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Aesops Fables PDF
Aesops Fables PDF
Aesop’s Fables
Age 5 - 9
Aesop’s Fables
Primary literacy framework links 7 22: The Fox and the Stork 26
Generic activites for use with fables 9 24: The Goose that Laid the Golden Eggs 28
1: The Hare and the Tortoise 11 25: The Kid and the Wolf 29
2: The Frogs and the Ox 12 26: The Old Lion and the Fox 29
3: The Fox and the Crow 13 27: The Eagle and the Jackdaw 30
5: The Bundle of Sticks 14 29: The Goatherd and the Wild Goats 32
6: The Gnat and the Lion 15 30: The Dog in the Manger 33
7: The North Wind and the Sun 16 31: Androcles and the Lion 33
8: The Fox and the Grapes 16 32: The Dog and his Reflection 34
9: The Dog, the Cockerel and the Fox 17 33: The Heron and the Fish 35
10: The Miller, his Son and the Donkey 18 34: The Eagle and the Tortoise 36
11: The Wolf and the Heron 19 35: Town Mouse and Country Mouse 36
12: The Donkey in the Lion’s Skin 19 36: Belling the Cat 37
13: The Ant and the Grasshopper 20 37: The Too Fat Fox 38
14: Should this be The Vain Jackdaw? 21 38: The Rat and the Elephant 39
15: The Frogs who wanted a King 22 39: The Ant and the Dove 39
16: The Cat and the Mice 22 40: The Boy Who Cried Wolf 40
Aesop’s Fables
Aesop’s Fables
Aesop’s Fables
Aesop’s Fables
text, e.g. ‘you know her dad was lying be- Level 1
cause earlier she saw him take the letter’ In some reading, usually with support:
• comments make inferences and deduc- • comments on obvious features of lan-
tions based on textual evidence, e.g. in guage, e.g. rhyme and refrains, significant
drawing conclusions about a character’s words and phrases
feelings on the basis of their speech and Level 2
actions In some reading:
• some effective language choices noted,
AF4 - identify and comment on the struc- e.g. ‘”slimy” is a good word there’
ture and organisation of texts, including • some familiar patterns of language identi-
grammatical and presentational features fied, e.g. once upon a time; first, next,
at text level last
Level 3
Level 1 In most reading:
In some reading, usually with support: • a few basic features of writer’s use of lan-
• some awareness of meaning of simple text guage identified, but with little or no com-
features, e.g. font style, labels, titles ment, e.g. ‘there are lots of adjectives’ or
Level 2 ‘he uses speech marks to show there are
In some reading: lots of people there’
• some awareness of use of features of or- Level 4
ganisation, e.g. beginning and ending of Across a range of reading:
story, types of punctuation • some basic features of writer’s use of
Level 3 language identified, e.g. ‘all the questions
In most reading: make you want to find out what happens
• a few basic features of organisation at next’
text level identified, with little or no linked • simple comments on writer’s choices, e.g.
comment, e.g. ‘it tells about all the differ- ‘“disgraceful” is a good word to use to
ent things you can do at the zoo’ show he is upset’
Level 4 Level 5
Across a range of reading: Across a range of reading:
• some structural choices identified with • various features of writer’s use of lan-
simple comment, e.g. ‘he describes the guage identified, with some explanation,
accident first and then goes back to tell e.g. ‘when it gets to the climax they speak
you why the child was in the road’ in short sentences and quickly which
Level 5 makes it more tense’
Across a range of reading: • comments show some awareness of the
• comments on structural choices show effect of writer’s language choices, e.g.
some general awareness of author’s craft, ‘“inked up” is a good way of describing
e.g. ‘it tells you all things burglars can do how the blackberries go a bluey black col-
to your house and then the last section our as they ripen’
explains how the alarm protects you’
AF6 - identify and comment on writers’
AF5 - explain and comment on writers’ purposes and viewpoints, and the overall
use of language, including grammatical effect of the text on the reader
and literary features at word and sen-
tence level Level 1
In some reading, usually with support:
Aesop’s Fables
• some simple comments about preferences, AF7 – relate texts to their social, cultural
mostly linked to own experience and historical traditions
Level 2
In some reading: Level 1
• some awareness that writers have view- In some reading, usually with support:
points and purposes, e.g. ‘it tells you how • a few basic features of well-known story
to do something’, ‘she thinks it’s not fair’ and information texts distinguished, e.g.
