Mercury and the Tradesmen by Esopo
Esopo's "Mercury and the Tradesmen" is a fable about a clever trickster who outwits a group of workmen. The story begins with Mercury, the messenger god, encountering a group of tradesmen who are trying to fix a broken cart. The tradesmen are arguing over how to fix the cart, and Mercury offers to help them. However, he has a hidden agenda and instead of fixing the cart, he convinces the tradesmen to trade him their tools for a magical stone that he claims will make all their work easier. The tradesmen agree to the trade, but they soon realize that the stone does not work as promised and they are left with nothing. The moral of the story is that honesty and hard work are more valuable than any trick or shortcut. Esopo's use of language and imagery creates a humorous and satirical tone, highlighting the foolishness of the tradesmen and the cunning of Mercury. The story has been interpreted in various ways, including as a commentary on the dangers of greed and the importance of fair dealing.
By Esopo · First published 1602 · Genre: Fable, Short Stories, Children's Literature · 119 words
First lines
When Jupiter was creating man, he told Mercury to make an infusion of lies, and to add a little of it to the other ingredients which went to the making of the Tradesmen. Mercury did so, and introduced an equal amount into each in turn -- the tallow-chandler, and the greengrocer, and the haberdasher, and all, till he came to the horse-dealer, who was last on the list, when, finding that he had a quantity of the infusion still left, he put it all into him. This is why all Tradesmen lie more or less, but they none of them lie like a horse-dealer.
Similar titles
- The Ass And His Purchaser by Esopo
- The Fox And The Monkey by Esopo
- The Partridge And The Fowler by Esopo
- The Swollen Fox by Esopo
- The Thief And The Innkeeper by Esopo
- The Sick Man And The Doctor by Esopo
Genres
- Fable — The author, Esopo, is known for his fables, and the title suggests a moral story featuring personified objects or animals.
- Short Stories — Esopo's works are typically short, succinct tales delivering a moral lesson.
- Children's Literature — Esopo's fables, due to their moralistic and simplistic nature, are often used in children's literature.
- Classic Literature — Esopo's works are considered part of the classic literature canon, endured through centuries.
Tags
mythology · fable · tradesmen · merchants · deception · wisdom · greed · communication · value · society · morality · human nature
What this Textopian page supports
Mercury and the Tradesmen is listed on Textopian as a fable by Esopo, dated 1602 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Fable
- Author: Esopo
- Date: 1602 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fable, Short Stories, Children's Literature, Classic Literature, Fantasy
- Length: 119 words
- Structure: 1 section, 1 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Difficult (10th-12th Grade)
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- Work identity for Mercury and the Tradesmen by Esopo
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