The Crow and the Sparrow

Told in English, Telugu.

Once upon a time, in a green village near the Godavari river, there lived a crow and a little sparrow. They were neighbours. They lived on the same big neem tree.

One sunny morning, the crow said, "I need a house!" He was in a big hurry. He picked up some dry leaves. He picked up some bits of dust. He pressed them together, quick, quick, quick. "There! My house is done!" said the crow, and he flew off to play.

The little sparrow needed a house too. But she was patient. She did not hurry. She brought one twig. Then another twig. She brought soft straw. She brought a little mud from the riverbank and pressed it in, very carefully. Peck, peck, peck. It took her all day long.

The crow laughed. "Sparrow, sparrow, why so slow? My house was done long ago!"

The sparrow just smiled and kept on working. Peck, peck, peck. Twig by twig, little by little, a strong house grows.

Can you say it with me? Twig by twig, little by little, a strong house grows.

That evening, the sky turned grey. The wind went whoosh. And then the rain came. Pitter-patter, pitter-patter, pitter-patter!

The rain fell on the crow's house. The dry leaves got wet. The dust turned soft. And slowly, slowly, the crow's house melted away. Oh no! Now the crow had no home at all. He was wet. He was cold. He began to shiver.

The sparrow's house was still there. Not one drop came inside. The sparrow was warm and dry, with her two baby sparrows tucked under her wings.

Knock, knock, knock. "Sparrow, sparrow, open your door! My house is gone, I'm cold and poor!"

The sparrow called out kindly, "Wait a little, Crow. I am feeding my babies."

The crow waited in the rain. Pitter-patter, pitter-patter.

Knock, knock, knock. "Sparrow, sparrow, open your door!"

"Wait a little, Crow. I am singing my babies to sleep."

The crow waited a little more. And while he waited, he thought. He thought about his quick, quick house. He thought about the sparrow's slow, careful house. "I laughed at her," he said softly. "That was not nice of me."

Then the little door opened. "Come in, Crow," said the sparrow. "There is room for you here."

The crow hopped inside. It was warm. It was dry. It smelled of fresh straw. The sparrow gave him a few grains of rice to eat. Slowly, the crow stopped shivering.

"Thank you, Sparrow," said the crow. "I am sorry I laughed at you. Your slow house is the best house of all. And you are the best neighbour of all."

The sparrow smiled. "When the sun comes out, I will help you build a strong house too."

And the next morning, the sun came out bright and warm. The crow and the sparrow worked together, side by side. One twig. Then another twig. Soft straw. A little mud. Peck, peck, peck.

Twig by twig, little by little, a strong house grows.

And from that day on, the crow and the sparrow were the very best of friends on the big neem tree.

Now close your eyes, little one, snug and warm in your own little house. Good night.