• simple statements about likes and dislikes what typically happens to good and bad
in reading, sometimes with reasons characters, differences between type of
Level 3 text in which photos or drawing used
In most reading: Level 2
• comments identify main purpose, e.g. ‘the In some reading:
writer doesn’t like violence’ • general features of a few text types identi-
• express personal response but with little fied, e.g. information books, stories, print
awareness of writer’s viewpoint or effect media
on reader, e.g. ‘she was just horrible like Level 3
my nan is sometimes’ In most reading:
Level 4 • some simple connections between texts
Across a range of reading: identified, e.g. similarities in plot, topic, or
• main purpose identified, e.g. ‘it’s all about books by same author, about same char-
why going to the dentist is important and acters
how you should look after your teeth’ • recognition of some features of the con-
• simple comments show some awareness text of texts, e.g. historical setting, social
of writer’s viewpoint, e.g. ‘he only tells you or cultural background
good things about the farm and makes the Level 4
shop sound boring’ Across a range of reading:
• simple comment on overall effect on • features common to different texts or
reader, e.g. ‘the way she describes him as versions of the same text identified, with
“ratlike” and “shifty” makes you think he’s simple comment, e.g. characters, settings,
disgusting’ presentational features
Level 5 • simple comment on the effect that the
Across a range of reading: reader’s or writer’s context has on the
• main purpose clearly identified, often meaning of texts, e.g. historical context,
through general overview, e.g. ‘the writer place, social relationships
is strongly against war and wants to per- Level 5
suade the reader to agree’ Across a range of reading:
• viewpoint in texts clearly identified, with • comments identify similarities and differ-
some, often limited, explanation, e.g. ‘at ences between texts, or versions, with
the end he knows he’s done wrong and some explanation, e.g. narrative conven-
makes the snake sound attractive and tions in traditional tales or stories from dif-
mysterious’ ferent cultures, ballads, newspaper reports
• general awareness of effect on the reader, • some explanation of how the contexts in
with some, often limited, explanation, e.g. which texts are written and read contrib-
‘you’d be persuaded to sign up because ute to meaning, e.g. how historical context
25p a week doesn’t seem that much to influenced adverts or war reports from dif-
help someone see’ ferent times/places; or how a novel relates
to when/where it was written
Aesop’s Fables
Primary Literacy Framework Links pression, tone, volume and use of voices
and other sounds
These tales can be listened to and enjoyed in Y4
their own right and/or integrated into a unit • Tell stories effectively and convey detailed
of literacy. information coherently for listeners
Y5
As part of an ongoing unit of literacy, these • Tell a story using notes designed to cue
tales could be used to support the following techniques, such as repetition, recap and
Primary Literacy Framework units of work: humour
Aesop’s Fables
Aesop’s Fables
Select one of the characters in the freeze- The class sits in a circle and the teacher takes
frame and ask the child to begin the action on the role of one speaker in a conversation.
again, showing what happened next for that The whole class takes on the role of a single,
person, but moving slowly so that the rest of second speaker. The teacher begins the con-
the class, still ‘frozen’, has time to think not versation, talking to the ‘other person’ (the
only about what is happening but why. An- class) and any child can speak to continue the
other option is for the teacher or a child to dialogue. A common purpose is for the chil-
narrate the slow-motion action that is taking dren to find out some information from the
place for one character. first speaker or for them to give advice.
Aesop’s Fables
they have been using conscience alley to ex- • Identify features common to the different
plore two different sides of an argument. The fables, or versions of the same fable.
teacher introduces two or more characters • Take on the role of ‘Theatre Critics’ and
who are in some way connected with whatev- comment constructively on performances
er the situation is, and the class is able to lis- of the fables.
ten to a conversation they have. For example, • In pairs, create a dialogue for some or all
when the main character reaches the end of of a fable.
the conscience alley, the children all sit down
and ‘accidentally overhear’ the conversation Drama:
between two people walking along the road.
• Use drama as a ‘talk for writing’ strategy.
An overheard conversation often needs to Drama activities can be used to support
include specific information that impacts on discussion and oral/written outcomes of a
the situation. The teacher can ensure that the unit of work.
right information is included, by taking part in • Use drama techniques to promote discus-
the dialogue. sion about the fables and/or to prepare for
the writing of these/your own fables.
Conversations can also be overheard to pro- • Hot seat the characters. Video Conferenc-
vide a range of different viewpoints about the ing may be used to hot seat characters
same issue. across, or between, schools.
