What blazing heat! A midsummer noon, the sun pouring down like fire. The village paths are bone-dry, not a drop of water anywhere. Kalu the crow flew on till he was gasping — his throat parched dry. “Ugh, I'm dying of thirst! Where can I find a little water?”
Kalu searched here and there. The pond had dried up and cracked — no water. He went to the tube-well — bone dry, no water. The bowl in the yard was empty too. Not here, not there… not a single drop anywhere! Kalu's heart sank.
Suddenly — something in the corner of a yard caught his eye! There it was — a clay pitcher! Kalu's eyes lit right up. “Water! There must be water in that pitcher!” He spread his wings and dropped down beside it.
But oh no! Only a little water sat at the bottom, and the neck was long and narrow. Kalu poked his beak in — couldn't reach. He leaned further, a little further… but his beak just wouldn't touch the water. “Argh! So close, and still I can't drink!”
Kalu sat quietly and began to think. He thought… and thought… when his eye fell on the little pebbles scattered nearby. Suddenly an idea flashed in his head — a spark! “I've got it! If I drop pebbles in, the water will rise up!” Now tell me — wasn't that clever?
Kalu picked up a pebble and dropped it in — plop! Another — plop! One piece… another piece… slowly, little by little, the water began to climb higher. Kalu didn't stop, he kept right on dropping them — plop… plop… plop!
Now the water rose right up to the mouth of the pitcher! Kalu dipped his beak and drank in big gulps — ah, so cool, so sweet! His thirst was quenched, and his heart felt light. Kalu understood — what strength can't do, sticking at it little by little, cleverness gets it done.