The Fox and the Crane Story | 1 Enlightening and Famous Moral Story

Let us now read the fox and the crane story, which will illustrate the epic truth found in Matthew 7:12.

The Fox and the Crane Story

Once, there was a large pond in the middle of a dark, deep, and dense forest. The pond was home to a group of cranes. The cranes ate the fish in the pond and lived in harmony. A cunning fox lived in the same jungle. He went to the pond frequently to collect fish and small crabs for a tasty snack. The fox and a crane became friends over time and began to spend their time conversing, dining, and playing together.

The fox was cunning and enjoyed deceiving others. On the other hand, the crane was an honest and straightforward animal.

One day, the fox had an idea to play a prank on his friend, the crane. With this in mind, he approached the crane and invited her to dinner at his home. He said “Greetings, my friend. I’m planning a special supper for today, and I’d love if you would join me, ” grinning at the trick he was about to pull. The crane expressed her delight at receiving the offer by saying, “Thank you for inviting me to the dinner, my dear buddy! I will surely come.”

The crane flew to the fox’s house later that evening, arriving on schedule and with a large appetite. With her long beak, she knocked on the door. The fox opened the door and warmly welcomed the crane inside. They sat and spoke for hours, and it was soon time for dinner.

His mischievous scheme to amuse himself at the cost of the crane was well underway.

The only thing on the supper menu was soup. The fox went to the kitchen and came out carrying two shallow bowls full of soup, as already planned. The soup’s aroma filled the house. The crane was ready for a hearty meal and couldn’t resist herself. She got ready to enjoy the soup.

The crane was taken aback when she saw the soup presented on a flat plate. Because the bowl was so shallow, she could only wet the very tip of her long, thin beak. She couldn’t even get a sip of soup. The crane was irritated, but the fox was ecstatic. The fox drank the soup with ease and put up a display of enjoyment, adding to the crane’s displeasure. However, the poor crane smiled politely and stayed hungry.

“Friend, why haven’t you had your soup? You don’t like it? You have barely eaten anything,” by saying this, the sly and selfish fox enraged the crane even more. “The dinner was great,” the crane politely replied, “but I suddenly don’t feel hungry.” However, the crane felt very disgraced. She discerned that the fox had set up this supper solely to make fun of her. The trick annoyed the starving crane, but being a calm, even-tempered animal, she didn’t see the need to jump into a rage.

Later that evening, the crane returned home with an empty stomach. She was so outraged by the fox’s behavior that she determined to teach him a lesson and devised a strategy. When she saw the fox the next day, she told him how pleased she was with the way he treated her. She said, “You were gracious in inviting me to supper. Please join me for dinner tomorrow evening at my home.” The fox promptly accepted the invitation.

The next day, the fox arrived at the crane’s home, and the crane greeted him cordially. They talked for quite a while. Dinner time was almost approaching, and the fox could smell something delicious brewing in the kitchen. The whole area was filled with the enticing aroma of a scrumptious stew. The stew’s aroma whetted the fox’s appetite. “Dear friend,” the crane told the fox, “I have prepared your favorite dinner.” The fox’s mouth watered.

It was now the crane’s time to make fun of her wily visitor. The crane brought out two deep long jars full of fish stew. Although the fox was startled when he noticed the jars’ long, narrow necks, he was so hungry that he forgot everything and got ready to devour the stew.

In the meantime, the crane dipped her long beak into the jar and drank the fish stew from the vessel with ease. She was relishing the delicious dish. The fox tried to slip his snout inside the jar, but his large and wide snout did not fit into the jar’s narrow neck. He then tried in vain to reach the bottom of the jug with his tongue. The fox attempted several times to drink the stew but was unsuccessful.

He couldn’t take his gaze away from the crane, who was contentedly slurping up the stew from the jug. All the fox could do was lick the pitcher outside and sniff at the luscious odor.

“What’s the matter, pal? Why aren’t you eating? Don’t you like my stew?” inquired the crane. These words greatly displeased the fox. He understood that the crane had duped him by serving the stew in such a narrow jar so that he couldn’t get his mouth into it.

The fox then tried to force his snout into the jug with all his strength, but his snout got stuck. He attempted but failed to let go of the jar. He went around in circles until the jar finally shattered.

The fox could eat nothing, and it was his turn to return home hungry, famished, humiliated, and bitterly disappointed.

He knew that his obnoxious behavior with the crane had now been punished. Meanwhile, the crane thought to herself, “Now, I’ve served him well.” She was able to avenge her shame.

The fox met the crane the next day, realizing his error and apologizing for his actions, and promising that he would never behave in this manner again. He remarked, “Please pardon me, amigo. I’ve learned a great lesson and will never longer play devious games, and I will act honestly.” The crane pardoned the fox. The fox was surprised and barked with joy. They rekindled their friendship and lived together in peace.

Morals of the Fox and the Crane Story

The morals/themes of the fox and the crane story are:

• What you sow is what you reap,
• You should not try to make fun of other’s limitations,
• Trickery must expect trickery in return,
• Do not hoodwink your friends and neighbors unless you can stand the same treatment yourself,
• People will treat you the same way as you treat them,
• A selfish act backfires sooner or later, and finally, the golden rule is
• You should not do unto others what you would not like others to do to you, or you should do to others what you would wish for yourself.

The fox and the crane story is well-known and fascinating. The fox and the crane story is a children’s moral tale adapted from Aesop’s fables. The fox and the crane story has been retold in Europe since the Middle Ages. After appearing in La Fontaine’s Fables, the fox and the crane story gained even more popularity. The fox and the crane story will assist children in learning and developing fundamental moral principles such as honesty and integrity. The story of the fox and the crane teaches us that friendship is a wonderful gift, which should be centered on confidence and trust rather than deception.

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