• Prepare and present a monologue in role.
Generic activities for use with any of • Play ‘Author’s Chair’. Take on the role of
the fables Aesop and answer questions in role.
• Orally tell and retell the story using props, • Make multiple copies of the transcript and
puppets, masks etc. use as a whole-class/guided reading text.
• In pairs/small groups, retell the story as • Additional suggestions for using the tran-
fast as you can. scripts include:
• Orally retell the story from the point of - Listen to the audio version alongside the
view of a different character, e.g. a minor transcript
character. - Read part of the story and predict what
• Play ‘Word Tennis’ – in pairs, retell the might happen next.
story one word at a time, each child say- - Chop up the text and rearrange in cor
ing the next word in the sentence. rect order
• Play ‘Who Am I?’ – take turns to provide - Compare and contrast the tales: settings
clues about one of the characters in a and characters, and investigate the lan-
story; the others have to guess who it is. guage used
• Listen to a fable and make brief notes - Take on the role of one or more of the
of the main events. Use as the basis for characters and write about them using
orally retelling or reinventing the story. infor mation that you have gathered
• Retell the story around a circle, each from reading the story.
member of the group adding the next • Find the real fable – note the differences
part. – why do you think the original fable has
• Research a fable and present the informa- been changed in this way?
tion to a specified audience.
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Aesop’s Fables
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Aesop’s Fables
• Cheering wakes up the hare, who races to 2: The Frogs and the Ox
catch up
• Tortoise finishes just in time Synopsis:
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Aesop’s Fables
• Don’t try to pretend to be something you Suggestions for use include: cues for oral
are not storytelling, support for storyboarding, story
• Don’t let pride blind you to reality planning/writing etc.
• If you are too big-headed it may be your
downfall • Fox smells cheese, and sees crow sitting in
the tree with it
Understanding, interpreting and • Fox tries, unsuccessfully, to get the crow
responding to texts: to come down from the tree
• Fox tries, unsuccessfully, to get the crow
• Why is the little frog so excited about see- to drop the cheese
ing the ‘monster’? • Fox flatters crow about its appearance
• Why does the little frog think the ox is a • Fox asks crow to sing, and crow does so,
monster? thereby dropping the cheese
• How does the mother frog forget her son’s • Fox eats the cheese
name?
• Why doesn’t the mother frog like to see Characters:
her son jiggling around?
• Why is it so difficult for the mother frog to • Fox; Crow
go to see the ‘monster’?
• What makes the mother frog blow up like Theme(s):
a balloon?
• What is the lesson that is the mother’s • Flattery
rather than Stanley’s? • Cunning
• Pride
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Aesop’s Fables
Synopsis: • Pride
• Cunning
There is a great competition amongst the
animals to be named King of the Beasts. Moral:
Each animal gets a chance to explain why
they should be King. Fox says that he should • Don’t take on a task without first thinking
be King because he is clever enough to about whether you can do it properly
know how to avoid traps laid by Man, but his
speech is boring. Monkey is chosen, because Understanding, interpreting and
he dances around and makes funny faces. responding to texts:
Fox does not like it that the silly Monkey has • Why don’t the animals choose the Fox to
been chosen as King ahead of him, so plays a be King?
trick. He takes Monkey into the forest, say- • What makes the animals choose Monkey?
ing that he wants to show him a present fit • Why does the Fox decide to give the Mon-
for a king. Fox shows Monkey beautiful, ripe key a present?
banana on the forest floor, and when Monkey • Why can’t the animals find their king?
runs to pick it up, he falls into a trap. • How does the Fox get the Monkey to give
up his crown?
Fox can help Monkey escape from the trap, • How does the Fox show that being clever
but will only do so if the Monkey agrees not is useful?
to be King. The other animals agree that the
King of Beasts should be clever enough not to
fall into traps. 5: The Bundle of Sticks
Suggestions for use include: cues for oral Mrs McKenzie has six sons, but they are
storytelling, support for storyboarding, story always fighting amongst themselves, which
planning/writing etc. makes it hard to get any work done.
• Fox speaks – his speech is clever but bor- She shows them the error of their ways by
ing asking each one in turn to snap a bundle of
• Monkey dances around and pulls faces – sticks in two. It is too difficult for any of them
he is chosen as King to snap the whole bundle, but when she un-
• Fox takes Monkey into the forest to give ties the bundle and gives them one stick each
him a present to snap, it is easy. The sons realise the value
• Monkey goes to grab the present, but falls of working together, and by doing so, win the
in a trap top prize in a building competition.
