The Wolf Who Would Be a Lion
A wolf dreams of being a lion and sets out on a journey to achieve his goal. Along the way, he encounters various obstacles and learns valuable lessons about perseverance and self-discovery. Ultimately, the wolf realizes that true happiness comes from embracing one's natural identity rather than trying to conform to an unattainable ideal.
By Ambrose Bierce · First published 1894 · Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Children's Literature · 99 words
First lines
A Foolish Fellow who had been told that he was a great man believed it, and got himself appointed a Commissioner to the Interasylum Exposition of
Preserved Idiots. At the first meeting of the Board he was mistaken for one of the exhibits, and the janitor was ordered to remove him to his appropriate glass case.
"Alas!" he exclaimed as he was carried out, "why was I not content to remain where the cut of my forehead is so common as to be known as the
Pacific Slope?"
What this Textopian page supports
The Wolf Who Would Be a Lion is listed on Textopian as a fable by Ambrose Bierce, dated 1894 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: 1894 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fantasy, Adventure, Children's Literature, Animal Fiction, Fairy Tales
- Length: 99 words
- Structure: 1 section, 4 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Difficult (10th-12th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Wolf Who Would Be a Lion 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
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Wolf Who Would Be a Lion?
- How does this fable by Ambrose Bierce fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Fantasy first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- The Royal Jester by Ambrose Bierce
- The Fabulist And The Animals by Ambrose Bierce
- The Fogy And The Sheik by Ambrose Bierce
- The Belly And The Members by Ambrose Bierce
- The Cat And The King by Ambrose Bierce
- The Lion The Bear And The Fox by Ambrose Bierce
Genres
- Fantasy — The title suggests a wolf possessing the ambition to become a lion which implies anthropomorphism and magical transformation.
- Adventure — The idea of a transformation from a wolf to a lion suggests an adventurous journey.
- Children's Literature — Books about animal characters with human-like ambitions are often intended for children.
- Animal Fiction — Both wolf and lion are animals which suggests the genre could be Animal Fiction.
Tags
fantasy · adventure · humor · satire · parody · animal · transformation · self-discovery · Identity · irony · allegory · social commentary