Read each of the following Aesop’s Fables and then say in one sentence what the story is about.

Once you have learnt this skill, you will be able to use it to great success in your future studies.

THE GOOSE WITH THE GOLDEN EGGS

A farmer went to the nest of his goose to see whether she had laid an egg. To his surprise he found, instead of an ordinary goose egg, an egg of solid gold. Seizing the golden egg he rushed to the house in great excitement to show it to his wife. Every day thereafter the goose laid an egg of pure gold. But as the farmer grew rich, he grew greedy. And thinking that if he killed the goose he could have all her treasure at once, he cut her open only to find - nothing at all.

MORAL: THE GREEDY THAT WANT MORE LOSE ALL.

Figure 1

THE DOG AND THE SHADOW

One day a dog stole a piece of meat out of a butcher shop, and on his way to a safe place where he could eat it without interruptions, he had to cross a footbridge over a clear stream. Looking down he saw his own reflection in the water.

Thinking that the reflection was another dog with another piece of meat, and being a greedy dog, he made up his mind to have that also. So he snarled and made a grab for the other dog’s meat.

As his greedy mouth opened, out dropped the piece of meat and it fell into the stream and was lost.

MORAL: A BIRD IN THE HAND IS WORTH TWO IN THE BUSH.

HERE IS A NEW CHALLENGE FOR YOU!

1. The Hare and the T…………………………….. .

2. The Fox and the G…………………………….. .

3. The Country Mouse and the T………………….. ………………… .

4. The F………………………… and the Crow.

Read story A and then story B about THE THIRSTY CROW and then make your mark (  ) in the table on the next page.

THE THIRSTY CROW

Story A

A crow was very thirsty and wanted a drink of water. She could not see a pool of water anywhere. She flew round and round. Then she saw a big jug outside a house.

The crow flew down to the jug. She looked inside. There was a little water at the bottom of the jug.

She could not reach the water with her beak. She climbed onto the jug. She almost fell into it, but she could not put her beak into the water.

She tried to break it with her beak. But the jug was too strong.

She tried to knock it over, so that the water would run out onto the ground. But the jug was too heavy. It did not fall over. Now the crow was very tired. She thought she was going to die of thirst.

Then she had an idea. She saw some stones lying on the ground. She picked up a stone in her beak and dropped it into the jug. Then another, and another. The water rose higher every time a stone fell into the jug.

Soon the jug was nearly full of stones. The water came to the top. Then the clever crow had her drink.

Figure 2

Story B

The big, black raven wanted a drink. She saw a big jug with water at the bottom. She could not reach the water and wondered what to do.

“I know,” she said. “I shall put some stones in the jug. Then the water will come up to the top.”

After the first stone, the water rose a little. Then she put in another stone, and the water rose more. She put more and more stones in until the water came up to the top of the jug.

“Now I can reach the water. At last I can have a drink,” said the raven. So she had a very long drink.

MORAL: NECESSITY IS THE MOTHER OF INVENTION.

THE THIRSTY CROW: STORY A AND B

Complete the table

LEARNING OUTCOME 2: SPEAKINGThe speaker is able to communicate effectively in spoken language in a wide range of situations.

Assessment Standard

We know this when the learner:

2.1 communicates experiences, ideas and information in different contexts for different audiences and purposes:

2.1.2 uses language with ease for interpersonal communication in everyday conversation.

LEARNING OUTCOME 3: READING AND VIEWINGThe learner is able to read and view for information and enjoyment, and to respond critically to the aesthetic, cultural and emotional values in texts.

Assessment Standard

We know this when the learner:

3.1 reads a variety of South African and international fiction and non-fiction texts for different purposes (e.g. poems, stories, myths, brochures, reference books and text-books);

3.1.1 reads independently using a variety of reading and comprehension strategies appropriate for different purposes;

3.1.3 scans for specific details;

3.5 shows understanding and identifies and discusses aspects such as central idea, characters, setting and plot in fiction texts.

LEARNING OUTCOME 5: THINKING AND REASONINGThe learner is able to use language to think and reason, as well as to access, process and use information for learning.

Assessment Standard

We know this when the learner:

5.1 uses language to think and reason:

5.1.3 infers meanings that are not obviously stated and can explain how the meaning was conveyed.

Activity 1: THE GOOSE WITH THE GOLDEN EGGS

MY SUMMARY IN ONE SENTENCE.

A farmer who had a goose that laid a golden egg daily, became greedy and killed the goose to get all the eggs at once, only to find nothing and so lost everything.

OPEN MEMO, but above is an example.

Activity 2: HERE IS A NEW CHALLENGE FOR YOU!

THE THIRSTY CROW: STORY A AND B