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Aesop's Fable:
The Oak and the Reed
Print, read and discuss the fable. Prints well in portrait and landscape mode. View in projectable and printable PDF format. Review the complementary activities below the fable.
The Oak and the Reed
Once upon a time, near a quiet little stream, there stood a tall oak tree. Its trunk was strong, and its branches stretched wide like arms reaching for the sky. Beside the oak, a patch of slender reeds grew. They were thin and bendy, swaying gently in the breeze. When the wind blew, the oak stood firm and proud. “Look at me,” it said. “I never bend. I’m strong and brave!”
The reeds rustled softly and bowed low. “We bend so we don’t break,” a reed whispered. “The wind passes over us, and we stay safe.” The oak chuckled. “You’re so small and weak. Even a tiny breeze makes you bow your heads!” But the reeds didn’t mind. “We may be small,” they said kindly, “but we know how to listen to the wind.”
One day, a mighty storm came roaring through the forest. The wind howled and pushed with all its strength. The oak tried to stand tall, refusing to bend. But the storm was too strong. With a loud crack, the oak fell to the ground. The reeds, who had bowed low, were still standing—safe and sound.
Sometimes, being flexible is wiser than being stubborn. Even the strongest must learn to bend.
