Short Story of the Crow and the Snake in English for Kids

Short stories are an excellent tool for children to learn new things, broaden their horizons, and sharpen their imaginative skills. Many times, stories become an instrument for kids to even grasp basic scientific, social, and environmental concepts. Therefore, it is imperative for teachers and parents to ensure that the children inculcate the habit of reading. In this article, we will be summarizing the crow and snake story in a crisp and comprehensible fashion, so that young minds can easily get the hang of it.

To begin with, the crow and snake story revolves around a pair of crows, their struggle at keeping their eggs safe from a greedy and conniving snake, and ultimately how they triumphed in their pursuits. The tale encircles around themes of intelligence, kindness, greed, and using one’s power for the greater good. So, without further ado, let us dive right into its details.

Origin of the Crow and Snake Story

We can trace the origin of the Crow and Snake story to Panchatantra, which is an ancient Indian collection of interrelated animal fables originally written in Sanskrit. The last surviving Panchatantra dates back to 200 BCE. Although its author remains unknown, Vishnu Sharma is generally attributed as the creator of Panchatantra. The tales found in Panchatantra are famous for being simple, easy to understand, and yet very captivating. Moreover, each story has its own moral lesson for young minds. The morals are taught to kids via the stories’ plots and characters. Thus, it is common to see Panchatantra tales being part of the school curriculum in India. Apart from the Crow and Snake Story in English writing, some of the other well-loved Panchatantra tales include the Jackal and the Drum, the Monkey and the Crocodile, the Loyal Mongoose, and so forth.

Summary of the Crow and Snake Story

The Crow and a Snake Story Writing begins with a family of crows who lived on a tall and massive mango tree. They lived happily in their abode, until one day a snake came to reside in the same tree. Seeing their new neighbors, the crow family became wary. However, for a few days things continued smoothly. One day, the mother crow hatched a few eggs, and everyone in the family was delighted. Consequently, the entire crow family had to fly away for some errands one day, leaving the eggs behind in the nest. Finding it an optimal opportunity, the conniving snake slithered up to the crow’s nest and ate all the eggs. After the crows came back, they were devastated to see the eggs gone.

Days passed and the Mother crow hatched some more eggs again. Then, the greed of the snake ignited and he was waiting to pounce on the right opportunity and eat the eggs again. He was able to do so again when the crows left their nest. This time, the crow family was beset with misery and grief. Thus, they decided to take help from their friend, the wise fox. Mr. Fox came up with a plan and advised the crows to go to the riverbank in the morning. He told them that when the women from the royal family come to take their bath, they should pick up one of the necklaces and drop it into the snake’s hole.

The next morning, the mother and father crow picked up a pearl necklace of one of the royal women, and then flew away. They were trying to make as much noise as possible and grab the attention of all the people below. One bathing woman witnessed the scenario and cried out for the royal guards to chase the crows and fetch the precious pearl necklace. The guards chased after the crows, which upon reaching their home-tree dropped the necklace into the snake’s pit. When the guards reached the tree and peeped inside the hole, they did not see the necklace but a snake hissing angrily.  This time the guards were stronger than the snake. They beat up the snake, killed it, and took the pearl necklace back.

Thereafter, the family of crows was relieved and also very happy that the culprit who ate their unborn babies was dead.

A graphical representation of the snake trying to eat the crow’s eggs

Moral of the Crow and the Snake Story

The Crow and Snake story teaches us to be determined, head-strong, and focused even in the direst of situations. The mother and father crow, with their grit and fearlessness, were able to defeat the evil snake and bring an end to his plunder. Likewise, we also have to strive relentlessly if we want to achieve something in life, or overcome a massive hurdle. Moreover, the wise fox and his smart plan teaches us to try to bring out the best from any situation. We also learn that sometimes, taking help from a wiser person is not a bad idea.

Note to Parents 

Short stories from Panchatantra are a mine of knowledge for young minds. Therefore, it is important that children read such stories from a tender age. The Crow and a Snake Story Writing, for instance, teaches kids important moral lessons. In addition, short stories help them to improve their reading skills, vocabulary, and pronunciation. It is common for kids to become more creative, kinder, and equipped to deal with problems when they regularly indulge in story reading.