Video of the Wolf and the Crane

The Wolf and the Crane

After a reckless feast, a wolf found himself in distress—an unfortunate bone had lodged itself deep in his throat. Unable to dislodge it, he prowled the forest in agony, seeking help. Eventually, he stumbled upon a crane, her slender frame and elongated beak promising a solution.

“Dear crane,” the wolf rasped, his voice strained, “if you can extract this wretched bone from my throat, I shall reward you handsomely.”

The crane hesitated. A wolf was never to be trusted. But the promise of a generous reward was tempting. Carefully, she extended her delicate beak into the wolf’s gaping jaws, navigating cautiously through his sharp teeth. With precision, she seized the troublesome bone and pulled it free.

The wolf sighed in relief, stretching his limbs. He turned to leave.

“Wait,” the crane called after him. “What about my reward?”

The wolf bared his fangs in an ominous grin. “Reward? Consider yourself fortunate—you placed your head inside a wolf’s mouth and emerged unscathed. That alone should be enough compensation.”

Proverbs from the Short Story

“No good deed goes unpunished.”

Sometimes, helping others—especially those who are selfish or ungrateful—can lead to negative consequences instead of appreciation. Like the crane, people may expect a reward for their kindness but end up facing disappointment.

“A leopard never changes its spots.”

This means that people with bad habits or deceitful nature rarely change. The wolf had no intention of rewarding the crane because, in the end, a predator remains a predator. This proverb warns against trusting someone who has a history of dishonesty.

“He who sups with the devil should have a long spoon.”

If you choose to deal with someone untrustworthy, you must do so cautiously and keep your distance. The crane ignored the risks of helping the wolf and ended up receiving nothing. This proverb advises people to be careful when interacting with those who have a reputation for betrayal.

These proverbs reflect the fable’s core message about misplaced trust and the importance of being cautious when dealing with individuals who may not act honorably.

English Vocabulary in Real Context

1. Distress: extreme anxiety, suffering, or pain
2. Lodged: stuck firmly in place
3. Prowled: moved stealthily or restlessly, often in search of something
4. Wretched: miserable, unfortunate, or of poor quality
5. Hesitated: paused before taking action, often due to uncertainty
6. Tempting: appealing or desirable, often leading to risky decisions
7. Navigating: carefully finding a way through something difficult or complex
8. Precision: accuracy or careful execution of a task
9. Unscathed: completely unharmed, without injury or damage
10. Treachery:  betrayal or deception, often involving dishonesty or trickery

Moral of the Short Story

The moral of The Wolf and the Crane highlights the dangers of trusting those who have a reputation for deceit and selfishness. The crane, driven by the promise of a reward, chose to help the wolf despite his predatory nature. However, rather than showing gratitude, the wolf exploited the situation to mock the crane, demonstrating that dishonorable individuals often take advantage of kindness without reciprocating it. This fable serves as a cautionary tale, reminding us to be wary of misplaced trust and to recognize that not everyone who seeks help intends to act honorably in return.

Additionally, the story sheds light on the harsh reality that favors and good deeds are not always met with fairness or appreciation. The crane assumed that providing assistance would earn a reward, yet the wolf twisted the situation to suggest that mere survival should be compensation enough. This reflects the idea that naive expectations can lead to disappointment, especially when dealing with individuals who lack integrity. The lesson extends beyond the fable and applies to real-world situations where one must be mindful of whom they help, ensuring that generosity is not blindly given to those who might exploit it for their own gain.

Discussion Questions

1. Do you think the crane should have trusted the wolf’s promise? Why or why not? What does this teach us about choosing whom to help?
2. How does this fable relate to real-life situations where people expect kindness in return for favors? Can you think of a time when someone was ungrateful after receiving help?
3. If you were the crane, would you have done anything differently to ensure you got a reward? What strategies can we use to protect ourselves from being taken advantage of?

/beɪn/ (noun)

Definition

the cause of misery, trouble and unhappiness, destroyer, nuisance, irritation, destruction, pest, bother, blight, annoyance, distress

Example

Life is full of its ups and downs. One day, you may feel like you have it all figured out. Then, in a moment’s notice, you’ve been thrown a curve ball. You’re not alone in these feelings. Everyone has to face their own set of challenges. Learning how to overcome the bane of your life will help you stay centered and remain calm under pressure.

Source: https://www.uopeople.edu/

Antonyms

blessing

Parts of speech

Adjective: baneful: destructive

Adverb: banefully

/ˈtrɔː.mə/ (noun)

Definition

an extremely painful and long-lasting emotional experience which causes flashbacks and bitter memories into the future usually caused by devastating and appalling accidents, distressing experience, agony, panic, suffering, upset, upheaval, disturbance, anguish, torture, shock, heartbreak, distress, strain – a physical wound or injury, contusion, laceration, damage, cut

Example

Emotional and psychological trauma is the result of extraordinarily stressful events that shatter your sense of security, making you feel helpless in a dangerous world. Psychological trauma can leave you struggling with upsetting emotions, memories, and anxiety that won’t go away. It can also leave you feeling numb, disconnected, and unable to trust other people.

