The Ass Carrying the Image by Esopo
The Ass Carrying the Image, by Esopo: A man carrying an image of his dead wife on his ass.
By Esopo · First published 1608 · Genre: Fable, Folklore, Children's Literature · 174 words
First lines
A certain man put an Image on the back of his Ass to take it to one of the temples of the town. As they went along the road all the people they met uncovered and bowed their heads out of reverence for the Image; but the Ass thought they were doing it out of respect for himself, and began to give himself airs accordingly. At last he became so conceited that he imagined he could do as he liked, and, by way of protest against the load he was carrying, he came to a full stop and flatly declined to proceed any further. His driver, finding him so obstinate, hit him hard and long with his stick, saying the while, "Oh, you dunder-headed idiot, do you suppose it's come to this, that men pay worship to an Ass? "
What this Textopian page supports
The Ass Carrying the Image 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, Folklore, Children's Literature, Moral Fiction, Short Story
- Length: 174 words
- Structure: 1 section, 2 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Ass Carrying the Image by Esopo
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- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Ass Carrying the Image?
- How does this fable by Esopo fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
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Similar titles
- The Vain Jackdaw by Esopo
- The Peacock And The Crane by Esopo
- The Ass And The Lapdog by Esopo
- The Quack Frog by Esopo
- The Fox And The Monkey by Esopo
- The Cock And The Jewel by Esopo
Genres
- Fable — Esopo, also known as Aesop, is a famous fable writer in the ancient times and this work fits the characteristics of a fable due to its use of animals as characters to deliver morals and lessons.
- Folklore — The story has elements of folklore, as it taps into cultural archetypes and attempts to explain moral or human philosophies in a story format typically handed down from generations.
- Children's Literature — The story, with its simple and teaching nature, is likely to be presented in a way that is suitable for children to read and understand.
- Moral Fiction — This work, as with many of Esopo's works, confronts the reader with a moral choice or deeper philosophical dialogue.
Tags
fable · allegory · morality · animal characters · humor · wisdom · society · critique · vanity · pride · humility · self-awareness