The Lion, the Cock, and the Ass
The Lion, the Cock, and the Ass is a short story by Ambrose Bierce, published in 1899. The story follows three animals - a lion, a cock, and an ass - who are brought together to determine which of them is the most intelligent. Despite their different personalities and abilities, they all believe themselves to be the smartest, leading to a series of humorous misunderstandings and conflicts. In the end, the animals realize that intelligence comes in many forms and that each of them has its own unique strengths and weaknesses.
By Ambrose Bierce · First published 1899 · Genre: Fable, Animal Fiction, Satire · 94 words
First lines
A Lion was about to attack a braying Ass, when a Cock near by crowed shrilly, and the Lion ran away. "What frightened him?" the Ass asked.
"Lions have a superstitious terror of my voice," answered the Cock, proudly.
"Well, well, well," said the Ass, shaking his head; "I should think that any animal that is afraid of your voice and doesn't mind mine must have an uncommon kind of ear."
What this Textopian page supports
The Lion, the Cock, and the Ass is listed on Textopian as a fable by Ambrose Bierce, dated 1899 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Fable
- Author: Ambrose Bierce
- Date: 1899 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fable, Animal Fiction, Satire, Short Stories, Children's Literature
- Length: 94 words
- Structure: 1 section, 3 paragraphs
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Lion, the Cock, and the Ass by Ambrose Bierce
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Similar titles
- The Hound And The Fox by Esopo
- The Fox And The Monkey by Esopo
- The Cat And The Cock by Esopo
- The Dogs And The Hides by Esopo
- The Lioness And The Vixen by Esopo
- The Quack Frog by Esopo
Genres
- Fable — The book involves animals as the main characters with human-like characteristics and moral lessons, making it a fable.
- Animal Fiction — The primary characters are animals, hence it falls under the animal fiction genre.
- Satire — Ambrose Bierce is known for his satirical style and this book employs humor, irony, exaggeration to criticize people's actions.
- Short Stories — The book consists of brief, self-contained narratives, categorizing it in the genre of short stories.
Tags
fable · allegory · satire · animal characters · morality · humor · political commentary · social critique · narrative · short story · parody · folk tale