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Explore short stories that use animals to teach us important lessons about life.
Have you ever seen a fox wearing a vest or a turtle who talks? In the world of fables, animals do amazing things to teach us how to be better people!
A fable is a very short story that teaches us a lesson. Most fables have been told for thousands of years! They are like a 'recipe' with three main ingredients. First, they are very short. Second, the characters are usually animals. Third, they always end with a moral. A moral is the 'big idea' or the lesson the story wants you to learn, like 'always tell the truth' or 'be kind to others.' If a story has animal and lesson, it is often a fable!
Quick Check
What do we call the special lesson at the end of a fable?
Answer
The moral.
In fables, animals don't just act like animals. They act like humans! This is called personification. A lion might be a king who feels proud. A mouse might be a brave friend who says 'thank you.' When an animal talks, wears clothes, or has human feelings, they are acting like us. This helps us see our own behavior in the story. Usually, there are only or characters in a fable so we can focus on the lesson.
1. The Hare is a fast animal who is very boastful (acting like a proud human). 2. The Tortoise is a slow animal who is very hard-working. 3. They have a race. 4. The Hare takes a nap because he is overconfident. 5. The Tortoise wins because he never stops!
Quick Check
If a bear in a story is wearing a hat and talking to a squirrel, is he acting like a bear or a human?
Answer
He is acting like a human.
How can you tell a fable apart from a regular story? A regular story might just be about a dog playing fetch in the park. That is a realistic story. But a fable feels like a puzzle. In a regular story, a character might just have a fun day. In a fable, the character's choices lead directly to a moral. If the story is short, has talking animals, and teaches a lesson, you have found a fable!
1. A Lion catches a Mouse but decides to let him go. 2. Later, the Lion gets caught in a hunter's net. 3. The Mouse chews the ropes to set the Lion free. 4. The Moral: No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.
1. A boy is bored and shouts 'Wolf!' to trick the villagers. 2. The villagers run to help, but there is no wolf. 3. He does this times. 4. When a real wolf comes, he shouts for help, but no one comes because they think he is lying. 5. The Moral: Liars are not believed even when they speak the truth.
What is the main goal of a fable?
Which of these is a sign that a story is a fable?
A story about a cat eating its dinner and then taking a nap is a fable.
Review Tomorrow
In 24 hours, try to remember the three 'ingredients' of a fable: Short, Animals, and a Moral.
Practice Activity
Try this on your own: Pick your favorite animal and imagine it is wearing a school backpack. What lesson could that animal teach a friend?