It’s smart not to give up. Here’s why.

It had been a long dry summer. No rain had fallen on the land and the rivers and streams had dried up and gone beneath the ground. The animals were thirsty. Two crows out in search of water spied a pitcher of water behind a house. They flew over the yard and landed on the pitcher’s brim. Peering into it, they saw water, but it was so low down that their beaks could not reach it.

Together the crows tried to tip the pitcher over, but it would not budge. They tried holding each other as they leaned over the side, but it was no use. It was too narrow to reach. “This is impossible,” cackled the first. “Let us not waste any more time.”

“Wait, friend,” said the second. “I know we will think of something if we try.” Not wanting to give up with water so nearby, the second crow sat and looked at the water and thought and thought.

Suddenly she cawed with delight and flew off a short distance to the road. There she picked up a pebble in her beak and flew back to the pitcher. She dropped it in, and a splash of water hit her face. “Look!” she said. “If we fill the pitcher with stones, the water will rise.”

“Oh, no,” said the first crow, “That’s hard work, and it will take all day. I’m going to go and find me a nice cool stream.” He flew off.

The second crow carried out her plan. She flew to the road again and again and dropped another pebble in, with the same reaction. Repeatedly she flew to the road and back until at last she had filled the bottom of the pitcher with stones. The water level rose and rose until finally when she threw in a pebble, it was not a drop of water that hit her beak, but the surface of the water itself. The crow had a nice long drink. As for her friend, he flew back later, tired and thirsty, to find his friend happy and refreshed.

You can eat and elephant one bite at a time.

Next time: Why It’s Smart to be Generous