What is the main idea of the fable?

The snail learns to admire another creature’s beauty without treating his own different form as a defect. (The decoration becomes a burden, leading the snail to reconsider envy rather than beauty itself.)

Why does the paint make travel harder?

Its sticky surface collects petals, twigs, and a seed case. (The story describes debris clinging to wet paint and adding weight.)

What does “envied” mean?

wanted a quality that someone else had (The snail wants the butterflies’ bright appearance because his own shell seems plain to him.)

Where does the snail wash off most of the paint?

in a puddle (The snail reaches a puddle and washes there.)

The Snail's Painted Shell: Level 2 Reading Comprehension Questions

A snail envied the butterflies above the garden. Their wings carried orange spots and blue bands. His shell looked like a brown stone.

He asked a child to paint it. Soon, yellow stars and green leaves covered every curve. The snail thanked the child and began his slow trip home.

Rain fell. The paint became sticky. Dry petals clung to the shell, then twigs, then a crumpled seed case. The extra load made each step harder. When the snail reached a puddle, he washed until most colors drifted away. A butterfly landed nearby. “I am sorry you lost your decoration,” she said.

The snail looked at the pale swirls that remained. “I wanted your beauty without asking how your wings carried it,” he replied. After that, he still enjoyed bright colors, but he admired them without turning every difference into a lack.

Comprehension questions