The fable is about a crow that is thirsty and comes across a pitcher of water. When the crow looks in the pitcher, the water is at the bottom and is out of the crow's reach. The crow tries to push the pitcher over but fails to do so. It drops pebbles in the pitcher, one by one, until the water rises to the top of the pitcher which allows the crow to drink. Avianus follows the fable with a moral that emphasizes the virtue of ingenuity: "This fable shows us that thoughtfulness is superior to brute strength."