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The Aesop for Children

by Aesop (1888–1956)

  • Free to read
  • 2 hours to read
  • 147 chapters
  • Reading level: 6th grade

"The Aesop for Children" by Aesop is a collection of fables intended for a young audience, likely compiled in the early 20th century. This timeless work presents a series of moral tales that convey important life lessons through engaging animal characters and their adventures. Each fable typically concludes with a succinct moral that imparts wisdom on human nature and behavior. At the start of this fable collection, several stories are introduced, including that of a little Kid who, despite being left alone and terrified of a Wolf, cleverly asks the Wolf to play a tune to enjoy his last moments. The opening segment illustrates the themes of foolishness and consequences through various characters: the Kid's arrogance and resulting peril, the Tortoise's longing for adventure that leads to disaster, and the Young Crab's inability to offer sound advice to his mother due to their shared inability to walk straight. Through these narratives, readers are encouraged to reflect on the morals of humility, the dangers of vanity, and the importance of leading by example.

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  • Folklore
  • Fables
  • Aesop's fables · Adaptations

Read the opening

The Tortoise and the Ducks

The Tortoise, you know, carries his house on his back. No matter how hard he tries, he cannot leave home. They say that Jupiter punished him so, because he was such a lazy stay-at-home that he would not go to Jupiter's wedding, even when especially invited.

After many years, Tortoise began to wish he had gone to that wedding. When he saw how gaily the birds flew about and how the Hare and the Chipmunk and all the other animals ran nimbly by, always eager to see everything there was to be seen, the Tortoise felt very sad and discontented. He wanted to see the world too, and there he was with a house on his back and little short legs that could hardly drag him along.

One day he met a pair of Ducks and told them all his trouble.

"We can help you to see the world," said the Ducks. "Take hold of this stick with your teeth and we will carry you far up in the air where you can see the whole countryside. But keep quiet or you will be sorry."

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Contents

Show all 147 chapters
  1. Front Matter
  2. The Tortoise and the Ducks
  3. The Young Crab and His Mother
  4. The Frogs and the Ox
  5. The Dog, the Cock, and the Fox
  6. Belling the Cat
  7. The Eagle and the Jackdaw
  8. The Boy and the Filberts
  9. Hercules and the Wagoner
  10. The Kid and the Wolf
  11. The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse
  12. The Fox and the Grapes
  13. The Bundle of Sticks
  14. The Wolf and the Crane
  15. The Ass and His Driver
  16. The Oxen and the Wheels
  17. The Lion and the Mouse
  18. The Shepherd Boy and the Wolf
  19. The Gnat and the Bull
  20. The Plane Tree
  21. The Farmer and the Stork
  22. The Sheep and the Pig
  23. The Travelers and the Purse
  24. The Lion and the Ass
  25. The Frogs Who Wished for a King
  26. The Owl and the Grasshopper
  27. The Wolf and His Shadow
  28. The Oak and the Reeds
  29. The Rat and the Elephant
  30. The Boys and the Frogs
  31. The Crow and the Pitcher
  32. The Ants and the Grasshopper
  33. The Ass Carrying the Image
  34. A Raven and a Swan
  35. The Two Goats
  36. The Ass and the Load of Salt
  37. The Lion and the Gnat
  38. The Leap at Rhodes
  39. The Cock and the Jewel
  40. The Monkey and the Camel
  41. The Wild Boar and the Fox
  42. The Ass, the Fox, and the Lion
  43. The Birds, the Beasts, and the Bat
  44. The Lion, the Bear, and the Fox
  45. The Wolf and the Lamb
  46. The Wolf and the Sheep
  47. The Hares and the Frogs
  48. The Fox and the Stork
  49. The Travelers and the Sea
  50. The Wolf and the Lion
  51. The Stag and His Reflection
  52. The Peacock
  53. The Mice and the Weasels
  54. The Wolf and the Lean Dog
  55. The Fox and the Lion
  56. The Lion and the Ass
  57. The Dog and His Master's Dinner
  58. The Vain Jackdaw and His Borrowed Feathers
  59. The Monkey and the Dolphin
  60. The Wolf and the Ass
  61. The Monkey and the Cat
  62. The Dogs and the Fox
  63. The Dogs and the Hides
  64. The Rabbit, the Weasel, and the Cat
  65. The Bear and the Bees
  66. The Fox and the Leopard
  67. The Heron
  68. The Cock and the Fox
  69. The Dog in the Manger
  70. The Wolf and the Goat
  71. The Ass and the Grasshoppers
  72. The Mule
  73. The Fox and the Goat
  74. The Cat, the Cock, and the Young Mouse
  75. The Wolf and the Shepherd
  76. The Peacock and the Crane
  77. The Farmer and the Cranes
  78. The Farmer and His Sons
  79. The Two Pots
  80. The Goose and the Golden Egg
  81. The Fighting Bulls and the Frog
  82. The Mouse and the Weasel
  83. The Farmer and the Snake
  84. The Sick Stag
  85. The Goatherd and the Wild Goats
  86. The Spendthrift and the Swallow
  87. The Cat and the Birds
  88. The Dog and the Oyster
  89. The Astrologer
  90. Three Bullocks and a Lion
  91. Mercury and the Woodman
  92. The Frog and the Mouse
  93. The Fox and the Crab
  94. The Serpent and the Eagle
  95. The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing
  96. The Bull and the Goat
  97. The Eagle and the Beetle
  98. The Old Lion and the Fox
  99. The Man and the Lion
  100. The Ass and the Lap Dog
  101. The Milkmaid and Her Pail
  102. The Wolf and the Shepherd
  103. The Goatherd and the Goat
  104. The Miser
  105. The Wolf and the House Dog
  106. The Fox and the Hedgehog
  107. The Bat and the Weasels
  108. The Quack Toad
  109. The Fox Without a Tail
  110. The Mischievous Dog
  111. The Rose and the Butterfly
  112. The Cat and the Fox
  113. The Boy and the Nettle
  114. The Old Lion
  115. The Fox and the Pheasants
  116. Two Travelers and a Bear
  117. The Porcupine and the Snakes
  118. The Fox and the Monkey
  119. The Mother and the Wolf
  120. The Flies and the Honey
  121. The Eagle and the Kite
  122. The Stag, the Sheep, and the Wolf
  123. The Animals and the Plague
  124. The Shepherd and the Lion
  125. The Dog and His Reflection
  126. The Hare and the Tortoise
  127. The Bees and Wasps, and the Hornet
  128. The Lark and Her Young Ones
  129. The Cat and the Old Rat
  130. The Fox and the Crow
  131. The Ass and Its Shadow
  132. The Miller, His Son, and the Ass
  133. The Ant and the Dove
  134. The Man and the Satyr
  135. The Wolf, the Kid, and the Goat
  136. The Swallow and the Crow
  137. Jupiter and the Monkey
  138. The Lion, the Ass, and the Fox
  139. The Lion's Share
  140. The Mole and His Mother
  141. The North Wind and the Sun
  142. The Hare and His Ears
  143. The Wolves and the Sheep
  144. The Cock and the Fox
  145. The Ass in the Lion's Skin
  146. The Fisherman and the Little Fish
  147. The Fighting Cocks and the Eagle

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About this edition

This free edition of The Aesop for Children by Aesop comes from Project Gutenberg eBook #19994, released 2006-12-02. It is in the public domain in the United States, so you can read it here in full at no cost, on any phone, tablet or computer. Genre: Children & Young Adult Reading, Mythology, Legends & Folklore.

Summary provided by Project Gutenberg (automatically generated).

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