The prank that killed Dế Choắt
The young cricket Dế Mèn, proud of his strength, taunts the bad-tempered bird Chị Cốc from inside his burrow. The enraged bird cannot find him and instead pecks to death his weak, sickly neighbor Dế Choắt, whom Mèn had earlier refused to help. Choắt's dying words warn Mèn that arrogance and recklessness eventually bring disaster on oneself, which is the first lesson that changes Mèn.