A little old man and a little old woman are stuck in the silliest standoff over who should walk down to the river to fetch the water...and the tomato, onion, and pepper sitting in a basket on the kitchen table are getting more frustrated with every grumpy “I don’t wanna!”

In today’s draw-along folktale from Mexico called "The Cherry Tree", one teeny squabble snowballs into a juicy, sky-tumbling, storm-tossed adventure that nobody saw coming. The lesson tucked between the giggles that this story brings? Sometimes our stubbornness about the small stuff makes us miss the whole reason we set out in the first place. So… is anybody going to remember to bring back the water?

Grab your three pieces of paper, your favorite crayons or markers, and let’s open our imaginations wide!

What’s Inside This Episode

• A bubbly, silly folktale from Mexico full of veggie shenanigans, cherry tree snacking, and a very dramatic rainstorm
• Three drawing breaks where your kid becomes the illustrator of the story
• Cozy, whimsical music to draw along to (which means you get a few peaceful minutes too)
• A gentle, kid-sized lesson about staying focused, working together, and not letting little arguments fully take over.

What You’ll Need

• 3 pieces of drawing paper
• Your favorite drawing materials — crayons, markers, colored pencils, anything that helps you add a little pizzaz to what you're drawing!

Perfect For

• Curious kids ages 4–9 who love stories, art, and a little bit of silly
• Parents looking for screen-free activities for kids to put on while folding laundry, sipping coffee, or sneaking in five quiet minutes
• Homeschool families, road trips, rainy afternoons, quiet time, and any moment that calls for independent creative play
• Fans of folktales for kids, bedtime stories, draw-along podcasts, and multicultural stories for children

Listen, Subscribe & Keep the Magic Going

Loved this episode? Hit follow/subscribe in your favorite podcast app so you never miss a new draw along folktale. Then head to the show webpage for a FREE coloring page featuring The Cherry Tree, perfect for keeping the storytime magic going long after the episode ends.

Want even more Fairy Tale Art Cart fun?

• Become a member of the show and join the brand-new Fairy Snail Art Cart Club for hand-illustrated story letters, color-your-own postcards & stickers, bonus episodes, and a do-it-at-home art project every month

If your kiddo loved this one, you’ll also love our episode The Argument Sticks, a folktale from the Iroquois people about the wise advice a mother gives to her two arguing sons.

Credit: I learned this story from the book 15 Minute Fingerplay Stories by Bill Gordh.

Stay playful, get creative, and keep imagining! ✏️🍒