• Fables are a form of traditional literature that has been passed down orally for generations. • The primary purpose of a fable is to teach a lesson or impart a moral. • Fables mostly use animals as main characters • Fables have the same elements of plot structure as all literary texts (characters, setting, conflict, etc.) • Fables are a required genre listed in the Texas state standards (TEKS), starting in kindergarten.
Read a fable. • Read a fable to your learner. • You could read more than one fable grouped in the same theme. • You could let your learner read the fable back to you if they are able. • These are short; reread it again and again to pick up hidden details. • You may want to consider acting out the fable to internalize the story.
Read the moral. Do you agree? • What is the moral of the fable? • Do you agree with the moral? Why or why not? • Do you believe something else? • Could there be another moral or lesson to be learned?
Compose a sentence with your thoughts.
• What do you think might be true about the moral or lesson in this fable(s)? (We call this a truism.)
• You could start your sentence with “Sometimes…” • Do you believe something else? • Could there be another moral or lesson to be learned in this fable(s)? • Compose a sentence orally or write it down. Either way, the thinking work is
valuable. Dialogue and conversation are just as valuable as making this a writing task.
Ask yourself, “How do I know this? What in my own life makes me think this is true?”
One bright day in late autumn a family of Ants were bustling about in the warm sunshine, drying out the grain they had stored up during the summer, when a starving Grasshopper, his fiddle under his arm, came up and humbly begged for a bite to eat. "What!" cried the Ants in surprise, "haven't you stored anything away for the winter? What in the world were you doing all last summer?" "I didn't have time to store up any food," whined the Grasshopper. "I was so busy making music that before I knew it the summer was gone." The Ants shrugged their shoulders in disgust. "Making music, were you?" they cried. "Very well; now dance!" And they turned their backs on the Grasshopper and went on with their work.
The Ants and the Grasshopper
Moral: Idleness brings want.
A pair of Oxen were drawing a heavily loaded wagon along a miry country road. They had to use all their strength to pull the wagon, but they did not complain. The Wheels of the wagon were of a different sort. Though the task they had to do was very light compared with that of the Oxen, they creaked and groaned at every turn. The poor Oxen, pulling with all their might to draw the wagon through the deep mud, had their ears filled with the loud complaining of the Wheels. And this, you may well know, made their work so much the harder to endure. "Silence!" the Oxen cried at last, out of patience. "What have you Wheels to complain about so loudly? We are drawing all the weight, not you, and we are keeping still about it besides."
A certain Husbandman, lying at the point of death, called his Sons around him, and gave into their charge his fields and vineyards, telling them that a treasure lay hidden somewhere in them, within a foot from the ground. His Sons thought he spoke of money which he had hidden, and after he was buried, they dug most industriously all over the estate, but found nothing. The soil being so well loosened, however, the succeeding crops were of unequalled richness, and the Sons then found out what their Father had in view in telling them to dig for hidden treasure. Moral: Hard work has its own reward.
A Blind Man being stopped in a bad piece of road, met with a Lame Man, and entreated him to guide him through the difficulty he had got into. “How can I do that,” replied the Lame Man, “since I am scarce able to drag myself along?–but as you appear to be very strong, if you will carry me, we will seek our fortunes together. It will then be my interest to warn you of anything that may obstruct your way; your feet shall be my feet, and my eyes your eyes.” “With all my heart,” returned the Blind Man; “let us render each other our mutual services.” So taking his lame companion on his back, they, by means of their union, travelled on with safety and pleasure. This shows that it is from our wants and infirmities that almost all the connections of society take their rise.
Moral: Cooperation can be helpful.
A Horse and a Donkey were travelling together, the Horse prancing along in its fine trappings, the Donkey carrying with difficulty the heavy weight in its panniers. “I wish I were you,” sighed the Donkey; “nothing to do and well fed, and all that fine harness upon you.” Next day, however, there was a great battle, and the Horse was wounded to death in the final charge of the day. His friend, the Donkey, happened to pass by shortly afterwards and found him on the point of death. “I was wrong,” said the Donkey.