Source: https://www.helpguide.org/

Parts of speech

Verb: traumatize

Noun: traumatization

Adjective: traumatic

Adverb: traumatically

Adjective: traumatized

/ˈtɔː.ment/ (noun & verb)

Noun: excessive mental suffering or physical pain, agony, torture, anguish, distress – annoyance, nuisance, irritation, plague, pain in the neck, pest

Verb: to cause a person or animal to suffer mentally or physically, persecute, pester, vex, taunt, plague, torture, harass, trouble

“I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.”
― Elie Wiesel

Source: https://www.goodreads.com

Antonyms: pleasure, delight, comfort

Noun: tormentor

/dɪˈstres/ (noun & verb)

Noun: anxiety and sadness, sorrow, pain, anguish, agony, wretchedness, mental suffering, misery, grief – danger or difficulty, trouble, hardship, misfortune

Verb: to upset or disturb someone, agitate, worry, trouble, perturb, afflict, bother, torment, vex, annoy

On 16 January 1838 a petition asking for help was composed on behalf of Elizabeth Mary Hickman of Blackfriars for submission to the East India Company. She was the widow of Henry Hickman who had worked as a labourer in the Company warehouses for 23 years. When the Company was winding up its commercial operations in London, Henry was made redundant in March 1836 at the age of 55 with a weekly pension of 8 shillings. Elizabeth claimed that he was in a weak state of mind at that time. Henry deserted his wife in May 1837 and she heard nothing of him until she learned in December that that he was dead. Elizabeth had been forced to sell her furniture, clothing and other comforts to support herself and she was in great distress. The Company gave Elizabeth a donation of £5.

Source: https://blogs.bl.uk/

Antonyms: peace, tranquility, soothe, mollify

Adjective: distressful

Adjective: distressing

Adjective: distressed

Adverb: distressingly

Disgruntled 1100 Words You Need Week 28 Day 2 with synonyms, antonyms, flashcards and authentic materials for GRE, TOEFL & IELTS

/dɪsˈgrʌn.tļd/ (adj)

unhappy and disappointed, annoyed, agitated, distressed, discontented, dissatisfied, resentful, displeased, irritated, angry, sullen, peeved

Nothing can ensure a disgruntled employee — and a scathing Glassdoor review — like a boss who has a favorite. Whether it’s overt or implied, employees will pick up on the fact that a manager has a “favorite employee” who can do no wrong. This dynamic will foster resentment and anger, not to mention low morale.

Lead by example. Be sure that rules and policies apply to everyone and that praise and compliments are distributed to all who are deserving.

Source: https://trainingindustry.com/

Antonyms: contented, satisfied

Verb: disgruntle

Noun: disgruntlement

Farsi: ناخوشنود، ناراضى ، غرغرو

The fat is in the fire

something has happened that will certainly cause trouble, the mischief is done, something troublesome has happened, smell a rat, big trouble, said when something has been said or done that will cause a lot of trouble

A course of action with inevitable bad consequences has begun; there’s trouble ahead. For example, Now the fat’s in the fire—the boss arrived early and will see we haven’t even started work. This expression, with its allusion to fat dropping into a fire and causing a burst of flames, was already a proverb in John Heywood’s 1546 collection.

Source: https://www.dictionary.com

Antonym: the coast is clear

Farsi: اوضاع نامناسب است

Behind the Eight Ball

at a disadvantage, in a highly disadvantageous position, in trouble, in difficulty, having problems, in distress, in the soup

The phrase “behind the eight ball” seems to have originated from the game of billiard. The phrase is stated to have been used by The New York Times as early as in 1931 with reference to the tight spot or the situation in which victory is impossible. However, another newspaper, The Sheboygan Press, has used it even before The New York Times in 1929. It goes thus; “Bill figures he can finish behind the eight ball with any kind of a ball team, so there’s no harm in trying out young talent as there’s nothing to lose beyond the last place.” Since then, it has been used in the same meanings of a tight spot from where it is difficult for a person to extract himself.

Source: https://literarydevices.net/

Antonym: at ease

Farsi: دچار درد سر، درگیر مشکلات

Doleful 1100 Words You Need

/ˈdəʊl.fəl/ (adj)

very sad, dejected, despondent, depressed, distressed, morose, mournful, unhappy, miserable, woeful, down in the dumps, down, gloomy:

a doleful expression

Antonyms

cheerful

Parts of Speech

• Adv: dolefully
• Noun: dolefulness

Afflict 1100 Words You Need

/əˈflɪkt/ (verb)

If a problem or illness afflicts a person or thing, they suffer from it, cause distress, trouble, bother, affect, worry, upset, irritate, vex, distress, make someone suffer from something:

It is an illness which afflicts women more than men.

a country afflicted by civil war

Parts of Speech

• adj: afflictive
• adv: afflictively
• noun: afflicter

Antonyms

conform, aid