The Dolphins, the Whales, and the Sprat by Esopo
The story revolves around a dolphin and a whale who are friends. They often meet to discuss their lives and share their experiences. One day, they come across a sprat who is struggling to survive in the ocean. The dolphin and the whale decide to help the sprat by teaching it how to swim and hunt for food. The sprat learns quickly and soon becomes self-sufficient. However, as time passes, the sprat begins to forget its humble beginnings and starts to look down on the dolphin and the whale. It claims that it is superior because of its newfound skills. The dolphin and the whale are disappointed by the sprat's behavior and decide to teach it a lesson. They take the sprat to meet a wise old fish who teaches it about the importance of humility and gratitude.
By Esopo · First published 1602 · Genre: Fable, Children's Literature, Fiction · 98 words
First lines
The Dolphins quarrelled with the Whales, and before very long they began fighting with one another. The battle was very fierce, and had lasted some time without any sign of coming to an end, when a Sprat thought that perhaps he could stop it; so he stepped in and tried to persuade them to give up fighting and make friends. But one of the Dolphins said to him contemptuously, "We would rather go on fighting till we're all killed than be reconciled by a Sprat like you! "
What this Textopian page supports
The Dolphins, the Whales, and the Sprat 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, Allegory, Animal Fiction
- Length: 98 words
- Structure: 1 section, 1 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Dolphins, the Whales, and the Sprat 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 Dolphins, the Whales, and the Sprat?
- How does this fable by Esopo fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Fable first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- The Bat The Bramble And The Seagull by Esopo
- The Foxes And The River by Esopo
- The Tunny Fish And The Dolphin by Esopo
- The Owl And The Birds by Esopo
- The Parrot And The Cat by Esopo
- The Lion The Bear And The Fox by Esopo
Genres
- Fable — The author, Esopo, is well-known for writing fables. The title also suggests that the story involves animal characters, a common feature in fables.
- Children's Literature — Esopo's fables are often targeted towards young audiences, teaching them moral lessons through simple and engaging stories.
- Fiction — The book deals with characters and scenarios which are not real, hence belonging to the Fiction genre.
- Allegory — As fables typically carry a deeper meaning or moral lesson, such stories can often be classified as allegories.
Tags
fable · animals · ocean · morality · friendship · nature · wisdom · adventure · interactions · environment · sea life · allegory