아이들을 위한 영어 짧은 이야기: 우화를 함께 읽어 봐요

The Crow and the Pitcher

눈여겨볼 단어: rim, pebble, measured, shallow, and level.

During a long, dry summer, Sora the crow searched the garden for water. The stream had shrunk to a few quiet puddles, and the familiar birdbath was cracked and empty. Her friends Pip the sparrow and two finches searched with her.

From a branch above the garden, Sora spotted a clay pitcher half hidden in the grass. A blue line circled its neck, marking where the water usually reached. At the bottom, a little water caught the light—but Sora's beak could not reach it.

She tried tipping the pitcher. It rocked, then settled back into the dust. A harder push might crack the clay and spill the water. Sora stopped to look again. Small pebbles lay along the path. She dropped one into the pitcher. The water rippled; its surface seemed to rise a little.

Pip was not convinced. Sora tried another pebble and watched closely. The birds began comparing stones by size, adding them one at a time, and checking the water after the ripples settled. Some stones helped more than others; one was too wide to fit through the opening.

As the water rose, the birds noticed a pebble wedged near the pitcher’s neck. They paused instead of pushing harder. Sora held the rim steady while the finches supported the base. Together they shifted the pitcher just enough for the pebble to slide down without spilling the water.

The water was still low, and the garden held other possible sources—but some were too heavy or unsafe for the birds to reach. They chose what they could do, kept track of what they observed, and asked the gardener for help with the rest.