An ant fell into a river. A dove dropped a leaf so the ant could climb out and be saved. Later, the ant saw a hunter about to catch the dove and bit the hunter's foot, scaring him away. What is the moral of this fable?

The Sun and the Wind argued who was stronger. Each tried to make a traveler take off his coat. The Wind blew hard, but the man held it tighter. The Sun shone warmly, and the man took his coat off. What lesson does this fable teach?

The mice decided they would be safe if someone put a bell on the cat. Every mouse agreed it was a great plan. Then one old mouse asked, "But who will bell the cat?" No mouse answered. What is the central message of this fable?

A crow found a piece of cheese and held it in her beak. A fox saw her and said, "You must have a beautiful voice! Please sing for me." The crow opened her beak to sing, and the cheese fell. The fox grabbed it and ran off. What is the moral of this fable?

A milkmaid carried a pail of milk on her head and daydreamed: she would sell the milk, buy hens, sell the eggs, buy a dress, and go to the dance. She tossed her head thinking of the fun -- and spilled all the milk. What lesson does this fable teach?

Anansi the Spider wanted all the world's stories. Sky God said he could have them if he caught a hornets' nest, a python, and a leopard alive. Tiny Anansi tricked each one, so Sky God gave him the stories. What is the folktale's message?

Juan Bobo kept losing his pay from work. His mother said, "Carry it home on your head!" Next he was paid with a big piece of cheese. He carried it on his head in the hot sun, and it melted. What lesson does this folktale teach?

Issun-Boshi was only one inch tall, but he served a noble's daughter. When a demon attacked her, he fought it off with a tiny needle. The demon dropped a magic mallet, and it made Issun-Boshi grow to full size. What is this folktale's message?

Pandora was given a sealed box and told never to open it. Curiosity overcame her and she lifted the lid. All the troubles and sorrows of the world flew out. Only one thing was left inside: hope. What is the central message of this myth?

King Midas wished everything he touched would turn to gold. He was thrilled as his chair, food, and cup turned gold. Then he hugged his daughter, and she turned to gold too. He begged the gods to undo the wish. What is the moral of this myth?

A shepherd boy shouted "Wolf!" twice as a joke, and villagers ran up the hill to find nothing. When a real wolf came, he shouted again. No one came, and the wolf scattered his sheep. What is the moral of this fable?

A hare laughed at a slow tortoise and challenged him to a race. The hare ran far ahead, then stopped for a nap. The tortoise kept plodding along, passed the sleeping hare, and crossed the finish line first. What lesson does this fable teach?

A lion caught a mouse but let her go when she begged. Later the lion was trapped in a hunter's net and roared for help. The little mouse came and gnawed the ropes until the lion was free. What is the moral of this fable?

A fox jumped again and again for grapes hanging high on a vine, but he could not reach them. At last he walked away, sniffing, "Those grapes were probably sour anyway." What lesson does this fable teach?

A farmer's goose laid one golden egg each day. Wanting to be rich at once, the farmer cut the goose open to get all the gold inside. He found nothing there, and now there were no more eggs at all. What is the moral of this fable?

All summer the grasshopper sang while the ants carried grain into their nest. When winter came, the grasshopper had nothing to eat. The fable teaches that it is wise to prepare for hard times. Which detail best supports that lesson?

A dog crossing a bridge with a bone saw his own reflection in the water and thought it was another dog with a bigger bone. He barked to grab it, and his bone dropped into the river. The fable warns against greed. Which detail best shows that lesson?

A thirsty crow found a pitcher with a little water far down at the bottom, and her beak could not reach it. One by one she dropped pebbles into the pitcher until the water rose high enough to drink. What is the moral of this fable?

A hungry traveler boiled a pot of water with a stone in it and said the soup only needed one carrot. A neighbor brought a carrot, another an onion, another some meat. Soon the whole village ate well. What is this folktale's message?

Daedalus made wings of feathers and wax and warned Icarus not to fly near the sun. Thrilled by flying, Icarus soared higher and higher. The wax melted, his wings came apart, and he fell into the sea. What is the central message of this myth?