The Owl and the Birds by Esopo

Name: The Owl and the Birds
Author: Esopo

Esopo's "The Owl and the Birds" is a fable about a clever owl who outsmarts a group of birds by pretending to be blind. The birds, believing the owl is helpless, share their food with him, only to have him steal it and fly away. The moral of the story is that honesty is the best policy, as the birds learn that they were foolish to trust a deceitful creature like the owl.

By Esopo · First published 1635 · Genre: Fable, Children's Literature, Animal Fiction · 255 words

First lines

The Owl is a very wise bird; and once, long ago, when the first oak sprouted in the forest, she called all the other Birds together and said to them, "You see this tiny tree? If you take my advice, you will destroy it now when it is small: for when it grows big, the mistletoe will appear upon it, from which birdlime will be prepared for your destruction. " Again, when the first flax was sown, she said to them, "Go and eat up that seed, for it is the seed of the flax, out of which men will one day make nets to catch you. " Once more, when she saw the first archer, she warned the Birds that he was their deadly enemy, who would wing his arrows with their own feathers and shoot them. But they took no notice of what she said: in fact, they thought she was rather mad, and laughed at her. When, however, everything turned out as she had foretold, they changed their minds and conceived a great respect for her wisdom.

What this Textopian page supports

The Owl and the Birds is listed on Textopian as a fable by Esopo, dated 1635 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: 1635 CE
Language: English
Genres: Fable, Children's Literature, Animal Fiction
Length: 255 words
Structure: 1 section, 2 paragraphs
Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)

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Similar titles

Genres

Fable — Esopo is known for his fables which often feature personified animals as main characters, such as the owl and birds featured in this story. The plot often revolves around a moral or life lesson, a common theme in the fable genre.
Children's Literature — Fables are often used as an educational tool for children, teaching lessons and morals through the guise of a simple, engaging story. The use of animals and simpler plot structures are common in children's literature.
Animal Fiction — The story features animals with human characteristics and capabilities, a common feature in the animal fiction genre.