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Selected Fables
A1 · English · Free ?
These selected fables belong to the tradition associated with Aesop. Short episodes give animals recognisable motives and place them in situations where pride, haste or faulty judgement produces an instructive result. Each tale can be read as a compact story and as an invitation to consider how its lesson applies to everyday choices. The source used here is The Aesop for Children, illustrated by Milo Winter and published in 1919. That year identifies this source edition, not the origin of the ancient tales.
General English edition: simplified and original readings, with word and culture notes. No translations.
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A big lion is sleeping in the forest. A little mouse comes near him. She is afraid and tries to run away. But she runs across his nose!
The Lion wakes up. He is angry. He puts his big foot on the Mouse. He wants to kill her.
“Please let me go,” the Mouse says. “One day, I can help you.”
The Lion laughs. “You are so small! How can you help me?”
But he lets her go.
Some days later, the Lion walks through the forest. A hunter's net catches him. The Lion cannot get out. He pulls and pulls, but the ropes hold him.
He makes a loud noise. The Mouse hears him and runs to help.
She sees the ropes. She bites one with her little teeth. She keeps biting. At last, the rope breaks. Soon the Lion is free.
“You laughed at me,” the Mouse says. “But now you see. A little mouse can help a big lion.”
**The lesson:** It is good to be kind. Someone you help may help you too.
A hare sees a tortoise walking slowly. The Hare laughs at him.
“You are so slow!” the Hare says. “Do you ever get anywhere?”
“Yes,” the Tortoise says. “I can have a race with you.”
The Hare thinks this is very funny. He can run fast. The Tortoise cannot. But he agrees to the race.