An Ant went to the bank of a river to quench its thirst, and being carried
away by the rush of the stream, was on the point of drowning. A Dove sitting on
a tree overhanging the water plucked a leaf and let it fall into the stream
close to her. The Ant climbed onto it and floated in safety to the bank.
Shortly afterwards a birdcatcher came and stood under the tree, and laid his
lime-twigs for the Dove, which sat in the branches. The Ant, perceiving his
design, stung him in the foot. In pain the birdcatcher threw down the twigs,
and the noise made the Dove take wing.
Moral:One good turn deservesanother If someone
does something to help you, you should do something to help him / her when
possible.
Key
Vocabulary Words and Phrases
bank of a river - the side of the
river where you can stand to quench your thirst - to drink
when you are thirsty on the point of - just about to do
something to drown - to die in the water
because you can't swim to overhang - to be in a position
over something else twigs - small branches usually with
leaves attached to perceive - to understand
Questions / Discussion
What did the Dove do for the Ant?
What did the Ant do for the Dove?
Vocabulary Building - Make a list of words related to
these categories presented in the fable:
water
animal
Do you have any stories / fables in your culture that
has a similar message? If so, try to tell the story or fable in English.
Tell a story of when you helped someone who helped
you. Explain