A Shepherd Boy tended his master's Sheep near a dark forest not far from the village. Soon he found life in the pasture very dull. All he could do to amuse himself was to talk to his dog or play on his shepherd's pipe. One day as he sat watching the Sheep and the quiet forest, and thinking what he would do should he see a Wolf, he thought of a plan to amuse himself. His Master had told him to call for help should a Wolf attack the flock, and the Villagers would drive it away. So now, though he had not seen anything that even looked like a Wolf, he ran toward the village shouting at the top of his voice, "Wolf! Wolf!" As he expected, the Villagers who heard the cry dropped their work and ran in great excitement to the pasture. But when they got there they found the Boy doubled up with laughter at the trick he had played on them. A few days later the Shepherd Boy again shouted, "Wolf! Wolf!" Again the Villagers ran to help him, only to be laughed at again. Then one evening as the sun was setting behind the forest and the shadows were creeping out over the pasture, a Wolf really did spring from the underbrush and fall upon the Sheep. In terror the Boy ran toward the village shouting "Wolf! Wolf!" But though the Villagers heard the cry, they did not run to help him as they had before. "He cannot fool us again," they said. The Wolf killed a great many of the Boy's sheep and then slipped away into the forest.
Moral: Liars are not believed even when they speak the truth.
A Thief hired a room in a tavern and stayed a while in the hope of stealing something which should enable him to pay his reckoning. When he had waited some days in vain, he saw the Innkeeper dressed in a new and handsome coat and sitting before his door. The Thief sat down beside him and talked with him. As the conversation began to flag, the Thief yawned terribly and at the same time howled like a wolf. The Innkeeper said, “Why do you howl so fearfully?” “I will tell you,” said the Thief, “but first let me ask you to hold my clothes, or I shall tear them to pieces. If I yawn for the third time, I actually turn into a wolf and attack men.” With this speech he commenced a second fit of yawning and again howled like a wolf, as he had the first. The Innkeeper, believing what he said, became greatly alarmed and, rising from his seat, attempted to run away. The Thief laid hold of his coat, yawned a third time, and set up a terrible howl. The Innkeeper, frightened lest he should be attacked, left his new coat in the Thief’s hand and ran as fast as he could into the inn for safety. The Thief made off with the coat and did not return again to the inn.
A poor Woodman was cutting down a tree near the edge of a deep pool in the forest. It was late in the day and the Woodman was tired. He had been working since sunrise and his strokes were not so sure as they had been early that morning. Thus it happened that the axe slipped and flew out of his hands into the pool. The Woodman was in despair. The axe was all he possessed with which to make a living, and he had not money enough to buy a new one. As he stood wringing his hands and weeping, the god Mercury suddenly appeared and asked what the trouble was. The Woodman told what had happened, and straightway the kind Mercury dived into the pool. When he came up again he held a wonderful golden axe. "Is this your axe?" Mercury asked the Woodman. "No," answered the honest Woodman, "that is not my axe." Mercury laid the golden axe on the bank and sprang back into the pool. This time he brought up an axe of silver, but the Woodman declared again that his axe was just an ordinary one with a wooden handle. Mercury dived down for the third time, and when he came up again he had the very axe that had been lost. The poor Woodman was very glad that his axe had been found and could not thank the kind god enough. "I admire your honesty," Mercury said, "and as a reward you may have all three axes, the gold and the silver as well as your own." The happy Woodman returned to his home with his treasures, and soon the story of his good fortune was known to everybody in the village. Now there were several Woodmen in the village who believed that they could easily win the same good fortune. They hurried out into the woods, one here, one there, and hiding their axes in the bushes, pretended they had lost them. Then they wept and wailed and called on Mercury to help them. And indeed, Mercury did appear, first to this one, then to that. To each one he showed an axe of gold, and each one eagerly claimed it to be the one he had lost. But Mercury did not give them the golden axe. Oh no! Instead he gave them each a hard whack over the head with it and sent them home. And when they returned next day to look for their own axes, they were nowhere to be found.
