The Fox and the Crow: A Fable with a Flaw?

the crow and the fox - Who's side are you on? Do you feel sorry for the crow who's only fault is being conceited? Should we be angry with the fox who have been resourceful and smart?
@richiem (3644)
Philippines
June 27, 2008 9:15pm CST
I was watching this fable of the crow and the fox in the Knowledge channel. Here's the gist: the crow is holding a piece of cheese in her beak. And then a fox, who is very hungry came by and found her. He tried jumping and climbing to reach the crow but to no result. Now, he devised a plan on how can he get the cheese. He praise the crow of her colorful plumage and everything. And he said that a beautiful crow should also have a beautiful voice. And the crow who is so conceited, began to sang. And at the end of the song, the fox has gone together with the cheese. The moral of the story is to try and try until you succeed. But my girlfriend commented it's not healthy for kids to watch it because it teaches the kids to cheat. The fox cheated the crow, right? So who's side are you on? do you feel sorry for the crow who's only fault is being conceited? Should we be angry with the fox who have been resourceful and smart?
6 people like this
16 responses
@jonesy123 (3948)
• United States
28 Jun 08
It not only teaches to try and try again until you succeed, but also not to fall for a dirty trick. If somebody tries to get something from you and suddenly turns all nice on you, then something is definitely not right. The message therefore is also to be careful, not to be so trusting, and not to fall for a trick like that.
1 person likes this
@jonesy123 (3948)
• United States
28 Jun 08
It's neither side. This is not about taking sides. The fox cheated, that is clear, and the crow fell for it. You learn from both as both made mistakes. Fables, just as fairy tales, are used to teach ethics and morals. They teach you to make the right decision and to be careful or else evil will win. While a minor part of this fable's teaching is that if one keeps on trying and even resorts to dirty and evil tricks, one may win, but the major moral of this is not to be blinded by charm and too proud of oneself or else one may lose something important. And yes, we are angry at the fox who tricked the crow, but we are also sorry for the crow who fell for it and lost out. There is really no side to take.
1 person likes this
@richiem (3644)
• Philippines
28 Jun 08
I get this message as a vote for the fox right? you can correct me if I am wrong. The crow had not been very careful and so she fall for the trick of the fox. The crow had been only thinking of her vanity and not of her overall well being in that time. This makes 3-1 in the votes.
@richiem (3644)
• Philippines
28 Jun 08
So to clear things up, it is still 3 votes for the fox and 1 vote for the crow and one abstain (that is you). I would like to know which one has a bigger mistake: is it the fox or the crow? But as you have pointed out, you'd rather not take sides. I am having this idea that if someone is as vain as the crow, she will feel sorry for the crow more. And if someone is as smart as the fox, he will go for the fox's side more. What do you think of this?
@youdontsay (3497)
• United States
28 Jun 08
And my question is: do crows even eat cheese? I'd say the morale of the story is to not let your conceit get in the way of good decision making!
1 person likes this
@richiem (3644)
• Philippines
28 Jun 08
The morale of the story that I've said is from the television network itself and not from me. They say that if at first you don't succeed, you should keep on trying. And it's like they're saying that if you don't succeed, try cheating.
1 person likes this
• United States
28 Jun 08
They were wrong. Check it out at: http://www.aesopfables.com/cgi/aesop1.cgi?2&TheFoxandtheCrow2
1 person likes this
@richiem (3644)
• Philippines
28 Jun 08
Well, I guess this fable can have many versions. Therefore it can be tailored to emphasize what we are teaching our kids. If that is the true story, then the fox didn't tried anything all along. He just tricked the crow. should your votes still be for the fox?
@deebomb (15307)
• United States
28 Jun 08
I see another side to the story too. The crow was flattered into dropping the cheese. He shouldn't let flattery go to his head. As I see it, the story is telling about flattery. We shouldn't let it go to our heads because we lose in the end as the crow did his piece of cheese.
@richiem (3644)
• Philippines
28 Jun 08
So the fox gets two points now. I also think the crow has the problem. If she didn't let the fox trick her, then she would be better off. I guess it would be hard to discuss this with kids. Maybe that is why the channel just opted to say that we must try and try to succeed.
1 person likes this
@debrakcarey (19887)
• United States
26 Sep 09
Perhaps the lesson here is don't get a big head and think so highly of yourself you wind up looking like a fool?
@oliverdt (1958)
• Philippines
28 Jun 08
It sounds awful, I think theirs also lesson in favor of the fox. Its like their is no robber if theirs nothing to rob. So we should look the situation for both sides and we can put it together to one useful understanding.
1 person likes this
@oliverdt (1958)
• Philippines
29 Jun 08
Even its sounds that I favored the fox the most, but I put my money to the poor crow.
1 person likes this
@richiem (3644)
• Philippines
28 Jun 08
I am trying to know who would the people favor more. Is it the fox or the crow? In your answer looks like you are in favor of the fox more than the crow, am I right to put it that way?
