The Crow and the Jug

The version I used of this story came from a Waldorf 3rd grade reader by Arthur M. Pittis, When I Hear My Heart Wonder.




To act it out, we used shadow puppetry. I found a tall thin vase and a bowl of marbles. I set up my plexiglass easel with a large piece of translucent tracing paper over it and a bright lamp behind it. On the table behind the easel -- and in front of the lamp -- I placed the vase and the bowl of marbles. I recommend that you practice in advance to be sure there are enough marbles to bring the water up to the top.

After telling the story, I showed the students how to use their hands to be the beak of the crow (holding your hand with all five fingertips touching at a point) and place the marbles into the vase, one by one, to raise the water level. You can actually see the water level even through the tracing paper. I gave the children a small pitcher as well. After each child -- and believe me, they all will want to do it -- had a turn as the crow, he or she would place their fingers over the mouth of the vase to hold back the stones, pour the water from the vase into the pitcher, pour the marbles into the bowl, and then pour the water from the pitcher back into the vase so that the next child could have a turn.

I had each student choose which child should have the turn after they were done, based on who had been the most respectful audience member.

This story was also one I had done in a previous summer camp and the shadow puppetry aspect especially makes it a BIG hit!