A Donkey found a Lion's skin left in the forest by a hunter. He dressed himself in it and amused himself by hiding in a thicket and rushing out suddenly at the animals who passed that way. All took to their heels the moment they saw him. The Donkey was so pleased to see the animals running away from him, just as if he were King Lion himself, that he could not keep from expressing his delight by a loud, harsh bray. A Fox, who ran with the rest, stopped short as soon as he heard the voice. Approaching the Donkey, he said with a laugh: "If you had kept your mouth shut you might have frightened me, too. But you gave yourself away with that silly bray."
Moral: A fool may deceive by his dress and appearance, but his words will soon show what he really is.
The shipwrecked Chimpanzee had been clinging for a long time to a piece of wood, when a Dolphin came up and offered to carry him ashore. This kind proposition was immediately accepted, and, as they moved along, the Chimp commenced to tell the fish many marvelous tales, every one of them a bundle of falsehoods. “Well, well, you are indeed an educated chap,” said the Dolphin in admiration. “My schooling has been sadly neglected, as I went to sea when but a week old. “Just then they entered a large bay, and the Dolphin, referring to a path there, said, “I suppose you know Herring Roads?” The chimp, taking this for the name of a fellow, and not wishing to appear ignorant, replied: “Do I know Rhodes? Well, I should almost think so! He’s an old college chum of mine, and related to our family by – This was too much for the Dolphin, who immediately made a great leap, and then diving quickly, left the impostor in the air for an instant before he splashed back and disappeared.
A Wolf, roaming by the mountain’s side as the sun was setting, saw his own shadow become greatly extended and magnified, and he said to himself: “Why should I, being of such an immense size, and extending nearly an acre in length, be afraid of the Lion? Ought I not to be acknowledged as King of all the collected beasts?” While he was indulging in these proud thoughts, a Lion fell upon him, and killed him. He exclaimed with a too-late repentance, “Wretched me! This over-estimation of myself is the cause of my destruction.”
The Lion and the Wolf
Moral: It is not wise, to hold too exalted an opinion of oneself.
A Crow, having stolen a bit of flesh, perched in a tree, and held it in her beak. A Fox, seeing her, longed to possess himself of the flesh, and by a wily stratagem succeeded. "How handsome is the Crow," he exclaimed, "in the beauty of her shape and in the fairness of her complexion! Oh, if her voice were only equal to her beauty, she would deservedly be considered the Queen of Birds!" This he said deceitfully, having greater admiration for the meat than for the crow. But the Crow, all her vanity aroused by the cunning flattery, and anxious to refute the reflection cast upon her voice, set up a loud caw, and dropped the flesh. The Fox quickly picked it up, and thus addressed the Crow: "My good Crow, your voice is right enough, but your wit is wanting."
Moral: He who listens to flattery is not wise, for it has no good purpose.
An old Frog once informed all his neighbors that he was a learned doctor. In fact he could cure anything. The Fox heard the news and hurried to see the Frog. He looked the Frog over very carefully. "Mr. Frog," he said, "I've been told that you cure anything! But just take a look at yourself, and then try some of your own medicine. If you can cure yourself of that blotchy skin and that rheumatic gait, someone might believe you. Otherwise, I should advise you to try some other profession.
Moral: Those who would mend others, should first mend themselves.
Two Roosters fought for the sovereignty of the dunghill. One was severely beaten and ran and hid himself in a hole. The conqueror flew to the top of an outhouse, there clapped his wings, and crowed out “Victory!” Just then an Eagle made a stoop, trussed him, and carried him off. The other, seeing this from his hiding-place, came out and, shaking off the recollection of his late disgrace, strutted about among his Hens with all the dignity imaginable.
