The Goatherd and the Wild Goats
The Goatherd and the Wild Goats, by Esopo: A young goatherd named Nasir becomes obsessed with capturing a wild goat that eludes him every time he tries to catch it. Eventually, the goat leads him to a cave where he finds a treasure of gold coins. However, as he is about to leave the cave, the goat appears and leads him on a wild chase through the mountains before disappearing into thin air. Nasir returns home empty-handed but wiser for his adventure.
By Esopo · First published 1668 · Genre: Fable, Children's Literature, Folklore · 287 words
First lines
A Goatherd was tending his goats out at pasture when he saw a number of Wild Goats approach and mingle with his flock. At the end of the day he drove them home and put them all into the pen together. Next day the weather was so bad that he could not take them out as usual: so he kept them at home in the pen, and fed them there. He only gave his own goats enough food to keep them from starving, but he gave the Wild Goats as much as they could eat and more; for he was very anxious for them to stay, and he thought that if he fed them well they wouldn't want to leave him. When the weather improved, he took them all out to pasture again; but no sooner had they got near the hills than the Wild Goats broke away from the flock and scampered off. The Goatherd was very much disgusted at this, and roundly abused them for their ingratitude. "Rascals! " he cried, "to run away like that after the way I've treated you! "
What this Textopian page supports
The Goatherd and the Wild Goats 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, Children's Literature, Folklore, Classic Literature
- Length: 287 words
- Structure: 1 section, 2 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Goatherd and the Wild Goats 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 Goatherd and the Wild Goats?
- 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 Swallow And The Crow by Esopo
- The Farmer And The Stork by Esopo
- The Cat And The Cock by Esopo
- The Fox Without A Tail by Esopo
- The Farmer And The Fox by Esopo
- The Jackdaw And The Pigeons by Esopo
Genres
- Fable — The author is Esopo, also known as Aesop, a well-known fabulist. Fables are short tales that teach lessons or morals, often through animals as characters, which matches the title's implication of goats and goatherd.
- Children's Literature — Aesop’s fables are traditionally used as children’s stories, teaching them values and life lessons.
- Folklore — Often, Aesop's fables are considered a part of Greek folklore due to their moral teaching through tales of animals and non-human entities.
- Classic Literature — Given Aesop's place in history and literature, this work could be considered part of the classic literature canon.
Tags
fable · morality · animals · goats · nature · wisdom · deception · trust · friendship · betrayal · adventure · caution