fables

This story is called the Ant and the Grasshopper, adapted from Aesop’s fable and read by Ryan Aoto. This is a LibraryCall recording. Far from the cities, across the fields, over the mountains, and deep in the woods, there lived an ant. As is the nature of ants, this ant did not live alone. She lived with hundreds of thousands of her family members in a great colony. Every member of the colony had a role and worked hard to help the family. The little ant was excited to go out and help. She loved to explore. Every day, she would head out to a new area, in search of food.

A Fox one day spied a beautiful bunch of ripe grapes hanging from a vine trained along the branches of a tree. The grapes seemed ready to burst with juice, and the Fox's mouth watered as he gazed longingly at them. The bunch hung from a high branch, and the Fox had to jump for it. The first time he jumped he missed it by a long way. So he walked off a short distance and took a running leap at it, only to fall short once more. Again and again he tried, but in vain. Now he sat down and looked at the grapes in disgust. "What a fool I am," he said.

This story is called The Lion and the Mouse, based on a traditional fable by Aesop, and adapted and read by Ryan Aoto. This is a LibraryCall recording. On the grasslands of Africa there lived a lion. He was bigger and faster than the other lions. In every measurable, physical way, he was the best lion. Unfortunately, in every social way, he was the absolute worst lion. “You call that running?” he would say to the others. “I am much faster than you. I’m surprised you can catch any food at all.” Lions live in large families called prides. Normally, the lionesses do all the hunting.

This story is called The Crow and the Pitcher, a fable by Aesop, read by Molly. This is a LibraryCall adaptation and recording. One summer day, a relentless heat beat down upon the earth. High up in the sky, a thirsty Crow had been flying for hours in search of water. Her beak and feathers were bone dry, and she knew she needed to find water soon. Just when the Crow was about to lose hope, she spotted something shiny on a picnic table in the distance. It was a pitcher! The Crow was filled with relief as she flew towards it. She landed on the picnic table and took a closer look.