The Ass and His Driver by Esopo
A donkey and his driver are traveling together when they come across a river. The driver orders the donkey to cross but the donkey refuses, citing the danger of drowning. The driver then orders the donkey to be thrown into the river, which he does. However, the driver is unable to get back on the donkey's back and must swim to shore. The donkey returns to his original position, where he is met with a group of animals who are discussing the situation. They decide that the donkey was right to refuse to cross the river, as it would have put him in danger. The story highlights the importance of self-preservation and the dangers of blindly following orders.
By Esopo · First published 1608 · Genre: Fable, Children's Literature, Classic Literature · 115 words
First lines
An Ass was being driven down a mountain road, and after jogging along for a while sensibly enough he suddenly quitted the track and rushed to the edge of a precipice. He was just about to leap over the edge when his Driver caught hold of his tail and did his best to pull him back: but pull as he might he couldn't get the Ass to budge from the brink. At last he gave up, crying, "All right, then, get to the bottom your own way; but it's the way to sudden death, as you'll find out quick enough. "
What this Textopian page supports
The Ass and His Driver is listed on Textopian as a fable by Esopo, dated 1608 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: 1608 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fable, Children's Literature, Classic Literature, Fantasy
- Length: 115 words
- Structure: 1 section, 1 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Ass and His Driver by Esopo
- 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 Ass and His Driver?
- How does this fable by Esopo fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Fable first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- The Horse And The Stag by Esopo
- The Wolf And The Horse by Esopo
- The Dog And The Sow by Esopo
- The Weasel And The Man by Esopo
- The Farmer And The Stork by Esopo
- The Cat And The Cock by Esopo
Genres
- Fable — Esopo, also known as Aesop, is a famous fabulist or story teller known for his fables. 'The Ass and His Driver' is one such fable, making it fall under this genre.
- Children's Literature — Esop's fables, including 'The Ass and His Driver', are often used as moral lessons for children, hence they can be categorized under children's literature.
- Classic Literature — As a tale from Aesop's fables, 'The Ass and His Driver' is part of classical Greek literature that has stood the test of time.
- Fantasy — The book depicts animals (in this case, an ass) that are personified and behave like humans, which is a clear characteristic of fantasy literature.
Tags
fable · morality · animal · allegory · wisdom · humor · lesson · friendship · loyalty · deception · trust · betrayal