Storytime: Crow and Stag

Storytime: Brother Crow and the Stag

One evening, as Brother Crow flew about searching for something to eat, he saw a lone stag in a clearing. Of course, it wasn't the first time Crow had seen a stag, rare as they are in the Glomdoring, but what caught his attention was the branch full of delicious-looking berries that it had clamped between his teeth.

'Well! Isn't that terribly convenient?' thought Brother Crow, 'Those berries would make a perfect treat for supper', and so he took his perch above the stag, and took a deep breath, and called out his greeting.

'Good-evening, handsome creature!' he cawed, with admiration. And the stag looked up to Brother Crow with some suspicion, and bit down harder upon the branch of ripe berries, and said nothing.

But Brother Crow was undeterred! He began to think aloud to himself. 'What a charming creature that is!' he said, 'What a rich tawny pelt, and such strong, noble antlers! I'm certain his voice must be terribly handsome, the richest of all the beasts, since everything about him is so lovely.'

'Why', dear Brother Crow continued, 'I would give most anything to hear him give a speech! His thoughts and words must be fitting of the king of beasts!' Stag heard the words of Brother Crow, and all his suspicion was forgotten. He very much wanted to be the king of beasts, you see.

So he took the deepest breath he could hold, and lifted his head up proudly, and puffed out his chest, and he opened his mouth wide to launch into a speech all very much agreeing with all of Brother Crow's compliments. And as he did, his branch of delicious berries fell from his mouth, and Brother Crow swooped down and snatched it right up.

'Thank you!' said Brother Crow, as he took off to the skies to enjoy his prize. 'It may whine something awful, but I suppose you do have a voice after all! A shame the same can't be said for your wits.'