Monday Mo: The Crow and the Pitcher

A well-known Aesop’s fable tells the story of a crow who was caught in a spell of dry weather and was desperate for a drink of water.

The poor crow flew and flew in search of a water source. He flew from one place to another until he came  across a large pitcher of water at the base of a tree.

The thirsty crow was overjoyed as he  thrust its jet-black beak inside to drink his fill. But, alas, the pitcher had a narrow neck! He tried desperately but couldn’t get his head far enough inside. He realized the water was out of his reach.

The poor crow cried out in anguish. He was on the verge of exhaustion and ready to fly elsewhere, but then an idea came to him.

Around the base of the pitcher he found some small round pebbles.

One by one, the thirsty crow picked them up and dropped them into the pitcher. He repeated the process and with every pebble, the water level began to rise…

His idea worked.

Eventually, the water rose so high inside the pitcher that the clever crow was able to drink his fill.

Just like the crow in this story, we may face daily hurdles and challenges that keep us from getting what we want. But by working hard AND smart, we can achieve whatever we put our minds to.