Ворона, изнемогая от жажды, наткнулась на кувшин, в котором когда-то была вода. Но когда она сунула клюв в горлышко, то обнаружила, что воды осталось совсем немного и до неё невозможно дотянуться.
Она пробовала и пробовала, но в конце концов отчаялась. И тут ей пришла в голову мысль.
Ворона взяла камешек и уронила его в кувшин. Потом взяла другой камешек и бросила его туда. Затем ещё один — и ещё. И снова, и снова она кидала камешки в кувшин.
Наконец, наконец вода поднялась достаточно высоко. Бросив ещё несколько камешков, Ворона смогла напиться и спасти себе жизнь.
Мораль: Мало-помалу и дело делается.
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[Оригинал]
The Crow and the Pitcher
A Crow, half-dead with thirst, came upon a Pitcher which had once been full of water; but when the Crow put its beak into the mouth of the Pitcher he found that only very little water was left in it, and that he could not reach far enough down to get at it. He tried, and he tried, but at last had to give up in despair. Then a thought came to him, and he took a pebble and dropped it into the Pitcher. Then he took another pebble and dropped it into the Pitcher. Then he took another pebble and dropped that into the Pitcher. Then he took another pebble and dropped that into the Pitcher. Then he took another pebble and dropped that into the Pitcher. Then he took another pebble and dropped that into the Pitcher. At last, at last, he saw the water mount up near him, and after casting in a few more pebbles he was able to quench his thirst and save his life.
Little by little does the trick.
