The Ass and the Dog by Esopo (1602)
The Ass and the Dog is a fable written by Esopo. The story goes like this: An ass and a dog were arguing over who was the better animal. The ass claimed that he was superior because he could carry heavier loads than the dog. The dog, on the other hand, argued that he was better because he could run faster than the ass. They continued to argue back and forth until they came across a fox, who listened to their argument and laughed at them. The moral of the story is that it is foolish to argue over which animal is superior when there are more important things to worry about.
By Esopo · First published 1602 · Genre: Fable, Children's Literature, Fiction · 182 words
First lines
An Ass and a Dog were on their travels together, and, as they went along, they found a sealed packet lying on the ground. The Ass picked it up, broke the seal, and found it contained some writing, which he proceeded to read out aloud to the Dog. As he read on it turned out to be all about grass and barley and hay -- in short, all the kinds of fodder that Asses are fond of. The Dog was a good deal bored with listening to all this, till at last his impatience got the better of him, and he cried, "Just skip a few pages, friend, and see if there isn't something about meat and bones. " The Ass glanced all through the packet, but found nothing of the sort, and said so. Then the Dog said in disgust, "Oh, throw it away, do: what's the good of a thing like that? "
What this Textopian page supports
The Ass and the Dog 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, Children's Literature, Fiction, Classic Literature
- Length: 182 words
- Structure: 1 section, 1 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Ass and the Dog by Esopo
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Ass and the Dog?
- How does this fable by Esopo fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
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Similar titles
- The Pig And The Sheep by Esopo
- The Ass And The Mule by Esopo
- The Lion And The Ass by Esopo
- The Pack Ass And The Wild Ass by Esopo
- The Stag In The Ox Stall by Esopo
- The Viper And The File by Esopo
Genres
- Fable — Esopo is well-known for his fable stories, which typically involve anthropomorphized animals to deliver moral lessons.
- Children's Literature — Fables, including those by Esopo, are often used in children's literature to teach moral lessons through simple and engaging stories.
- Fiction — As a fable, 'The Ass and the Dog' is a work of fiction involving talking animals.
- Classic Literature — Esopo's fables are considered timeless pieces of classic literature.
Tags
fable · animal characters · morality · friendship · loyalty · betrayal · humor · wisdom · life lessons · allegory · conflict · trust