The Ass and His Masters by Esopo
The Ass and His Masters, written by Esopo, is a fable that tells the story of an ass who is owned by various masters throughout his life. Despite being treated cruelly and unfairly by each master, the ass remains loyal and obedient. The story highlights the themes of loyalty, perseverance, and the mistreatment of animals.
By Esopo · First published 1668 · Genre: Fable, Children's Literature, Folklore · 188 words
First lines
A Gardener had an Ass which had a very hard time of it, what with scanty food, heavy loads, and constant beating. The Ass therefore begged Jupiter to take him away from the Gardener and hand him over to another master. So Jupiter sent Mercury to the Gardener to bid him sell the Ass to a Potter, which he did. But the Ass was as discontented as ever, for he had to work harder than before: so he begged Jupiter for relief a second time, and Jupiter very obligingly arranged that he should be sold to a Tanner. But when the Ass saw what his new master's trade was, he cried in despair, "Why wasn't I content to serve either of my former masters, hard as I had to work and badly as I was treated? for they would have buried me decently, but now I shall come in the end to the tanning-vat. "
What this Textopian page supports
The Ass and His Masters is listed on Textopian as a fable by Esopo, dated 1668 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: 1668 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fable, Children's Literature, Folklore, Classic Literature, Fantasy
- Length: 188 words
- Structure: 1 section, 2 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Ass and His Masters 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 Masters?
- 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 Mule by Esopo
- The Clown And The Countryman by Esopo
- The Horse And The Groom by Esopo
- The Ass And His Driver by Esopo
- The Cat And The Cock by Esopo
- The Fox And The Leopard by Esopo
Genres
- Fable — The author, Aesop, is well-known for his fable storytelling, which often involves animals, like 'The Ass and His Masters', and characterizes them with human-like moral dilemmas.
- Children's Literature — Aesop's fables are traditionally used as moral lessons for children, making 'The Ass and His Masters' suitable for Children's Literature.
- Folklore — Given the age and cultural significance of the stories, 'The Ass and His Masters' can be characterized as Folklore.
- Classic Literature — Aesop's fables have stood the test of time to become timeless classics, hence 'The Ass and His Masters' qualifies as Classic Literature
Tags
fable · allegory · animal · morality · master-servant · humor · wisdom · critique · society · power dynamics · loyalty · betrayal