The Fox And The Stork

by

The Fox and the Stork (Perry Index 426) is one of the best-known fables attributed to Aesop. The earliest written version appears in the Latin verse collection of Phaedrus (1st century CE), composed during the reign of Augustus. Jean de La Fontaine later adapted it as Le Renard et la Cigogne in his celebrated 1668 collection. The fable has inspired artists for centuries, from Francis Barlow's 1666 engravings to Marc Chagall's 1952 etchings. A fountain depicting the scene was even installed in the Labyrinth of Versailles. In some older translations, the stork is called a crane, but the Perry Index standardizes the title as "The Fox and the Stork."
The Fox And The Stork by Aesop

A Fox once invited a Stork to dinner, thinking it would be amusing to play a trick on her. When the Stork arrived, hungry and eager for a good meal, the Fox served soup in a wide, shallow dish. The Fox lapped it up with ease, but the Stork could only wet the very tip of her long bill. She could not get a single drop.

The Fox made a great show of enjoying the meal, licking his lips and sighing with satisfaction. "I do hope the soup is to your liking," he said with a sly grin.

The Stork said nothing. She was not the sort to lose her temper over a prank, but she did not forget it either. A few days later, she invited the Fox to dine at her home in return.

The Fox arrived at the appointed hour and was delighted by the rich smell of fish cooking. But when the meal was served, it came in a tall jar with a very narrow neck. The Stork slipped her long bill inside and ate with pleasure, but the Fox could only lick the outside of the jar and sniff at the delicious aroma within.

When the Fox began to complain, the Stork replied calmly:

Do not play tricks on your neighbors unless you can stand the same treatment yourself.

The Fox one day thought of a plan to amuse himself at the expense of the Stork, at whose odd appearance he was always laughing.

"You must come and dine with me today," he said to the Stork, smiling to himself at the trick he was going to play. The Stork gladly accepted the invitation and arrived in good time and with a very good appetite.

For dinner the Fox served soup. But it was set out in a very shallow dish, and all the Stork could do was to wet the very tip of his bill. Not a drop of soup could he get. But the Fox lapped it up easily, and, to increase the disappointment of the Stork, made a great show of enjoyment.

The hungry Stork was much displeased at the trick, but he was a calm, even-tempered fellow and saw no good in flying into a rage. Instead, not long afterward, he invited the Fox to dine with him in turn. The Fox arrived promptly at the time that had been set, and the Stork served a fish dinner that had a very appetizing smell. But it was served in a tall jar with a very narrow neck. The Stork could easily get at the food with his long bill, but all the Fox could do was to lick the outside of the jar, and sniff at the delicious odor. And when the Fox lost his temper, the Stork said calmly:

Do not play tricks on your neighbors unless you can stand the same treatment yourself.

Frequently Asked Questions about The Fox And The Stork

What is the moral of The Fox and the Stork?

The moral is "Do not play tricks on your neighbors unless you can stand the same treatment yourself." The Fox serves soup in a shallow dish the Stork cannot eat from, and the Stork retaliates by serving food in a narrow jar the Fox cannot reach. Aesop's lesson is a pragmatic version of the Golden Rule: if you mistreat others, expect the same in return.

What is the Perry Index number for The Fox and the Stork?

The Fox and the Stork is catalogued as Perry Index 426. The Perry Index is the standard classification system for Aesop's fables, compiled by classicist Ben Edwin Perry in 1952. In some older translations, the stork is referred to as a crane, but the Perry Index standardizes the title as "The Fox and the Stork."

What is the origin of The Fox and the Stork?

The fable is attributed to Aesop, the semi-legendary Greek storyteller of the 6th century BCE. The earliest surviving written version appears in the Latin verse collection of Phaedrus (1st century CE), composed during the reign of Emperor Augustus. Jean de La Fontaine later adapted it as Le Renard et la Cigogne in his celebrated 1668 fable collection, cementing its place in European literary tradition.

What does The Fox and the Stork teach children?

The fable teaches children that people will treat you the way you treat them. It shows that playing mean tricks on others is not clever—it invites the same behavior in return. The Stork does not react with anger; instead, she calmly gives the Fox a taste of his own medicine. For young readers, the story reinforces the importance of empathy, fairness, and thinking about how our actions affect others before we act.

Why does the Fox invite the Stork to dinner?

The Fox invites the Stork purely for his own amusement. He finds the Stork's long bill funny and wants to humiliate her by serving food she cannot eat. The shallow dish is not an oversight—it is a deliberate trick. Aesop uses this setup to show that hospitality can be weaponized: the Fox follows the outward forms of generosity while intending cruelty.

How does The Fox and the Stork compare to The Fox and the Goat?

Both fables feature a fox using cleverness at another animal's expense, but the outcomes differ sharply. In The Fox and the Goat, the goat is tricked and left with no recourse—the moral warns against trusting those who are only looking out for themselves. In The Fox and the Stork, the victim turns the tables with an equally clever countermove. Together, the two fables show that the Fox's cunning does not always guarantee victory.

Has The Fox and the Stork been depicted in art?

Yes, the fable has inspired artists for centuries. Francis Barlow engraved it in his 1666 edition of Aesop's fables, one of the earliest illustrated English editions. Jean-Baptiste Oudry painted it in 1747, and Marc Chagall included it as Plate 9 in his 1952 etchings of La Fontaine's fables. A fountain depicting the scene was part of the famous Labyrinth of Versailles, designed under Louis XIV around 1675.

What other Aesop fables explore similar themes of consequences and fairness?

Several of Aesop's fables deal with the consequences of how we treat others:

  • The Monkey and the Dolphin — a monkey's dishonesty leads to his own downfall when a kind dolphin discovers the truth.
  • The Fox and the Goat — the fox exploits the goat's trust, warning against blind faith in self-interested advisors.
  • The Tortoise and the Hare — arrogance and overconfidence are punished by steady, humble effort.
  • The Miser — hoarding wealth without using it renders it meaningless, a lesson in the consequences of selfishness.

Save stories, build your reading list, and access all study tools — completely free.

Save The Fox And The Stork to your library — it's free!

Need help with The Fox And The Stork?

Study tools to help with homework, prepare for quizzes, and deepen your understanding.

Flashcards →