried to eat but could not get his head into the narrow jars.
Every now and then, the crane would look up from eating and mockingly ask, “Why don’t you eat, Mr. Fox?” The fox was silent and ashamed. He had learned a valuable lesson about kindness and respect. From that day on, the cunning fox never made fun of anyone again.
Evaluation Questions
- Why did the crane go to the fox’s house?
- What was the fox doing for a long time?
- Did the crane drink the soup?
- Why did the crane invite the fox?
- Where did the crane put the soup?
- Why did the fox go home hungry?
Additional Resources
To enhance your understanding of this story and similar moral lessons, you can explore the following links:
- Moral Lessons from Aesop’s Fables – A comprehensive collection of fables and their moral teachings.
- Understanding Character Traits in Literature – An article discussing character traits and how they contribute to the story’s message.
- The Importance of Kindness – A resource dedicated to spreading kindness in everyday life.
By understanding the lessons from stories like The Cunning Fox and the Wise Crane, you can learn the importance of treating others with respect and kindness.
Evaluation Questions
- Who invited the crane to dinner?
a) A lion
b) A fox
c) A tiger
d) A wolf - Why was the crane feeling hungry at the fox’s house?
a) The fox didn’t serve food.
b) The crane didn’t like the food.
c) The soup was in shallow dishes.
d) The crane was on a diet. - What did the fox serve the crane for dinner?
a) Salad
b) Bread
c) Soup
d) Rice - How did the crane respond to the fox’s invitation?
a) He declined.
b) He was angry.
c) He accepted.
d) He forgot. - What lesson did the crane want to teach the fox?
a) To be kind.
b) To be wise.
c) To be generous.
d) To respect others. - What did the crane use to serve the soup during his dinner?
a) A bowl
b) A plate
c) A jar
d) A cup - Why couldn’t the fox eat the soup at the crane’s house?
a) He was full.
b) He didn’t like it.
c) The jars were too narrow.
d) He wasn’t invited. - How did the crane feel after leaving the fox’s house?
a) Satisfied
b) Angry
c) Disappointed
d) Happy - What did the fox realize after the crane’s dinner?
a) He was wrong to invite the crane.
b) He should cook better food.
c) He learned a lesson about respect.
d) He needed to be more cunning. - From that day on, what did the fox stop doing?
a) Inviting friends
b) Making fun of others
c) Eating soup
d) Telling stories - What is the main theme of the story?
a) Friendship
b) Revenge
c) Kindness and respect
d) Adventure - Who had a longer beak?
a) The fox
b) The crane
c) The rabbit
d) The lion - What did the fox think of the crane’s long beak?
a) It was helpful.
b) It was funny.
c) It was annoying.
d) It was useless. - How did the crane feel about the fox’s attitude?
a) Happy
b) Indifferent
c) Angry
d) Grateful - What did the fox learn after his experience with the crane?
a) To be more cunning
b) To always invite friends
c) To treat others with respect
d) To eat more soup
Class Activity Discussion
- What did the fox do that was unkind?
The fox made fun of others and didn’t consider the crane’s needs during dinner. - Why was the crane angry with the fox?
The crane was angry because the fox served the soup in a shallow dish that he couldn’t use. - How did the crane plan to get back at the fox?
The crane invited the fox over for dinner and served soup in narrow jars. - What is the significance of the crane’s long beak?
The long beak allowed the crane to eat the soup while the fox couldn’t reach it. - How did the fox feel at the end of the story?
The fox felt ashamed and learned a lesson about respect and kindness. - What moral can we learn from this story?
We should treat others with respect and think about their feelings. - Can you think of a time when you learned a lesson like the fox?
Personal responses may vary; encourage students to share their experiences. - Why do you think the author chose a fox and a crane for this story?
The fox represents cunning behavior while the crane symbolizes wisdom and cleverness. - How does the setting of the story influence the characters’ actions?
The forest setting creates a natural environment where animals interact and teach lessons. - What might happen if the fox invited the crane over again?
The crane might be cautious but could also see if the fox has truly changed.
Evaluation Questions
- What did the fox learn from the crane?
- How did the crane feel after he invited the fox over?
- What was the fox’s initial attitude towards the crane?
- Why was the crane’s beak an advantage during dinner?
- What would the fox have done differently if he had learned his lesson earlier?
- What emotions did the crane experience during the story?
- How did the fox react when he couldn’t eat the soup?
- What can we learn about friendship from this story?
- How does this story show the importance of empathy?
- What would you tell the fox if you could speak to him after the story?
These sections are designed to engage students in comprehension, critical thinking, and reflection on the themes and messages of The Cunning Fox and the Wise Crane.