The Lion in Love by Esopo (1608)
The story revolves around a lion who falls deeply in love with a cottager's daughter and wants to marry her. However, the father is unwilling to give his consent due to the lion's fearsome nature. To resolve this dilemma, the father proposes a compromise: he will draw out the lion's teeth and pare down its nails, reasoning that his daughter is afraid of these features. The lion, blinded by love, agrees to this proposal without hesitation. Once disarmed in this manner, the cottager no longer fears the lion but instead uses his club to drive it away. This fable serves as a commentary on the dangers of unchecked passion and the importance of self-preservation in the face of overwhelming desire. The story highlights the consequences of allowing emotions to cloud one's judgment, leading to a loss of power and control. The lion's willingness to compromise its own strength and dignity ultimately leads to its rejection by the cottager.
By Esopo · First published 1608 · Genre: Fable, Children's Literature, Fiction · 145 words
First lines
A Lion fell deeply in love with the daughter of a cottager and wanted to marry her; but her father was unwilling to give her to so fearsome a husband, and yet didn't want to offend the Lion; so he hit upon the following expedient. He went to the Lion and said, "I think you will make a very good husband for my daughter: but I cannot consent to your union unless you let me draw your teeth and pare your nails, for my daughter is terribly afraid of them. " The Lion was so much in love that he readily agreed that this should be done. When once, however, he was thus disarmed, the Cottager was afraid of him no longer, but drove him away with his club.
What this Textopian page supports
The Lion in Love 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, Fiction, Fantasy, Classics
- Length: 145 words
- Structure: 1 section, 1 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
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- Work identity for The Lion in Love by Esopo
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Discussion starters
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Similar titles
- The Man And The Lion by Esopo
- The Lion And The Ass by Esopo
- The Horse And The Groom by Esopo
- The Ass And The Mule by Esopo
- The Lion And The Boar by Esopo
- The Dog And The Wolf by Esopo
Genres
- Fable — The book is one of Aesop's fables, which includes animals as main characters engaged in moral lessons.
- Children's Literature — The narrative is simple, moralistic and educational in design, making it suitable for children.
- Fiction — The story involves anthropomorphized animals, indicating that the narrative is a work of fiction.
- Fantasy — Featuring talking animals, the story adopts elements of the fantasy genre.
Tags
fable · love · lion · animal · morality · friendship · betrayal · wisdom · caution · nature · relationships · humor