The Crow’s Hidden Song
In the heart of the Whispering Woods, where the leaves shimmered like emeralds and the breeze carried the scent of pine, lived a crow named Corvus. Corvus was a magnificent bird with feathers as dark as a midnight sky and eyes that sparkled like polished onyx. He was clever, fast, and a master at finding the shiniest trinkets hidden in the forest floor. However, Corvus had a secret sorrow that weighed heavily on his wings. He desperately wanted to sing.
Every morning, the woods erupted in a symphony of sound. Luna the Nightingale would perch on a silver birch branch and pour out a melody so sweet it seemed to turn the air into honey. Pip the Meadowlark would add a bright, rhythmic trill that made the flowers dance. Even the tiny sparrows chirped in a cheerful, harmonious chorus. Corvus would sit on the highest branch of the ancient oak tree, watching them with envy. When he tried to join in, all that came out was a harsh, raspy caw-caw. It sounded like a rusty gate swinging in the wind.
One Tuesday, after a particularly beautiful morning concert, Corvus decided he had had enough of his scratchy voice. He flew down to the silver birch where Luna the Nightingale was resting.
- Onyx:
- A smooth, shiny black stone.
- Symphony:
- A complex piece of music played by many instruments or voices together.
- Mimic:
- To copy the way someone else speaks, moves, or sounds.
- Nuisance:
- A person, thing, or action that causes annoyance or trouble.
- Gale-force:
- Very strong and powerful winds, often associated with a storm.
More sheets from this passage
Built from the text itself — answer key included where it counts.
fix the sentence
Sentences from the passage with the capitals and punctuation removed — rewrite each one correctly.
vocabulary worksheet
Match the passage words to their meanings, then fill the missing words back into real sentences.
writing prompts
Two writing tasks that build on the passage, with plenty of lines to write on.
- All 4 sheets as one workbookPro
One PDF with a cover, contents page and every answer key at the back.
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About this short story passage for Upper Elementary
“The Crow’s Hidden Song” is a short story reading passage about Self-Acceptance, written for Upper Elementary. It takes about 7 minutes to read (1,081 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.