The Fox and the Crow - French

Hello there. My name is Reynard, and I am a very clever fox who lives in a big, green forest. One sunny morning, my tummy was rumbling a happy tune, but it was a tune that needed a tasty snack to go with it. This is the story of how my smart thinking won me a delicious prize, a tale people now call The Fox and the Crow. High up on the branch of a tall oak tree sat a proud Crow. In his beak, he held the most wonderful-smelling piece of cheese. I trotted by, and the scent of the cheese tickled my nose. I looked up and saw the Crow with his treasure and knew I had to have it, but the tree was far too high for me to climb. So, I had to think of a clever plan.

I knew that I couldn't use my paws to get the cheese, so I decided to use my words instead. I sat at the bottom of the tree, looked up at the Crow, and put on my friendliest smile. 'Good morning, Master Crow.' I called out. 'You are looking especially handsome today. Your feathers are so shiny, like polished jet stones. I have seen all the birds in the forest, and none are as magnificent as you.' The Crow, hearing these lovely words, puffed out his chest and felt very important. He loved being told he was handsome. I saw the Crow was pleased, so I continued. 'Your beauty is unmatched,' I said, 'and I am sure that your voice must be just as wonderful. If you could sing just one song for me, I would call you the King of all Birds.'

The Crow was so flattered that he forgot all about the cheese in his beak. He wanted to prove to me that his voice was indeed the best in the forest. He took a deep breath, threw his head back, and opened his beak wide to let out a loud and mighty 'CAW.'. The moment he opened his mouth, the cheese tumbled down, down, down, and landed perfectly in my waiting paws. I gobbled up the cheese in two bites. 'Thank you, Master Crow,' I said with a grin. 'You have a fine voice, but it is wisdom you lack.' The poor Crow sat on his branch, with no cheese and a very important lesson learned: be careful of those who give you too much praise, for they might just want something from you. This story is a very old fable, first told by a storyteller named Aesop in ancient Greece. For hundreds of years, it has taught children and grown-ups a simple lesson about vanity. Today, this story still reminds us to be wise and to think before we act, sparking our imagination with tales of clever animals who act a lot like people.