". The Stork's Noble Deed"The Wolf and the Crane
Deep in the forest, a cunning wolf found himself in an agonizing predicament. A bone had lodged in his throat, and no amount of clawing or coughing could dislodge it. Pacing in pain, the wolf stumbled upon a graceful crane by the riverbank, her long neck and slender beak glinting in the sunlight.
“Dear Crane,” wheezed the wolf, feigning humility, “I am in desperate need of your help. This bone is stuck fast in my throat, and only you, with your elegant neck and precise beak, can save me. If you free me from this torment, I will grant you a great reward.”
Moved by the wolf’s plight—and tempted by the promise of riches—the crane agreed. Carefully, she stretched her delicate neck deep into the wolf’s gaping jaws. With her beak, she gripped the bone and skillfully extracted it, sparing the wolf from further misery.
Once the deed was done, the crane stepped back and extended her wing. “Now, for my promised reward,” she said.
The wolf, his eyes gleaming with malice, grinned wickedly. “Reward? Why, you have already received it! You placed your head between my jaws and walked away unharmed. That, dear Crane, is payment enough!”
The crane, trembling with a mixture of relief and anger, realized the wolf’s treachery. She took to the sky, vowing never again to aid the wicked.
This fable imparts a timeless lesson: "In serving the unscrupulous, do not expect gratitude—and count yourself lucky if you escape unharmed."
