The Debtor and His Sow by Esopo
The Debtor and His Sow, by Esopo: A poor man borrowed a sow from a rich man to repay his debt. However, the sow gave birth to pigs instead of producing cheese, which the poor man could not afford to pay back. The story highlights the consequences of taking advantage of someone else's resources without proper compensation or agreement.
By Esopo · First published 1668 · Genre: Fable, Fiction, Classic Literature · 191 words
First lines
A Man of Athens fell into debt and was pressed for the money by his creditor; but he had no means of paying at the time, so he begged for delay. But the creditor refused and said he must pay at once. Then the Debtor fetched a Sow -- the only one he had -- and took her to market to offer her for sale. It happened that his creditor was there too. Presently a buyer came along and asked if the Sow produced good litters. "Yes," said the Debtor, "very fine ones; and the remarkable thing is that she produces females at the Mysteries and males at the Panathenea. " (Festivals these were: and the Athenians always sacrifice a sow at one, and a boar at the other; while at the Dionysia they sacrifice a kid.) At that the creditor, who was standing by, put in, "Don't be surprised, sir; why, still better, at the Dionysia this Sow has kids! "
What this Textopian page supports
The Debtor and His Sow 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, Fiction, Classic Literature, Children's Literature, Ancient Literature
- Length: 191 words
- Structure: 1 section, 1 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Debtor and His Sow 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 Debtor and His Sow?
- How does this fable by Esopo fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
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Similar titles
- The Charcoal Burner And The Fuller by Esopo
- The Viper And The File by Esopo
- The Butcher And His Customers by Esopo
- The Ass And The Dog by Esopo
- The Sick Man And The Doctor by Esopo
- The Rich Man And The Tanner by Esopo
Genres
- Fable — Given that Esopo is reputed to be a fabulist, the storyline of 'The Debtor and His Sow' is expected to carry allegorical elements embodying moral lessons, typical of fables.
- Fiction — As a fable and given the imaginary nature of the plot, the book is naturally classified under fiction.
- Classic Literature — Esopo's works are considered part of the classic literature corpus due to their age and influence.
- Children's Literature — Fables are often categorized under children's literature for their educational value in teaching wisdom and values.
Tags
fable · morality · debt · greed · consequences · animal allegory · wisdom · cautionary tale · human nature · financial advice · sacrifice · responsibility