The Thieves and the Cock by Esopo
A wealthy farmer's rooster is stolen by thieves. The farmer offers a reward to anyone who can bring back his prized bird. A poor man finds the rooster and returns it, but instead of receiving the reward, he is beaten by the farmer for stealing from him. The moral of this fable is that honesty is not always rewarded, and sometimes those who do good are punished while those who do evil go unpunished. The story highlights the unfairness of life and the difficulties faced by those who try to do what is right.
By Esopo · First published 1668 · Genre: Fable, Children's Literature, Fantasy · 122 words
First lines
Some Thieves broke into a house, and found nothing worth taking except a Cock, which they seized and carried off with them. When they were preparing their supper, one of them caught up the Cock, and was about to wring his neck, when he cried out for mercy and said, "Pray do not kill me: you will find me a most useful bird, for I rouse honest men to their work in the morning by my crowing. " But the Thief replied with some heat, "Yes, I know you do, making it still harder for us to get a livelihood. Into the pot you go! "
What this Textopian page supports
The Thieves and the Cock is listed on Textopian as a fable by Esopo, dated 1668 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: 1668 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fable, Children's Literature, Fantasy, Moral
- Length: 122 words
- Structure: 1 section, 1 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Thieves and the Cock 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 Thieves and the Cock?
- 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 Cat And The Cock by Esopo
- The Bat And The Weasels by Esopo
- Jupiter And The Monkey by Esopo
- The Goatherd And The Wild Goats by Esopo
- The Eagle The Cat And The Wild Sow by Esopo
- The Wolf The Fox And The Ape by Esopo
Genres
- Fable — Esopo is a well-known fabulist and 'The Thieves and the Cock' is one of his fables which typically features animals and teaches moral lessons.
- Children's Literature — Esopo's fables, including 'The Thieves and the Cock', are often used as teaching tools for children due to their moral messages.
- Fantasy — This story includes elements of fantasy, as animals are anthropomorphized and exhibit human-like behavior.
- Moral — This story includes a moral lesson, a characteristic feature of fables.
Tags
fable · morality · theft · animals · cunning · deception · consequences · wisdom · humor · storytelling · allegory · friendship