The Ass, the Fox, and the Lion
The Ass, the Fox, and the Lion is a fable written by Esopo. The story goes as follows: An ass, a fox, and a lion were traveling together when they came across a well. The ass, being the heaviest, went down into the well first and sank. The fox, seeing this, laughed and said, "Now the ass will drown!" The lion, hearing the fox's laughter, was about to jump in after the ass when the fox said, "Wait! If you do, you will both drown!" The lion heeded the fox's warning and instead pulled the ass out of the well. The moral of the story is that it is important to consider the consequences of one's actions before acting impulsively.
By Esopo · First published 1668 · Genre: Fables, Children's Literature, Moralistic Fiction · 199 words
First lines
An Ass and a Fox went into partnership and sallied out to forage for food together. They hadn't gone far before they saw a Lion coming their way, at which they were both dreadfully frightened. But the Fox thought he saw a way of saving his own skin, and went boldly up to the Lion and whispered in his ear, "I'll manage that you shall get hold of the Ass without the trouble of stalking him, if you'll promise to let me go free. " The Lion agreed to this, and the Fox then rejoined his companion and contrived before long to lead him by a hidden pit, which some hunter had dug as a trap for wild animals, and into which he fell. When the Lion saw that the Ass was safely caught and couldn't get away, it was to the Fox that he first turned his attention, and he soon finished him off, and then at his leisure proceeded to feast upon the Ass.
What this Textopian page supports
The Ass, the Fox, and the Lion 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: Fables, Children's Literature, Moralistic Fiction, Folk Tales, Fantasy
- Length: 199 words
- Structure: 1 section, 2 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Ass, the Fox, and the Lion 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, the Fox, and the Lion?
- How does this fable by Esopo fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Fables first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- The Lioness And The Vixen by Esopo
- The Lion The Fox And The Ass by Esopo
- The Wasp And The Snake by Esopo
- The Crab And The Fox by Esopo
- The Fox And The Lion by Esopo
- The Fox And The Snake by Esopo
Genres
- Fables — The book is a collection of moral lessons, typically with animals as characters, a hallmark of fable literature. Moreover, Esopo is famously known for writing fables, further solidifying its genre placement.
- Children's Literature — The book's simple language, morality lessons, and anthropomorphized animal characters are all typical elements in children's literature.
- Moralistic Fiction — The book uses story-telling as a mechanism to impart moral lessons, a characteristic of moralistic fiction
- Folk Tales — Esopo's fables have been passed down from generation to generation, which puts them in the genre of folklore
Tags
fable · morality · animal characters · friendship · deception · cunning · bravery · wisdom · betrayal · trust · power dynamics · survival