The Crow and the Pitcher
- Knowledge
- 11th January 2021
Written by Aradhita Saraf (Weloquent)
In a spell of dry weather, when the Birds could find very little to drink, a thirsty Crow found a pitcher with a little water in it. But the pitcher was high and had a narrow neck, and no matter how he tried, the Crow could not reach the water.
The poor thing felt as if he must die of thirst.
Then an idea came to him. Picking up some small pebbles, he dropped them into the pitcher one by one. With each pebble the water rose a little higher until at last it was near enough so he could drink.
In a pinch a good use of our wits may help us out.
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Growing up, this Aesop’s fable - The Crow & the Pitcher - was my favourite one to read. It always motivated me when I was dismal, lacking confidence, or feeling pessimistic.
At a time like this, when the current environment seems so bleak, and there is little inspiration to be found in the contemporary happenings, this story is a great one to dig out. In addition to teaching us to always sharpen our wits and resort to our intelligence in difficult situations, this story also teaches us the following lessons:-
1. Tough Times Lead to Great Discoveries
It is easy to give up all hope when times get tough, and wait for them to pass. However, we must remind ourselves that necessity gives birth to inventions. It is when we are in dire need for something to work out, that we must try our level best to achieve the desired result. With the correct combination of hard work and wits, nothing is impossible.
2. Self-Confidence is the Key to Success
When things don’t go our way, we lose self-confidence. But this is also the time we must restore faith in ourselves to overturn the situation.
To save the world from a pandemic, scientists and microbiologists have worked tirelessly the past year to develop a vaccine in the shortest time possible. Let their confidence to succeed inspire us to seize the day.
3. Our Environment is Conducive to Our Growth
Just like the crow used pebbles around him to quench his thirst, and Newton received inspiration from the apples in the tree above him to discover the gravity, we are nestled amidst an environment that is here to nurture us and help us grow. Let’s resolve to use it optimally to our advantage.