Moral: Pride goes before destruction.
Jupiter determined, it is said, to create a sovereign over the birds, and made proclamation that, on a certain day, they should all present themselves before him, when he would himself choose the most beautiful among them to be king. The Jackdaw, knowing his own ugliness, searched through the woods and fields, and collected the feathers which had fallen from the wings of his companions, and stuck them in all parts of his body. When the appointed day arrived, and the birds had assembled before Jupiter, the Jackdaw also made his appearance in his many-feathered finery. On Jupiter proposing to make him king, on account of the beauty of his plumage, the birds indignantly protested, and each plucking from him his own feathers, the Jackdaw was again nothing but a Jackdaw.
A Milkmaid had been out to milk the cows and was returning from the field with the shining milk pail balanced nicely on her head. As she walked along, her pretty head was busy with plans for the days to come. "This good, rich milk," she mused, "will give me plenty of cream to churn. The butter I make I will take to market, and with the money I get for it I will buy a lot of eggs for hatching. How nice it will be when they are all hatched and the yard is full of fine young chicks. Then when May Day comes I will sell them, and with the money I'll buy a lovely new dress to wear to the fair. All the young men will look at me. They will come and try to propose to me,—but I shall very quickly send them about their business!" As she thought of how she would settle that matter, she tossed her head scornfully, and down fell the pail of milk to the ground. And all the milk flowed out, and with it vanished butter and eggs and chicks and new dress and all the milkmaid's pride.
The Milkmaid and Her Pot of Milk
Moral: Do not count your chickens before they are hatched.
There was once a Donkey whose Master also owned a Lap Dog. This Dog was a favorite and received many a pat and kind word from his Master, as well as choice bits from his plate. Every day the Dog would run to meet the Master, frisking playfully about and leaping up to lick his hands and face. All this the Donkey saw with much discontent. Though he was well fed, he had much work to do; besides, the Master hardly ever took any notice of him. Now the jealous Donkey got it into his silly head that all he had to do to win his Master's favor was to act like the Dog. So one day he left his stable and clattered eagerly into the house. Finding his Master seated at the dinner table, he kicked up his heels and, with a loud bray, pranced giddily around the table, upsetting it as he did so. Then he planted his forefeet on his Master's knees and rolled out his tongue to lick the Master's face, as he had seen the Dog do. But his weight upset the chair, and Donkey and man rolled over together in the pile of broken dishes from the table. The Master was much alarmed at the strange behavior of the Donkey, and calling for help, soon attracted the attention of the servants. When they saw the danger the Master was in from the clumsy beast, they set upon the Donkey and drove him with kicks and blows back to the stable. There they left him to mourn the foolishness that had brought him nothing but a sound beating.
Moral: It is better to be true to your own character and nature than to imitate others.
A certain Donkey that belonged to a gardener, was weary of carrying heavy burdens, and prayed to Jupiter to give him a new master. Jupiter granted his prayer, and gave him for a master a tile-maker, who made him carry heavier burdens than before. Again he came to Jupiter, and besought him to grant him a milder master, or at any rate, a different one. The god, laughing at his folly, thereupon made him over to a tanner. The Donkey was worked harder than ever, and soon upbraided himself for his stupidity. “Now,” said he, “I have a master who not only beats me living, but who will not spare my hide even when I am dead.”
A Stag, drinking from a crystal spring, saw himself mirrored in the clear water. He greatly admired the graceful arch of his antlers, but he was very much ashamed of his spindling legs. "How can it be," he sighed, "that I should be cursed with such legs when I have so magnificent a crown." At that moment he scented a panther and in an instant was bounding away through the forest. But as he ran his wide-spreading antlers caught in the branches of the trees, and soon the Panther overtook him. Then the Stag perceived that the legs of which he was so ashamed would have saved him had it not been for the useless ornaments on his head.
