Short Stories » The Cunning Fox and the Clever Stork

The Cunning Fox and the Clever Stork

Once upon a time, there lived a very cunning and mischievous fox. He used to speak to other animals sweetly and gain their trust, before playing tricks on them.

One day the fox met a stork. He befriended the stork and acted like a very good friend. Soon, he invited the stork to have a feast with him. The stork happily accepted the invitation.

The day of the feast came, and the stork went to the fox’s house. To her surprise and disappointment, the fox said that he could not make a big feast as promised, and just offered some soup. When he brought the soup out of the kitchen, the stork saw that it was in a shallow bowl!

The poor stork could not have any soup with its long bill, but the fox easily licked the soup from the plate. As the stork just touched the soup with the tip of its bill, the fox asked her, “How is the soup? Don’t you like it?”

The hungry stork replied, “Oh it is good, but my stomach is upset, and I can’t take any more soup!”

“I’m sorry for troubling you,” said the fox.

The stork replied, “Oh dear, please don’t say sorry. I have some health problem and cannot enjoy what you offer.”

She left the place after thanking the fox, and inviting him to her house for dinner.

The day arrived and the fox reached the stork’s place. After exchanging pleasantries, the stork served soup for both of them, in a narrow jar with a long neck. She was able to have the soup very easily with her long bill, but the fox obviously could not.

After finishing hers, the stork asked the fox if he was enjoying the soup. The fox remembered the feast he himself had given the stork, and felt very ashamed. He stammered, “I…I’d better leave now. I have a tummy ache.”

Humiliated, he left the place running.

Moral: One bad turn begets another.

The Cunning Fox and the Clever Stork - Takeaway for Class 1,2,3

If you play tricks on others, they might trick you back. It's better to be kind and honest.

The Cunning Fox and the Clever Stork - Takeaway for Class 4,5,6

The story shows that tricks and deceit might work at first, but eventually, the same trick can be played on you. Always be fair to others.

The Cunning Fox and the Clever Stork - Takeaway for Class 7,8,9

This fable teaches us that those who deceive and take advantage of others will eventually face consequences. It’s a reminder that kindness and fairness are the better path in life.

3 Fun Facts on The Cunning Fox and the Clever Stork for Children

• Foxes are known for being sly and clever, which is why they are often portrayed as tricksters in stories.
• Storks are long-legged birds with long bills, which is why the stork in this story had trouble drinking from the shallow bowl but could easily drink from the narrow jar.
• This fable is a great example of how animals are used in stories to teach us important life lessons about fairness and treating others with respect.

The Cunning Fox and the Clever Stork Quiz for Class 1,2,3

• What did the fox serve the stork for dinner?
• Why couldn’t the stork drink the soup from the fox’s shallow bowl?
• What did the stork do to trick the fox?

The Cunning Fox and the Clever Stork Quiz for Class 4,5,6

• Why did the fox feel ashamed when he went to the stork's house?
• How did the stork get back at the fox?
• What lesson can we learn from the way the stork treated the fox?

The Cunning Fox and the Clever Stork Quiz for Class 7,8,9

• How does the story of the fox and the stork teach the principle of ""what goes around comes around""?
• Why is the stork’s response to the fox’s trick important in the story?
• What is the moral lesson of this story, and how can we apply it to our own lives?