The Lark and the Farmer by Esopo
The Lark and the Farmer, by Esopo: A young lark is born in a farmer's field, and the farmer tries to catch it. The lark outsmarts the farmer at every turn, leading him on a wild goose chase. In the end, the lark flies away, leaving the farmer frustrated but amused by its cunning.
By Esopo · First published 1608 · Genre: Fable, Children's Literature, Fantasy · 227 words
First lines
A Lark nested in a field of corn, and was rearing her brood under cover of the ripening grain. One day, before the young were fully fledged, the Farmer came to look at the crop, and, finding it yellowing fast, he said, "I must send round word to my neighbours to come and help me reap this field. " One of the young Larks overheard him, and was very much frightened, and asked her mother whether they hadn't better move house at once. "There's no hurry," replied she; "a man who looks to his friends for help will take his time about a thing. " In a few days the Farmer came by again, and saw that the grain was overripe and falling out of the ears upon the ground. "I must put it off no longer," he said; "This very day I'll hire the men and set them to work at once. " The Lark heard him and said to her young, "Come, my children, we must be off: he talks no more of his friends now, but is going to take things in hand himself. "
What this Textopian page supports
The Lark and the Farmer is listed on Textopian as a fable by Esopo, dated 1608 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: 1608 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fable, Children's Literature, Fantasy, Folklore
- Length: 227 words
- Structure: 1 section, 2 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Lark and the Farmer 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 Lark and the Farmer?
- 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 Apes And The Two Travellers by Esopo
- The Swallow And The Crow by Esopo
- The Fisherman Piping by Esopo
- The Charcoal Burner And The Fuller by Esopo
- The Goatherd And The Wild Goats by Esopo
- The Hunter And The Woodman by Esopo
Genres
- Fable — The title 'The Lark and the Farmer' suggests a story in which animals (the lark) and humans (the farmer) interact, which is a common characteristic of fables. Moreover, Esopo is renowned for his fables.
- Children's Literature — Fables like those authored by Esopo often belong to the genre of children's literature, as they are frequently used to convey moral lessons or values to young readers.
- Fantasy — Involvement of talking animals, anthropomorphism are typical features of a fantasy genre and are often found in Esopo's fables. The mention of a lark in the title suggests this might be the case in 'The Lark and the Farmer'.
- Folklore — Fables like Esopo's are often considered to be a part of the folklore genre because they have been orally passed down through generations and contain moral and societal values.
Tags
fable · morality · allegory · nature · animals · wisdom · caution · consequences · farming · friendship · trust · deception