The Mice and the Weasels by Esopo
The Mice and the Weasels, written by Esopo, is a fable about mice who hire a weasel to protect them from a cat. The mice pay the weasel a large sum of money for his services, but when the cat arrives, the weasel betrays the mice and eats them instead. The moral of the story is that those who hire others to protect them may end up being harmed themselves.
By Esopo · First published 1667 · Genre: Fable, Children's Literature, Fantasy · 194 words
First lines
There was war between the Mice and the Weasels, in which the Mice always got the worst of it, numbers of them being killed and eaten by the Weasels. So they called a council of war, in which an old Mouse got up and said, "It's no wonder we are always beaten, for we have no generals to plan our battles and direct our movements in the field. " Acting on his advice, they chose the biggest Mice to be their leaders, and these, in order to be distinguished from the rank and file, provided themselves with helmets bearing large plumes of straw. They then led out the Mice to battle, confident of victory: but they were defeated as usual, and were soon scampering as fast as they could to their holes. All made their way to safety without difficulty except the leaders, who were so hampered by the badges of their rank that they could not get into their holes, and fell easy victims to their pursuers.
What this Textopian page supports
The Mice and the Weasels is listed on Textopian as a fable by Esopo, dated 1667 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: 1667 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fable, Children's Literature, Fantasy, Folktale, Moral and Ethical Themes
- Length: 194 words
- Structure: 1 section, 2 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Mice and the Weasels 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 Mice and the Weasels?
- 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 Lion The Fox And The Stag by Esopo
- The Eagle And The Fox by Esopo
- The Shepherd And The Wolf by Esopo
- The Wolf The Fox And The Ape by Esopo
- The Jackdaw And The Pigeons by Esopo
- The Bat And The Weasels by Esopo
Genres
- Fable — Esopo is known for his fables and "The Mice and the Weasels" is a tale featuring animals with human characteristics, typical in the fable genre.
- Children's Literature — This kind of fables are commonly used as moral lessons for children, making this story fall under the Children's Literature genre.
- Fantasy — The story involves talking animals, a scenario not applicable in real life, therefore it is also considered to be part of the Fantasy genre.
- Folktale — As a fable, this story is passed down from generation to generation, fitting the Folktale genre.
Tags
fable · animals · mice · weasels · morality · allegory · friendship · betrayal · survival · cunning · wisdom · conflict