The Ass and His Shadow by Esopo
The Ass and His Shadow, written by Esopo, is a fable about an ass who becomes obsessed with his own shadow. The ass believes that his shadow is a living being and tries to catch it, but ultimately learns that the shadow is just a reflection of himself. The story teaches the lesson that one's true self is more valuable than any external reflection or possession.
By Esopo · First published 1620 · Genre: Fable, Children's Literature, Classic Literature · 135 words
First lines
A certain man hired an Ass for a journey in summertime, and started out with the owner following behind to drive the beast. By and by, in the heat of the day, they stopped to rest, and the traveller wanted to lie down in the Ass's Shadow; but the owner, who himself wished to be out of the sun, wouldn't let him do that; for he said he had hired the Ass only, and not his Shadow: the other maintained that his bargain secured him complete control of the Ass for the time being. From words they came to blows; and while they were belabouring each other the Ass took to his heels and was soon out of sight.
What this Textopian page supports
The Ass and His Shadow is listed on Textopian as a fable by Esopo, dated 1620 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: 1620 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fable, Children's Literature, Classic Literature, Moral Tale
- Length: 135 words
- Structure: 1 section, 1 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Difficult (10th-12th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Ass and His Shadow 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 Shadow?
- 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 Dog And The Shadow by Esopo
- The Ox And The Frog by Esopo
- The Quack Frog by Esopo
- The Goatherd And The Wild Goats by Esopo
- The Fisherman Piping by Esopo
Genres
- Fable — As an Esopo's story, it's classified under the fable genre. Fables are fictional stories that often feature animals as characters and aim to teach a moral lesson, which is prominent in 'The Ass and His Shadow'.
- Children's Literature — The tale, with its anthropomorphic animal characters and moral lesson, fits into the genre of children's literature which is often designed to teach and entertain young audiences.
- Classic Literature — Given Esopo is an ancient Greek fabulist, his work falls within the domain of classic literature. 'The Ass and His Shadow' is one of the pieces among his lasting legacy.
- Moral Tale — The story serves to teach a lesson about human nature and behavior, thus falling under the moral tale genre.
Tags
fable · morality · animal · allegory · wisdom · deception · greed · humor · life lesson · friendship · self-awareness · consequences