Moral: What is most truly valuable is often despised.
An Owl who was sitting in a hollow tree, dozing away a summer's afternoon, was very much disturbed by a rogue of a Grasshopper singing in the grass beneath. So far from keeping quiet, or moving away at the request of the Owl, the Grasshopper sang all the more, and called her an old blinker, that only came out at night when all honest people had gone to bed. The Owl waited in silence for a time, and then artfully addressed the Grasshopper as follows: "Well, my dear, if one cannot be allowed to sleep, it is something to be kept awake by such a pleasant voice. And now I think of it, I have a bottle of delicious nectar. If you will come up, you shall have a drop." The silly Grasshopper, came hopping up to the Owl, who at once caught and killed him, and finished her nap in comfort.
Moral: It’s better to be content with what you have.
A Miser had buried his gold in a secret place in his garden. Every day he went to the spot, dug up the treasure and counted it piece by piece to make sure it was all there. He made so many trips that a Thief, who had been observing him, guessed what it was the Miser had hidden, and one night quietly dug up the treasure and made off with it. When the Miser discovered his loss, he was overcome with grief and despair. He groaned and cried and tore his hair. A passerby heard his cries and asked what had happened. "My gold! O my gold!" cried the Miser, wildly, "someone has robbed me!" "Your gold! There in that hole? Why did you put it there? Why did you not keep it in the house where you could easily get it when you had to buy things?" "Buy!" screamed the Miser angrily. "Why, I never touched the gold. I couldn't think of spending any of it." The stranger picked up a large stone and threw it into the hole. "If that is the case," he said, "cover up that stone. It is worth just as much to you as the treasure you lost!"
The Miser
Moral: A possession is worth no more than the use we make of it.
A Traveler had hired a Donkey to carry him to a distant part of the country. The owner of the Donkey went with the Traveler, walking beside him to drive the Donkey and point out the way. The road led across a treeless plain where the Sun beat down fiercely. So intense did the heat become, that the Traveler at last decided to stop for a rest, and as there was no other shade to be found, the Traveler sat down in the shadow of the Donkey. Now the heat had affected the Driver as much as it had the Traveler, and even more, for he had been walking. Wishing also to rest in the shade cast by the Donkey, he began to quarrel with the Traveler, saying he had hired the Donkey and not the shadow it cast. The two soon came to blows, and while they were fighting, the Donkey took to its heels.
Moral: In quarreling about the shadow we often lose the substance.
There was once a Countryman who possessed the most wonderful Goose you can imagine, for every day when he visited the nest, the Goose had laid a beautiful, glittering, golden egg. The Countryman took the eggs to market and soon began to get rich. But it was not long before he grew impatient with the Goose because she gave him only a single golden egg a day. He was not getting rich fast enough. Then one day, after he had finished counting his money, the idea came to him that he could get all the golden eggs at once by killing the Goose and cutting it open. But when the deed was done, not a single golden egg did he find, and his precious Goose was dead.
Moral: Those who have plenty want more and so lose all they have.
A poor Fisherman, who lived on the fish he caught, had bad luck one day and caught nothing but a very small fry. The Fisherman was about to put it in his basket when the little Fish said: "Please spare me, Mr. Fisherman! I am so small it is not worthwhile to carry me home. When I am bigger, I shall make you a much better meal." But the Fisherman quickly put the fish into his basket. "How foolish I should be," he said, "to throw you back. However small you may be, you are better than nothing at all."
Moral: A small gain is worth more than a large promise.
A Woman had a Hen that laid an egg every day. The Fowl was of a superior breed, and the eggs were very fine, and sold for a good price. The Woman thought that by giving the Hen double as much food as she had been in the habit of giving, the bird might be brought to lay two eggs a day instead of one. So the quantity of food was doubled accordingly, and the Hen grew very fat, and quit laying altogether.
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