Aesop's Fables

Aesop's Fables

by Heather Sharp

​The Swollen Fox

​A VERY HUNGRY FOX, seeing some bread and meat left by shepherds in the hollow of an oak, crept into the hole and made a hearty meal. When he finished, he was so full that he was not able to get out, and began to groan and lament his fate. Another Fox passing by heard his cries, and coming up, inquired the cause of his complaining. On learning what had happened, he said to him, "Ah, you will have to remain there, my friend, until you become such as you were when you crept in, and then you will easily get out."

Multiple Choice

What does the word swollen mean in this story?

• Full stomach from eating so much

• Eyes are closed from crying

• Neither of these answers

Multiple Choice

“When he finished, he was so full that he was not able to get out, and began to groan and lament his fate. Another Fox passing by heard his cries, and coming up, inquired the cause of his complaining.”

• Full

• Fate

• Cries

• Cause

​The Flies and the Honey-Pot

A NUMBER of Flies were attracted to a jar of honey which had been overturned in a housekeeper's room, and placing their feet in it, ate greedily. Their feet, however, became so smeared with the honey that they could not use their wings, nor release themselves, and were suffocated. Just as they were expiring, they exclaimed, "O foolish creatures that we are, for the sake of a little pleasure we have destroyed ourselves." Pleasure bought with pains, hurts.

Multiple Choice

In the first sentence of this fable, what does the word "greedily" mean? "A NUMBER of Flies were attracted to a jar of honey which had been overturned in a housekeeper's room, and placing their feet in it, ate greedily. "

• To eat like nothing else matters; no care for others

• To have an intense and selfish desire for wealth or power.

Open Ended

What is the lesson learned (morale) of the story, "The Flies and the Honey-Pot"?

Multiple Choice

Which inference can be most likely made about the Grasshopper in “The Ants and the Grasshopper”?

• He is talented.

• He is angry.

• He is proud.

• He is lazy.

​The Hen and the Golden Eggs

​A COTTAGER and his wife had a Hen that laid a golden egg every day. They supposed that the Hen must contain a great lump of gold in its inside, and in order to get the gold they killed it. Having done so, they found to their surprise that the Hen differed in no respect from their other hens. The foolish pair, thus hoping to become rich all at once, deprived themselves of the gain of which they were assured day by day.

​The Miser

​A MISER sold all that he had and bought a lump of gold, which he buried in a hole in the ground by the side of an old wall and went to look at daily. One of his workmen observed his frequent visits to the spot and decided to watch his movements. He soon discovered the secret of the hidden treasure, and digging down, came to the lump of gold, and stole it. The Miser, on his next visit, found the hole empty and began to tear his hair and to make loud lamentations. A neighbor, seeing him overcome with grief and learning the cause, said, "Pray do not grieve so; but go and take a stone, and place it in the hole, and fancy that the gold is still lying there. It will do you quite the same service; for when the gold was there, you had it not, as you did not make the slightest use of it."

Multiple Choice

What does the word fancy most closely mean as it is used in the story “The Miser” in paragraph 4?

• Imagine

• Honor

• Decorate

• Enjoy

Open Ended

How are the cottager and his wife in “The Hen and the Golden Eggs” similar to the miser in “The Miser?” What lesson is Aesop teaching in both fables? Cite passages in the text that support your answer.

Multiple Choice

Which two fables provide a moral that is most similar to each other?

• “The Flies and the Honey-Pot” & “The Miser”

• “The Miser” & “The Ants and the Grasshopper”

• “The Swollen Fox” & “The Flies and the Honey-Pot”

• “The Ants and the Grasshopper” & “The Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing”

The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing

The Wolf In Sheep's Clothing ONCE UPON A TIME a Wolf resolved to disguise his appearance in order to secure food more easily. Encased in the skin of a sheep, he pastured with the flock deceiving the shepherd by his costume. In the evening he was shut up by the shepherd in the fold; the gate was closed, and the entrance made thoroughly secure. But the shepherd, returning to the fold during the night to obtain meat for the next day, mistakenly caught up the Wolf instead of a sheep, and killed him instantly.

Multiple Choice

Which inference can be best made about the Woodcutter in the story The Fox and the Woodcutter?

• He is deceptive.

• He is creative.

• He is trustworthy.

• He is bored.

Multiple Choice

Which best supports your previous answer?

• "...advised him to take shelter..."

• "...declared he had not seen him, and yet pointed..."

• "...believing his word, hastened forward..."

• "...he called to him and reproached him..."

​The Ants and the Grasshopper

​THE ANTS were spending a fine winter's day drying grain collected in the summertime. A Grasshopper, perishing with famine, passed by and earnestly begged for a little food. The Ants inquired of him, "Why did you not treasure up food during the summer?" He replied, "I had not leisure enough. I passed the days in singing." They then said in derision: "If you were foolish enough to sing all the summer, you must dance supperless to bed in the winter."

Multiple Choice

Which character matches the following detail?

Works hard during the summer to have food in the winter

• Fox

• Flies

• Ants

• Wolf

Multiple Choice

Which character matches the following detail?

Gets stuck in honey while eating

• Fox

• Flies

• Ants

• Wolf

Multiple Choice

Which character matches the following detail?

Eats food that does not belong to him

• Fox

• Flies

• Ants

• Wolf

Multiple Choice

Which character matches the following detail?

Tries to fool a shepherd to get food

• Fox

• Flies

• Ants

• Wolf

Multiple Choice

Which way, mainly, does the author structure the excerpt?

• With a group of stories that provide similar lessons about life

• With several stories that each provide individual lessons about life

• With multiple stories that each challenge a conclusion in the previous story

• With a series of stories that include the same characters on different adventures