The Crow and the Pitcher

'The Crow and the Pitcher', an illustration by JVL in Aesop's Fables, Jonathan Cape, 1989, page 107.

This ingenious crow perhaps learned something about water displacement from Archimedes. Here is this ancient fable as told by Joseph Jacobs in 1894:

The Crow and the Pitcher

A CROW, half dead with thirst, came upon a Pitcher which had once been full of water; but when the Crow put its beak into the mouth of the Pitcher he found that only very little water was left in it, and that he could not reach far enough to get down to get at it. He tried, and he tried, but at last had to give up in despair. Then a thought came to him, and he took a pebble and dropped it into the Pitcher. Then he took another pebble and dropped it into the Pitcher. Then he took another pebble and dropped it into the Pitcher. Then he took another pebble and dropped it into the Pitcher. Then he took another pebble and dropped it into the Pitcher. Then he took another pebble and dropped it into the Pitcher. At last, at last, he saw the water mount up near him; and after casting a few more pebbles he was able to quench his thirst and save his life.

Moral: Little by little does the trick. Necessity is the mother of invention.

Text: Joseph Jacobs (55, 1894).

Selected Parallels: Avianus 27. Caxton - Avianus 27. L’Estrange 1/239. Perry 390. Daly 390. TMI J101.