The Wolf and the Crane
The crane saves a wolf with a bone stuck in his throat, but the wolf does not even say thank you.
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A wolf was greedily eating his prey when a big bone got stuck in his throat. He could neither swallow it nor get it out. He wandered through the forest in pain, calling: "Whoever saves me will get a great reward!"
None of the animals dared to go near him. At last the long-beaked crane came. "I can get it out," she said, "but promise you will keep your word." The wolf nodded.
The crane put her long beak into the wolf's open mouth, reached all the way down his throat, grabbed the bone and pulled it out in one go. The wolf took a deep breath; his throat was free.
"May I have my reward now?" said the crane.
The wolf laughed, showing his teeth: "Reward? You put your head in my mouth and I did not bite it off. What more reward do you want? Staying alive is your reward!"
The crane flew off without a word. She landed on a high branch and looked down at the wolf. She said to herself: "If you do a kindness for someone who does not deserve it, you will not even get a thank you. But never mind. I did a kindness, and he was ungrateful. It is clear which of us will sleep in peace."
That night the crane slept sweetly. The wolf wandered alone, because nobody in the forest ever helped him again.
The tale ends here. Sleep well.
The Wolf and the Crane is a children's tale from Aesop, suitable for ages 4-9 and about 2 minutes long. Read it free on Masal Merkezi, play a lullaby or nature sound in the background, tap any word to see its Turkish meaning and save it to your favorites. For similar tales browse the Aesop's Fables category.
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