The Ass in the Lion's Skin by Joseph Jacobs
In a village during the reign of Brahma-datta, a hawker uses an ass to transport goods. To deceive the local watchmen, he dresses the ass in a lion's skin and releases it into a barley field. The watchmen, believing they see a lion, avoid the creature, allowing the hawker to go about his business. One day, while the hawker prepares his meal, he again dresses the ass in the lion's skin. The watchmen, upon seeing the supposed lion, spread the word, and soon the villagers gather, armed and ready to confront the beast. However, when the ass, frightened by the commotion, brays, the villagers realize the truth. The future Buddha, witnessing the scene, reflects on the situation and recites a verse highlighting the absurdity of the ass's pretense. The villagers, now aware of the ass's true identity, beat it severely, stripping it of the lion's skin and leaving it in a broken state. The hawker, upon returning, laments the ass's fate and delivers a second verse, emphasizing that the ass's downfall was due to its inability to maintain the facade. Ultimately, the ass dies, illustrating the consequences of false pretenses and the importance of authenticity.
By Joseph Jacobs · First published 1896 · Genre: Fable, Fantasy, Parable · 415 words
First lines
At the same time, when Brahma-datta was reigning in Benares, the future Buddha was born one of a peasant family; and when he grew up, he gained his living by tilling the ground.
At that time a hawker used to go from place to place, trafficking in goods carried by an ass. Now at each place he came to, when he took the pack down from the ass's back, he used to clothe him in a lion's skin, and turn him loose in the rice and barley fields. And when the watchmen in the fields saw the ass, they dared not go near him, taking him for a lion.
What this Textopian page supports
The Ass in the Lion's Skin is listed on Textopian as a fable by Joseph Jacobs, dated 1896 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Fable
- Author: Joseph Jacobs
- Date: 1896 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fable, Fantasy, Parable, Children's Literature, Folklore
- Length: 415 words
- Structure: 1 section, 8 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Ass in the Lion's Skin by Joseph Jacobs
- 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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Similar titles
- The Fox And Crane by Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
- The Mouse The Bird And The Sausage by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- The Monkey And The Pease by Leo Tolstoy
- The Ass In The Lions Skin by Leo Tolstoy
- Why The Fish Laughed by Joseph Jacobs
- The Frog And The Lion by Leo Tolstoy
Genres
- Fable — The story conveys a moral lesson through anthropomorphized characters and a simple plot.
- Fantasy — The use of animals with human traits and the magical element of disguising an ass as a lion fits within the fantasy genre.
- Parable — The narrative serves as a parable illustrating the consequences of deception and the importance of authenticity.
- Children's Literature — The straightforward narrative and moral lesson make it suitable for a younger audience.
Tags
Fable · Satire · Animal Story · Moral Lesson · Deception · Disguise · Social Commentary · Cultural Critique · Literary Fable · Aesopian Fable · Fictional Story · Tall Tale