The Hares and the Frogs
A group of frogs are being devoured by hares. The frogs decide to take revenge and trick the hares into jumping off a cliff. They do this by pretending to be singing in harmony with each other, but actually they are all singing different notes. The hares, thinking that the frogs are singing beautifully together, jump off the cliff to get a better view of them.
By Leo Tolstoy · First published 1885 · Genre: Fable, Allegory, Philosophical · 119 words
First lines
The Hares once got together, and began to complain about their life:
"We perish from men, and from dogs, and from eagles, and from all the other beasts. It would be better to die at once than to live in fright and suffer. Come, let us drown ourselves!"
And the Hares raced away to drown themselves in a lake. The Frogs heard the Hares and plumped into the water. So one of the Hares said:
"Wait, boys! Let us put off the drowning! Evidently the Frogs are having a harder life than we: they are afraid even of us. "
What this Textopian page supports
The Hares and the Frogs is listed on Textopian as a fable by Leo Tolstoy, dated 1885 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Fable
- Author: Leo Tolstoy
- Date: 1885 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fable, Allegory, Philosophical, Children's Literature, Satire
- Length: 119 words
- Structure: 1 section, 4 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Very Easy (5th Grade or below)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Hares and the Frogs by Leo Tolstoy
- 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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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Hares and the Frogs?
- How does this fable by Leo Tolstoy fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Fable first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- The Falcon And The Cock by Leo Tolstoy
- The Monkey And The Pease by Leo Tolstoy
- The Lion And The Fox by Leo Tolstoy
- The True History Of The Hare And The Tortoise by Lord Dunsany
- The Dogs And The Cook by Leo Tolstoy
- The Lion The Ass And The Fox by Leo Tolstoy
Genres
- Fable — The narrative features anthropomorphized animals conveying moral lessons, characteristic of fables.
- Allegory — The story illustrates deeper themes of fear and perspective on suffering through the interactions of the Hares and Frogs.
- Philosophical — The dialogue reflects on existential themes and the nature of suffering, prompting reflection on life choices.
- Children's Literature — The simple narrative and moral lesson make it suitable for a younger audience.
Tags
Fable · Satire · Social Commentary · Russian Literature · 19th Century · Animal Story · Moral Lesson · Critique of Society · Class Struggle · Inequality · Justice · Morality