The Ass and the Old Peasant by Esopo
The Ass and the Old Peasant, by Esopo: A poor old peasant had an ass that he used to carry his goods to market. One day, a thief stole the ass while the peasant was at church. The peasant returned home to find his ass gone and was devastated. He searched everywhere but could not find it. Eventually, the thief sold the ass to a wealthy merchant who beat it regularly. The peasant heard about this and went to the merchant's house to demand his ass back. The merchant refused, saying that he had bought it legally and was not giving it up. The peasant was left with no choice but to buy the ass back from the merchant at a high price.
By Esopo · First published 1668 · Genre: Fable, Children's Literature, Classics · 143 words
First lines
An old Peasant was sitting in a meadow watching his Ass, which was grazing close by, when all of a sudden he caught sight of armed men stealthily approaching. He jumped up in a moment, and begged the Ass to fly with him as fast as he could, "Or else," said he, "we shall both be captured by the enemy. " But the Ass just looked round lazily and said, "And if so, do you think they'll make me carry heavier loads than I have to now? " "No," said his master. "Oh, well, then," said the Ass, "I don't mind if they do take me, for I shan't be any worse off. "
What this Textopian page supports
The Ass and the Old Peasant 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, Classics, Folklore
- Length: 143 words
- Structure: 1 section, 1 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Ass and the Old Peasant 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
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Similar titles
- The Old Woman And The Wine Jar by Esopo
- The Horse And The Ass by Esopo
- The Two Pots by Esopo
- The Man And His Two Sweethearts by Esopo
- The Clown And The Countryman by Esopo
- The Milkmaid And Her Pail by Esopo
Genres
- Fable — Esopo's stories, including 'The Ass and the Old Peasant', typically embody moral lessons inspired from the actions of people and creatures. The genre of fable is most relevant here because fable-type stories are designed to impart moral lessons or useful truths.
- Children's Literature — While not exclusively created for children, fables and tales like 'The Ass and the Old Peasant' are often seen in children's literature for their ability to simplify and communicate complex lessons to young readers.
- Classics — Esopo's fables have stood the test of time, and are often categorized as classic literature.
- Folklore — Being fables, Esopo's stories like 'The Ass and the Old Peasant' have origins in the societal oral tradition, encompassing aspects of folklore that impart moral values or cultural stories.
Tags
fable · morality · animal · allegory · wisdom · humor · peasant · donkey · life lessons · cautionary tale · simplicity · rural life