Q. What did the Crow do?

A. She cawed and dropped the cheese.

Q. What did the Fox do?

A. He snapped up the cheese and ran off.

Q. Did he do anything more?

A. Yes. He gave the Crow some advice.

Q. Now tell me the story in as few words as possible.

A. A Fox saw a Crow with some cheese in her mouth. He flattered her and
asked her to sing. When she cawed she dropped the cheese and the Fox ran
away with it.

B. _The Persons._

Question. Can a Fox talk, or a Crow sing?

Answer. No.

Q. Do they seem like persons in this story?

A. Yes.

Q. Let us think of them as persons, and see what kind of people they
are. We will talk about the Fox, first. What do you think he looked
like?

A. Like a saucy little dog with bright eyes, a long sharp nose, and a
bushy tail.

Q. When he said, "That's for me," what did you learn about him?

A. That he was hungry; that he was greedy; that he meant to get the
cheese.

Q. When he began to flatter the Crow, what did you think of him?

A. That he was sharp; that he was trying to fool the Crow.

Q. What did you think of him when he said that her voice was finer than
the voices of the other birds, just as her coat was?

A. He was really flattering. Before, he was telling some truth, for her
feathers were glossy and her eyes were bright.

Q. Did he really think she could sing?

A. No. He knew she could only caw. He was lying, then.

Q. What did he say after she had dropped the cheese?

A. "That was all I wanted."

Q. And then?

A. "Do not trust flatterers."

Q. Did the Fox mean it?

A. Yes. But he was plaguing her, sneering at her. He wasn't really
sincere.

Q. Now tell me what you've learned about the Fox.

A. He was a lively animal that looked like a dog, with a long nose and
bushy tail. He was smart, wise, knew how to flatter and get what he
wanted. But he was a liar and a mean fellow all around.

Q. Now, let us study the Crow. What did she look like?

A. She was a big black bird with glossy feathers and a bright eye. She
had a big black bill and black wings.

Q. Did she have a good voice for singing?

A. No. She could only say "caw, caw, caw," in a hoarse, croaking voice.

Q. Where was she?

A. On the limb of a tree.

Q. Could the Fox reach her?

A. No. She was safe.

Q. What did she think of herself?

A. She thought she was pretty and smart and could sing.

Q. What would you say of her manners?

A. She was proud and conceited and