# πέτρα



## Slavianophil

What does the word 'πέτρα' mean in the following context:

Μια φορά ένας λέλεκας ήθελε να κάνει στην αλεπού τραπέζι. Πήρε λοιπόν έναν κουτρούλα γάλα , τον έβαλε πάνω σε μια πέτρα κι έβαζε μέσα τη μύτη του κι έπινε το γάλα. Σαν έβγαζε τη μύτη του όξω για να πάρει την ανάσα του ,έσταζε λιγάκι γάλα, το έγλειφε η αλεπού.


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## artion

A stone base.


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## Slavianophil

Thank you for your reply! Unfortunately, English is not my first language. What is a stone base? A sort of stone vessel? Like a pitcher or something like this?


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## shawnee

Leaning heavily on Artion's lead; he placed what I assume is a wooden bowl (κουτρούλα?) on a stone, presumably to steady it.


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## Slavianophil

Thank you, Shawnee!


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## artion

Yes, he put the bowl on the top of a stone, possibly because λελέκι (stork) is a tall bird. I am amazed that you understand κουτρούλα and not πέτρα.


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## Slavianophil

In fact, I did not understand κουτρούλα, I just guessed that it was some sourt of vessel. But I did not understand why he needed the stone and thought that perhaps he poured this milk from the koutroula (whatever it might be) into a stone vase or something.

There is a very similar Russian folk tale about a crane and a fox. In our tale the crane put some pap into a jug with a narrow neck from which he coud eat with his long beak. But he did not put it on a stone, in fact, there was no mention of a stone in our tale at all. That's why I was puzzled.


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## esper

Actually this is one of the most famous Aesop's fables. I guess that in some form or other it has been adopted and adapted by many cultures so that it now constitutes part of a common, universal traditon.


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