The Clever Crow

فِي يَوْمٍ حَارٍّ، كَانَ غُرَابٌ عَطْشَانُ.

fii yawmin Haarrin, kaana ghuraabun 'aTshaan.

On a hot day, there was a thirsty crow.

طَارَ فَوْقَ الْحُقُولِ حَتَّى رَأَى إِبْرِيقاً فِيهِ مَاءٌ.

Taara fawqa-l-Huquuli Hattaa ra'aa ibriiqan fiihi maa'.

He flew over the fields until he saw a pitcher with water in it.

اقْتَرَبَ مِنَ الْإِبْرِيقِ، لَكِنَّ الْمَاءَ فِي أَسْفَلِهِ!

iqtaraba mina-l-ibriiqi, laakinna-l-maa'a fii asfalih!

He came close to the pitcher — but the water was at the very bottom!

حَاوَلَ أَنْ يَصِلَ بِمِنْقَارِهِ، فَلَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ.

Haawala an yaSila biminqaarih, fa lam yastaTi'.

He tried to reach it with his beak, but he could not.

فَكَّرَ الْغُرَابُ وَفَكَّرَ... ثُمَّ رَأَى الْحَصَى عَلَى الْأَرْضِ!

fakkara-l-ghuraabu wa fakkara... thumma ra'a-l-Hasaa 'ala-l-arD!

The crow thought and thought... then he saw the pebbles on the ground!

حَمَلَ حَصَاةً وَأَلْقَاهَا فِي الْإِبْرِيقِ، ثُمَّ أُخْرَى وَأُخْرَى.

Hamala Hasaatan wa alqaahaa fi-l-ibriiqi, thumma ukhraa wa ukhraa.

He picked up a pebble and dropped it into the pitcher, then another and another.

ارْتَفَعَ الْمَاءُ قَلِيلاً قَلِيلاً حَتَّى بَلَغَ فَمَ الْإِبْرِيقِ.

irtafa'a-l-maa'u qaliilan qaliilan Hattaa balagha fama-l-ibriiq.

The water rose little by little, until it reached the mouth of the pitcher.

شَرِبَ الْغُرَابُ وَاسْتَرَاحَ، ثُمَّ طَارَ سَعِيداً.

shariba-l-ghuraabu w-staraaHa, thumma Taara sa'iid.

The crow drank, rested, and flew away happy.