The Duck and the Moon

A duck was once swimming along the river

looking for fish.

The whole day passed

without her finding a single one.

When night came

she saw the moon reflected on the water,

and thinking it was a fish

she dived down to catch it.

The other ducks saw her,

and they all made fun of her.

From that day

the duck was so ashamed and so timid,

that even when she did see a fish under water

she would not try to catch it,

and before long she died of hunger.

By

Leo Tolstoy