The Father and His Daughters
The Father and His Daughters, written by Esopo, is a fable that tells the story of a father who has three daughters. The eldest daughter is beautiful but lazy, the middle daughter is kind but foolish, and the youngest daughter is ugly but hardworking. Despite their differences, the father loves each of his daughters equally and provides for them in various ways. However, the daughters' personalities and actions ultimately lead to their own downfalls. The story highlights the importance of hard work and self-discipline, as well as the consequences of laziness and foolishness.
By Esopo · First published 1668 · Genre: Fable, Short Story, Children's Literature · 219 words
First lines
A Man had two Daughters, one of whom he gave in marriage to a gardener, and the other to a potter. After a time he thought he would go and see how they were getting on; and first he went to the gardener's wife. He asked her how she was, and how things were going with herself and her husband. She replied that on the whole they were doing very well: "But," she continued, "I do wish we could have some good heavy rain: the garden wants it badly. " Then he went on to the potter's wife and made the same inquiries of her. She replied that she and her husband had nothing to complain of: "But," she went on, "I do wish we could have some nice dry weather, to dry the pottery. " Her Father looked at her with a humorous expression on his face. "You want dry weather," he said, "and your sister wants rain. I was going to ask in my prayers that your wishes should be granted; but now it strikes me I had better not refer to the subject. "
What this Textopian page supports
The Father and His Daughters 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, Short Story, Children's Literature
- Length: 219 words
- Structure: 1 section, 1 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Father and His Daughters 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 Father and His Daughters?
- How does this fable by Esopo fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Fable first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- Father And Sons by Esopo
- The Crab And His Mother by Esopo
- Brother And Sister by Esopo
- The Bull And The Calf by Esopo
- Tales Familiar Epistle From A Parent To A Child Aged Two Years And Two Months by Charles Dickens
- The Farmer And His Sons by Esopo
Genres
- Fable — Esopo was a prominent fabulist known for traditional fable-style stories. The fables often involve anthropomorphized animals meant to convey moral lessons. The title suggests it could be a story about a close family relationship.
- Short Story — Esopo's stories are typically short in length, making the Short Story genre relevant here as they often contain brief narratives or anecdotal tales.
- Children's Literature — Given that the author's works are often told as widely accessible stories meant to convey moral lessons, it is likely that The Father and His Daughters' simple narrative would appeal to children and be used as a teaching tool.
Tags
family · fatherhood · daughters · relationships · morality · wisdom · fables · life lessons · parenting · love · conflict · communication