1 person likes this
@nanajanet (4436)
• United States
28 Jun 08
I think that the fox was smart and used his head. It would teach a child that you must think. I don't think that it's cheating. I agree with you, wholeheartedly, that their conceit made them stop thinking about what was really important. I remember that fable as a child and never thought that it was about cheating but about using your head for something other than a hat rack!! LOL
1 person likes this
@nanajanet (4436)
• United States
28 Jun 08
Is your girlfriend like the crow? LOL
1 person likes this
@richiem (3644)
• Philippines
28 Jun 08
I guess she is like the crow, more or less. She likes looking at the mirror. Sometimes she can be deceived when other people are praising her. But she has become smarter now.
@richiem (3644)
• Philippines
28 Jun 08
Another one in favor or the fox. I have also never thought of it as cheating until my girlfriend said so. I always thought of it as a story to teach us to use our head and be resourceful and smart. I think my girlfriend felt sorry for the crow. as of now, fox is leading 5-1-1.
@guybrush (4658)
• Australia
28 Jun 08
I think I would feel rather sorry for the crow, richiem. Being vain and conceited usually only harms yourself - but the fox is obviously mean and a cheat - as well as being greedy and wanting to get something for little effort. Yes, I agree he was smart and resourceful - but I don't think he'll have good karma!
1 person likes this
@richiem (3644)
• Philippines
28 Jun 08
A point for the crow then. My girlfriend thinks the same as yours. She believe the crow mean no any harm to others, but the fox is taking advantage of other's weakness. Do you think the crow will have good karma? The fox doesn't get something with little effort, though. In the story he tried everything he can, jumping and climbing the tree. Should we give credit for that?
@guybrush (4658)
• Australia
28 Jun 08
Yep - points to the fox for being smart (I actually really like foxes) - and I guess if the crow hadn't fallen victim to vanity she would have kept her cheese. I doubt she'll get karma points either - hahha!
1 person likes this
@debrakcarey (19887)
• United States
26 Sep 09
I vote for the fox...we're getting way to deep for a fable here guys.
@ratyz5 (7808)
• Philippines
28 Jun 08
There are always different ways on reading things, different way of interpreting them. We may have already associated a moral to a fable when we were young but, we can always have a new moral for the story as we read it again later on since, its not always the same when we re-read the things we have read, especially when we have already encountered numerous things in our reality. As inevitable as our experiences affect us, it also goes along with how we percieve things. In the fable you have shared, both perspectives from the fox and crow can be considered, being a victim or being creative in achieving something.
@barehugs (8973)
• Canada
28 Jun 08
This is a Famous Old Aesop Fable. It teaches two lessons. First, be resourceful like the Fox, and Second, don't let your conceit get the better of you. The fox did not cheat the crow. He just played on the crow's vanity, and won the cheese.
1 person likes this
@crazed_moma (1054)
• United States
28 Jun 08
lol I thought the moral of that one was to beware of flatterers!
1 person likes this
@kun2349 (23381)
• Singapore
28 Jun 08
Depending on how u look at it.. If it's for survival, the fox is indeed smart.. But if look at the other angle, the fox is lazy and just wants an easy way out.. hehe ^_^ There's no right or wrong here.. It all depends on how one looks at things from different angles ^_^ As for me, i will satnd on your side.. haha
@bieke81 (1067)
• Belgium
28 Jun 08
I think it learns children to be careful for people who praise you (to much). They don't always do it out of the love of their heart, sometimes they want something from you that you don't wanna give. And that's the lesson in this fable. If your children watch this, you need to make sure that that is the lesson they get from it.
@paid2write (5201)
28 Jun 08
I think the moral of the story is that there are people like that fox who will try to take advantage of you, and the real intent of their flattery is to cheat you. I think it teaches children to be careful when someone is being especially nice to them, because if they are vulnerable to flattery, it could be used for deception and and they would end up being the victim of their own conceit.
@richiem (3644)
• Philippines
30 Jun 08
Yes, I guess Knowledge Channel has been wrong in pointing out another moral of the story which is not directly appropriate. I also think that the moral should be being careful and not being so conceited. I guess this tv networks should be careful also.
@whiteheron (4222)
• United States
28 Jun 08
It seems to me that both characters are flawed... It somehow reminds me of men and women... How many things do men and women try to get from each other by false praise... and once they get it, what then? How many women have been dumped by those who get what they give freely? How many men do? I think that all people want to be praised, admired and accepted and that most people will try to work to earn these things... This is what makes cultures work. The action of someone taking advantage of someone else's vulnerability the way that the fox did is cruelty, an unkindness... treachery, deception, and dishonorable action. I agree with your girlfriend.
@padma84 (98)
28 Jun 08
you have to be street smart these days..... nothing worng.. only don't get cheated like the foolish crow....
1 person likes this
@acevivx (1566)
• Philippines
28 Jun 08
I agree with the rest that the moral of the story is not about try and try until you succeed even if you have to cheat to do so. I believe the moral of the story as originally intended is that we should not let flattery fool us into doing something foolish or something like that. The moral of a story intends to teach something good and definitely not something which is discouraged like cheating or being wily as a fox. That's why I don't agree that the fable has a flaw. i'm surprised Knowledge channel would promote such an underhanded trick as cheating or flattery.
• Philippines
28 Jun 08
good day.. or do fox eats cheese? well it's a fable with a lesson so I think that we should focus on the lesson and not on the semantics.
1 person likes this