The Soldier and His Horse by Esopo
A soldier and his horse are traveling through a forest when they come across a group of travelers who have been robbed by bandits. The soldier offers to help them, but the horse is reluctant to get involved. The soldier tries to persuade the horse to cooperate, explaining that it's their duty as soldiers to protect innocent people. However, the horse remains stubborn and refuses to move. The soldier then uses his whip to force the horse to continue on its way, leaving the travelers behind. As they ride away, the horse suddenly stops and refuses to budge again. The soldier is furious and beats the horse with his whip, but it still won't move. The horse explains that it was not being stubborn, but rather trying to protect itself from the whip. The soldier realizes his mistake and apologizes to the horse for treating it poorly. He then returns to help the travelers, who are grateful for his assistance. This fable highlights the importance of treating others with kindness and respect, even when they may seem uncooperative or stubborn. It also emphasizes the need for self-awareness and accountability in our actions.
By Esopo · First published 1602 · Genre: Fable, Children's Literature, Fiction · 193 words
First lines
A Soldier gave his Horse a plentiful supply of oats in time of war, and tended him with the utmost care, for he wished him to be strong to endure the hardships of the field, and swift to bear his master, when need arose, out of the reach of danger. But when the war was over he employed him on all sorts of drudgery, bestowing but little attention upon him, and giving him, moreover, nothing but chaff to eat. The time came when war broke out again, and the Soldier saddled and bridled his Horse, and, having put on his heavy coat of mail, mounted him to ride off and take the field. But the poor half-starved beast sank down under his weight, and said to his rider, "You will have to go into battle on foot this time. Thanks to hard work and bad food, you have turned me from a Horse into an ass; and you cannot in a moment turn me back again into a Horse. "
What this Textopian page supports
The Soldier and His Horse is listed on Textopian as a fable by Esopo, dated 1602 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: 1602 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fable, Children's Literature, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Military Fiction
- Length: 193 words
- Structure: 1 section, 1 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Soldier and His Horse 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
Similar titles
- The Wolf And The Lion by Esopo
- The Lion In Love by Esopo
- The Traveller And His Dog by Esopo
- The Horse And The Groom by Esopo
- The Lion And The Ass by Esopo
- The Man The Horse The Ox And The Dog by Esopo
Genres
- Fable — Given Esopo is famous for his fables, this book likely follows the tradition of an animal (the horse) imparting moral lessons to a human (the soldier).
- Children's Literature — Esopo's fables are often used in children's literature due to their emphasis on moral lessons and the anthropomorphism of animals.
- Fiction — Animals generally don't talk to humans or play roles attributed to humans, so this book falls under the genre of fiction.
- Historical Fiction — If the story takes place in a historical period of war it could be considered historical fiction.
Tags
soldier · horse · fable · allegory · friendship · loyalty · courage · war · animal · morality · sacrifice · trust