The Lion, Jupiter, and the Elephant
The Lion, Jupiter, and the Elephant is a fable written by Esopo. The story goes as follows: A lion, Jupiter, and an elephant were arguing over who was the strongest. They decided to test their strength by lifting a large boulder. The lion, being the smallest of the three, was able to lift the boulder with ease. Jupiter, being larger than the lion, struggled to lift it but could not. The elephant, being the largest of the three, could not lift it at all. The moral of the story is that size does not determine strength or ability.
By Esopo · First published 1642 · Genre: Fable, Fantasy, Children's literature · 269 words
First lines
The Lion, for all his size and strength, and his sharp teeth and claws, is a coward in one thing: he can't bear the sound of a cock crowing, and runs away whenever he hears it. He complained bitterly to Jupiter for making him like that; but Jupiter said it wasn't his fault: he had done the best he could for him, and, considering this was his only failing, he ought to be well content. The Lion, however, wouldn't be comforted, and was so ashamed of his timidity that he wished he might die. In this state of mind, he met the Elephant and had a talk with him. He noticed that the great beast cocked up his ears all the time, as if he were listening for something, and he asked him why he did so. Just then a gnat came humming by, and the Elephant said, "Do you see that wretched little buzzing insect? I'm terribly afraid of its getting into my ear: if it once gets in, I'm dead and done for. "
What this Textopian page supports
The Lion, Jupiter, and the Elephant is listed on Textopian as a fable by Esopo, dated 1642 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: 1642 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fable, Fantasy, Children's literature
- Length: 269 words
- Structure: 1 section, 2 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Lion, Jupiter, and the Elephant by Esopo
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Lion, Jupiter, and the Elephant?
- 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 Kingdom Of The Lion by Esopo
- The Tunny Fish And The Dolphin by Esopo
- The Mouse The Frog And The Hawk by Esopo
- The Lion The Bear And The Fox by Esopo
- The Man The Horse The Ox And The Dog by Esopo
- The Real King Of Beasts by Frank R. Stockton
Genres
- Fable — Esopo is a known fabulist, and the mention of animals in the title often denotes a story with moral lessons characteristic of fables.
- Fantasy — The mention of 'Jupiter', often associated with Roman god mythology, combined with the presence of anthropomorphized animals, imply elements of fantasy.
- Children's literature — Fables and fantasy stories often fall under children's literature due to their educational and imaginative elements.
Tags
fable · animals · morality · friendship · wisdom · power · nature · mythology · allegory · conflict · courage · loyalty