The Geese and the Cranes
Long ago two groups of birds lived by a wide field with cool water. Heavy fat geese and light cranes with long legs fed together in this field. The geese always ate tasty seeds and grew heavier every day. The slim cranes ate little and loved to glide freely in the sky. Every morning the calm air of the green field filled with sweet bird songs. One sunny afternoon a hunter with a gun suddenly came to the field.
A clever crane heard the steps and noticed the danger at once. The crane shouted loudly, "Fly away quickly, the hunter is coming!" The fat geese flapped in fear, but they could not rise into the air. Their bodies were too heavy and their wings could not carry them. The light cranes beat their wings and flew up into the blue sky. The geese ran and cried helplessly in the middle of the field.
The hunter came near very fast and caught all the geese. The cranes flew safely high above and looked sadly at their friends below. The geese paid a heavy price for eating too much and growing fat. The cranes flew free and went on their journey to far lands. Too much weight and greed make it hard to move in danger. Enough is as good as a feast.