Notes
crow – カラス
beak – くちばし: 鳥類の口の部分で、物をつかんだり食べたりするための硬い構造。
proud – 誇りに思う;
grab – つかむ;
show off – 見せびらかす;
flattery お世辞

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A crow was sitting high in a tree with a piece of cheese in its beak. The crow looked very proud and happy. Then, a fox came by and saw the meat. The fox really wanted the cheese, but instead of taking it, he had an idea.

“Hello, beautiful crow,” the fox said. “Your feathers are so shiny, and I’m sure your voice is just as lovely. Could you please sing a song for me?”

The crow, feeling proud, wanted to show off her voice. So, she opened her beak to sing. But as soon as she did, the cheese fell to the ground. The fox quickly grabbed the cheese and ran away, leaving the crow feeling silly.

This story teaches us that we should not trust people who only say nice things to get what they want. Be careful of flattery, because it can make you lose what’s important.　( A story from Aesop’s Fables*
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Notes
fireplace 暖炉;
thaw 解ける;
poisonous fangs 毒牙;
venom 毒;
wicked 邪悪な;

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One winter day, a kind-hearted farmer found a snake lying in the snow. It was nearly frozen to death. Feeling pity, the farmer picked it up and decided to help. He carried the snake home and placed it near the fireplace to warm up.

As the snake began to thaw, it slowly regained its strength. The farmer was happy to see the snake recovering and felt proud of his good deed. But then, as soon as the snake was fully warmed, it bit the farmer’s hand with its poisonous fangs.

Shocked and in pain, the farmer realized his mistake. He fell to the ground, his body growing weak from the venom. With his last breath, he said, “I should have known better than to trust a snake. Kindness to the wicked can only lead to harm.”

So, remember, helping those who are naturally harmful can bring danger to you.
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