Fables Themes

Once, a cat was in a hurry. She ran across the street without looking and narrowly escaped being hit by a car. What is NOT the moral of the story?

• Don't steal
• Look both ways before crossing the street
• There are always consequences for your actions
• Take time to slow down

A long time ago, a beautiful princess had many expensive dresses. She bragged about them to her friends. They got so tired of hearing about it that they stopped being friends with her. What is the theme?

• Always be polite
• Necessity is the mother of invention
• Friends can be found in unlikely places
• Don't brag; be modest

A long time ago there was a king who wanted nothing but gold. He made a wish that everything he touched would turn to gold. A fairy made his wish come true. However, all the food he tried to eat would turn to gold as soon as he touched. He starved and died. What lesson did he learn?

• All play and no work is never good
• Be careful what you wish for
• Treat others like you want to be treated
• What goes around comes around

There was once an ugly duckling. The other ducks laughed at her, and she felt ashamed. However, as she grew, they saw that she was not a duck at all. Instead, she grew into a beautiful swan. What is the moral of this story?

• Slow and sure wins the race
• Don't judge a book by its cover
• Don't be greedy
• Hard work pays off

Once, a frog jumped off an embankment into what he thought was a pond. There was not a pond down below, but instead a ditch. In this ditch lived a raccoon. He promptly ate the frog. What was the lesson?

• Don't leave your house
• Raccoons are evil
• Look before you leap
• Exploring can be fun

A lion was about to eat a mouse, but he pleaded with the lion to let me go. He promised that one day he would help the lion in return. Soon, hunters caught the lion in a trap. The mouse came and chewed through the ropes to set the lion free. What is the theme of this fable?

• Necessity is the mother of invention
• Don't steal
• All play and no work is never good
• Always treat others kindly, because you never know when you'll need their help

There was once a tiny fish that grew tired of being in a school of fish all the time. He picked a fight and told the others that he didn't need them. He swam away without the protection of the group and was eaten by a bigger fish. What is the moral?

• United we stand, divided we fall
• Slow and steady wins the race
• Don't count your chickens before they hatch
• Don't be greedy

What is a fable?

• a short story with characters, usually animals, that teaches a lesson
• a made-up story about gods and goddesses
• a story that is passed down from generation to generation
• a story filled with true events and facts

What man is credited with many of the fables told today?

• Odysseus
• Zeus
• No one knows
• Aesop

What type of fiction does NOT describe fables?

• folktales
• folklore
• science
• traditional literature