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"TheFoxandtheGoat"
ByAesop

Onefine,hotday,Foxfellintoanoldabandonedwell.Thewaterwaschinhighandmuddy,and
thewell'swallsweregreenwithmoss,muchtooslipperytoclimb.FoxbeingFox,hedidnot
bothertoworryabouthisfateorblamehimselfforbeingclumsy.Insteadhebegan
immediatelytoschemeabouthowtogetoutofthispredicament.

Beforelong,whenFoxheardtheclopclopofGoatpassingby,hebegantosingtralala!andto
splashwaterabout.Soonagraynoseappearedatthewell'srim.

"Whatareyoudoingdownthere?"calledGoat.

"Justcoolingoff,"thebrazenFoxsaid."ThiswaterissoperfectlydeliciousthatImayjuststay
hereenjoyingmyselfallafternoon.ButI'magenerousfellow,youknow,andIamwillingto
sharethefun.Wouldyouliketojoinme?"

"Gee,thanks!"saidGoat.Withoutasecond'shesitation,hejumpedintothewater.However,
whenhestoodonthebottomofthewell,heregrettedhishastyleap.

"Fox,"heaccused,"youtoldmeitwaspleasantdownhere!"

"Youmusthavemisunderstoodme,"saidFox."Butdon'tworry;Iknowhowtogetusoutof
thisplace,ifyoulike."Hesmiledafoxysmile."Juststandwithyourfronthoovesagainstthe
wallwhileIgetuponyourshouldersandclimbout,andthenI'llloweraropesoyoucanescape
aswell."

"Theysaywegoatsshouldwatchoutforfoxes,"saidGoat,"butIcan'timaginewhy.You'reso
clever!"AndhedidjustasFoxaskedhim.

FoxclamberedupontoGoat'sshouldersandoutofthewell.Ashestoodonceagaininthe
sunshine,hethoughtaboutloweringthewell'srope,butitseemedanunnecessarybother.
Besides,hedecided,thatsillygoatneededtolearnalesson.SoFoxshookthewateroff,fluffed
uphisfur,andoffhewentonhismerryway.

Doyouknowwhatlessonthegoatneededtolearn?
Lookbeforeyouleap!

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"TheFoxandtheGoat"Vocabulary

WordstoKnow

brazen clambered hasty hesitation predicament unnecessary

Directions:Choosethewordfromtheboxthatcorrectlymatcheseachdefinition.Writethe
word.Thenfollowthedirectionsinboldtype.

1.adelay Circlethelastvowel.

2.abadsituation Circlethefirstletter.

3.notneeded Circlenoletter.

4.climbed Circletheletterthatcomesfirstinthealphabet.

5.quickorrash Circlethethirdletter.

6.bold;shameless Circlethesecondvowel.

NameThatMysteryPerson

Directions:Rearrangethelettersyoucircledtospelloutthenameofamysteryperson.Write
thenameinthebox.

ThislegendaryGreekslavelivedaround600BCandissaidtohavetoldmanywonderfulanimal
fables.

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"TheFoxandtheGoat"CharacterTraits

CharacterName:
Whatthecharacter Whatittellsmeaboutthecharacter
Thinks

Says

Does

Whatothercharactersthink,say,anddo Whatittellsmeaboutthecharacter

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