Theme of Fables

The Monkey and the Dolphin

A group of sailors set sail on a long voyage. They brought along a monkey to keep them company. After several weeks at sea, there was a terrible storm. The choppy waves tossed around the small ship, and both the sailors and the monkey were thrown into the sea.

A dolphin saw the monkey in the water and rescued him. The dolphin swam to a nearby island, carrying the monkey on her back. When they arrived at the island, the dolphin asked, "Have you been here before?"

The monkey said, "Yes, I have. Actually, I am the king of this island." Of course, that was not true. In fact, no one lived on the island at all.

The dolphin replied, "Good. Then you no longer need me." And she swam off, leaving the monkey stuck on the island.

What is the main theme or lesson of the fable?

• Never trust someone you don't know well

• Boasting and lying can get you into trouble

The Fox and the Stork

There once was a clever fox who loved playing tricks. He invited his friend the stork over for dinner one day. When dinner was served, the poor bird saw that the meal was soup served in a flat dish. Try as she might, the stork could not drink the soup with her long, thin beak.

"I'm sorry you aren't enjoying the dinner," the fox said, laughing to himself over his trick.

"Oh, it's no problem at all," the stork said, acting very polite. "You must join me for dinner next time."

Soon the stork invited the fox to her house for dinner. The fox had worked hard all day and was very hungry. But when the stork brought out the food, the fox got a surprise. The dinner was served in tall, narrow jars. With her long beak, the stork had no trouble gobbling up the tasty food. The fox's mouth did not fit in the jar, so he went home hungry.

What is the main theme or lesson of the fable?

• Even though people are different, they can still be friends.

• Expect others to treat you the way you treat them.

The Man with the Coconuts

One day a man gathered dozens of coconuts to sell in the village. He loaded all the coconuts onto his horse. On his way, he met a boy.

"How long do you think it will take for me to reach the village?" the man asked the boy.

The boy looked at the huge pile of coconuts packed on the horse.

"If you go slowly, you will arrive very soon," the boy said. "But if you go quickly, it will take you all day long."

"This boy doesn't make sense!" the man thought to himself. "I shouldn't listen to him."

The man hurried his horse along. Soon, though, the coconuts fell off the horse. The man had to stop and pick them up again.

He wanted to make up for lost time, so he made his horse go even faster. The coconuts fell off again, and once more the man had to gather them. It was late at night before he reached the village.

What is the main theme or lesson of the folktale?

• If you are lazy and waste time, you might not get to where you need to go.

• Sometimes rushing can make a task take longer than it needs to.

The Miller, His Son, and the Donkey

One day a miller and his son walked their donkey to market. The miller wanted to sell the donkey, so he led the animal slowly. He thought he would get a better price if it was in good condition.

They soon met a traveler. "What fools!" the traveler said, laughing. "Why walk the donkey when you could ride it?"

The miller hated being laughed at, so he told his son to ride the donkey.

They met three traders. "Show respect, boy!" the traders called. "Let the old man ride."

The miller didn't want the traders to think his son didn't respect him. His son got down, and he rode the donkey himself.

They passed two women. "Look at that fool!" one woman cried. "He rides the donkey, while the poor boy walks."

The woman's words upset the miller, so he told his son to climb on and ride with him.

They passed two farmers. "That poor animal!" one yelled. "It can barely carry you. It would be easier for you to carry it!"

The miller and his son got off the donkey. Using some rope, they tied the donkey to a pole and carried it.

Just as they were crossing a bridge, the rope broke. The donkey fell into the river below.

What is the main theme or lesson of the fable?

• Don't ignore good advice.

• Don't try to please everybody.

Achilles and the River Styx

Once there was a great warrior named Achilles. When Achilles was a baby, his mother dipped him in the River Styx. The river's magical water could protect a person from any harm.

There was one problem, though. Achilles's mother held him by the heel when she dipped him in the river. His heel never got wet, and so his heel was not protected by the water's magic.

After Achilles grew up, a war began between the Greeks and a city called Troy. Achilles was the most powerful fighter of all the Greeks. Troy was a great city with strong, high walls, and the Greeks had trouble capturing it. But as long as Achilles was fighting for the Greeks, the people of Troy could not drive them away. The war went on for ten years. The fierce Achilles seemed impossible to beat.

Finally, the prince of Troy shot an arrow at Achilles. The arrow hit Achilles right in his heel, his one weak spot. Achilles was killed by the arrow, and the Greeks lost their great hero.

What is the main theme or lesson of the myth?

• Even the strongest people have weak points.

• It is better to live and die than to live forever.

The Story of Wountie

One day a man went to the river to fish. He saw many fish in the river and hoped to catch enough to last through the winter. He thanked the spirits of the fish for feeding his family and cast his net into the river. When he pulled out the net, it was filled with enough fish for the year. He packed the fish in baskets.

The man was about to leave but then decided to try again. He cast his net into the river and waited. When he took it out, it was again filled with fish. He could not believe his luck.

"Why not try it one more time?" he thought. He cast the net into the river a third time. This time, though, when he took out the net, it was not filled with fish. It was filled with sticks and was torn to pieces. The fish he had packed away into baskets on shore also had turned into sticks.

The man looked up and saw Wountie, the spirit that protects the river. Wountie said, "You have broken the trust of the river. The river provides fish for everyone."

The fisherman went home to his family without any fish.

What is the main theme or lesson of the legend?

• If you have no luck at first, keep trying.

• Do not take more than you need.

• If you respect nature you will be rewarded.