The Fable Finder

Matching Narratives to Ancient Adages

Detective:

Date:

The Wisdom Vault

A. Honesty is the best policy.

B. Slow and steady wins the race.

C. Don't count your chickens before they hatch.

D. Necessity is the mother of invention.

E. Quality is better than quantity.

F. Don't cry over spilled milk.

Fable Case Files

Case #01: The Crow and the Pitcher

A thirsty crow found a pitcher with a little water at the bottom, but he couldn't reach it. He didn't give up. Instead, he dropped pebbles into the pitcher one by one until the water rose high enough for him to drink.

Vault Key

Case #02: The Milkmaid and Her Pail

A girl carrying milk on her head began dreaming of all the things she would buy once she sold it. She imagined buying eggs, then chickens, then a new dress. In her excitement, she tossed her head and the pail fell, spilling everything.

Vault Key

Case #03: The Boy Who Cried Wolf

A shepherd boy grew bored and tricked the villagers by shouting "Wolf!" twice when there was no danger. When a real wolf finally appeared and he shouted for help, no one believed him, and his flock was lost.

Vault Key

Case #04: The Sow and the Wolf

A wolf tried to trick a mother pig into letting him in to "help" with her babies. She knew he just wanted to eat them. She stayed safe inside. The lesson: doing one thing well (staying safe) is better than many things poorly.

Vault Key

The Detective's Log

Choose one of the fables above. If the character had known the adage before the story started, how might the story have ended differently?

Fable Finder Worksheet

Fable Finder Worksheet