The Vain Crow

A fable retold from Fifty Famous Fables by Lida B. McMurry

This fable comes from Fifty Famous Fables, collected by Lida B. McMurry and published in 1907. The story reflects its era; a few period terms have been modernised. Like many fables, it teaches a lesson through animals: trying to be someone you are not can cost you everything, even your friends. Crow learns that it is better to be yourself.

Band

Purple · Pre-readers and first readers, about 4 to 5

Length

short · about 325 words in 4 sections · 4 pictures

Source

Fifty Famous Fables, Lida B. McMurry · Project Gutenberg

First published

see the About page in the reader

Regions

Canada · United States

Included formats

• · Web reader and PDF
• · EPUB for e-readers
• · Home-print sheet
• · Folded booklet
• · Binder edition (8.5 × 11)
• · Worksheet
• · Quick Check (6 questions) with answer key
• · Read-aloud script

Readers are engineered from the original public-domain text with AI under HummingRead’s published canon and Content Philosophy, checked by automated audit and sampled by a person. Pictures are made with AI to HummingRead’s brief for each story. How a reader is made.