What is a fable?
• a very short story
• teaches a moral or a practical lesson
about how to succeed in life.
• started as an early form of storytelling
• believed to have been originated in
India
• features animals, plants, and forces of
nature with human characteristics
• Story told by word of mouth from
generation to generation
Who was Aesop?
Aesop…
• a Greek slave
• a Greek story teller
• His stories were all oral and passed from generation to
generation by word of mouth
• He was a keen observer of both animals and people.
• Very little was know about his life since
records were not kept this early
• born – died : 620-660
The Tortoise and the Hare
http://www.umass.edu/aesop/fable.php?n=16
Think deeply about the text:
• What was the problem in this fable?
• What was the solution in this fable?
• What was the moral or life lesson learned?
“The Tortoise and the Hare”
The Characters:
The Tortoise
The Hare
The Problem:
The tortoise and the
hare are racing, but
hare is much faster.
The Solution:
The hare gets tired & stops for a
nap. The tortoise just keeps moving
along, and wins the race.
The Moral:
Slow and steady
wins the race.
The Boy Who Cried Wolf
An Aesop Fable
There once was a boy who kept watch over the village
sheep. He would often become bored and to amuse
himself he would call out, "Wolf! Wolf," although there
was no wolf about.
The villagers would stop what they were doing and run
to save the sheep from the wolf's jaw. Once they arrived
at the pasture, the boy just laughed. The naughty boy
played this joke over and over until the villagers grew
tired of him.
One day while the boy was watching the sheep, an
actual wolf did come into the field. The boy cried and
cried, "Wolf! Wolf!"
No one came. The wolf had a feast of sheep that day.
And the moral is…
• No one will believe a habitual (constant) liar
even when he is telling the truth.
Responding to Reading:
We respond to reading similarly to how we
writing about our math problem solving.
1) Restate the question
2) Give evidence/text examples
3) Write a concluding sentence that “disguises”
your opinion with “it seems” and adds your
voice as well!
Why did the boy “cry wolf”
when it was untrue?
(Restate the question)
The boy cried wolf while watching the sheep.
(Evidence)
For example, he cried wolf because he
was bored and wanted to amuse himself
while watching the sheep. He wanted attention
from the villagers.
(Concluding sentence)
Therefore, it seems like the boy cried wolf just for his own entertainment.
What is the moral of The Boy Who
Cried Wolf?
(Restate)
The moral of The Boy Who Cried Wolf was that
people who lie are often not believed nor
trusted by others.
(Evidence)
For example, the villagers didn’t believe the
boy’s real cry of wolf since he lied and tricked
them a couple of times before.
(Concluding sentence)
Therefore, it seems like dishonest people will definitely not be
trusted.
How do you think the villagers felt
after the boy tricked them?
In your reading binder, write out and
answer the question below, using
responding to reading format.
Why did the villagers ignore the
boy’s true cry for help?
The Lion and the Mouse
Ex Explain why the lion was angry
in the beginning of the fable.
Explain how the trapped lion felt
when he saw the mouse.
In your reading binder:
How did the mouse help the lion?
On an index card: What is the
moral of The Lion and the Mouse?
(Restate)
(Evidence)
(Concluding Sentence)