• Fox agrees to free Monkey if he agrees not
to be King Sequence of events:
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Aesop’s Fables
• Sons argue about where to dig a hole 6: The Gnat and the Lion
• Sons argue about the direction in which to
row a boat Synopsis:
• Sons argue about who will win the compe-
tition A gnat claims that he can outwit a lion, de-
• Each son in turn fails to snap the bundle of spite the disparity in their size and strength.
sticks When the lion attacks, the gnat jumps out of
• Each son snaps an individual stick when the way, buzzes around, and the flies up the
mother unties the bundle lion’s nose, where he begins to bite. The gnat
• Sons agree to enter the competition to- only stops biting when the lion agrees to call
gether it the King of the Beasts.
Theme(s):
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Aesop’s Fables
Moral: Characters:
• Don’t be over-confident – even if you think • Sun; North Wind; Young Man
you should succeed, you may not if you do
not put in sufficient effort Theme(s):
• Sun watches ships sailing One night the fox finds a bunch of juicy
• North wind rips up the sails of the ships grapes, which are just out of its reach. Even
• Sun challenges wind to contest of strength though the fox can normally get what it
• Wind tries, unsuccessfully, to blow the wants, on this occasion the grapes remain out
winter coat off young man of its reach. So, it pretends that it didn’t want
• By shining warmly, the sun gets the man them anyway, claiming that they would be
to remove his coat sour.
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Aesop’s Fables
• Why is the end of the day the fox’s favour- • Dog proposes adventure
ite time of day? • Dog reassures cockerel about foxes
• Which part of its appearance does the fox • Journey begins
like best, and why? • Friends find hollow tree as a place to sleep
• Why does the farmer shoo his ducks onto • Cockerel crows, attracting a fox
an island? • Fox tries to trick its way up the tree
• How do the geese make life difficult for the • Cockerel tricks fox into stumbling onto the
fox? dog
• Why can’t the fox eat the grapes? • Friends return home
• Why does the fox pretend it doesn’t want
the grapes? Characters:
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Aesop’s Fables
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Aesop’s Fables
Sequence of events:
12: The Donkey in the Lion’s Skin
Suggestions for use include: cues for oral
storytelling, support for storyboarding, story Synopsis:
planning/writing etc.
Tired of being laughed at by the other ani-
• Wolf finds and eats fish mals, a donkey wishes it was something else.
• Bone sticks in wolf’s throat, wolf is unable Its wish seems to be granted when it finds a
to dislodge it lion costume. When it puts it on, it starts to
• Wolf asks heron for help in removing bone inspire respect in the other animals. When
• Heron agrees to help on being promised it comes across a fox it becomes over-con-
reward fident, thinking it will sound like a lion of it
• Heron removes bone tries to roar. The resulting bray gives it away,
• Wolf states that not biting the heron’s and the fox pulls off its costume, making the
head off was its reward other animals laugh at the donkey again.
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Aesop’s Fables
• Donkey; Giraffe; Hippo; Crocodile; Fox Suggestions for use include: cues for oral
storytelling, support for storyboarding, story
Theme(s): planning/writing etc.
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Aesop’s Fables
• Don’t complain if you later need some- • Chief Jackdaw decides not to enter
thing you haven’t prepared • Young Jackdaw dresses up in other birds’
feathers
Understanding, interpreting and • Jackdaw’s borrowed feathers fall off, or are
responding to texts: ripped off
• Jackdaw is scorned by other Jackdaws
• Why doesn’t the grasshopper want to
work, like the ant is working? Characters:
• Why doesn’t the ant want to laze around,
like the grasshopper is doing? • King; Queen; Chief Jackdaw; Young Jack-
• Why is the ant dragging food to its nest? daw; Swan; ParrotPeacock
• When winter comes, how come the ant is
not starving like the grasshopper? Theme(s):
• Why won’t the ant share its food with the
grasshopper? • Pretending to be something you are not
• What do you think will happen to the • Appearances being deceptive
grasshopper next? • Vanity
Moral:
14: The Vain Jackdaw
• Don’t pretend to be something that you
Synopsis: are not
• Be confident in who you are
A king and queen cannot agree on which bird
is more beautiful, the peacock or the swan, Understanding, interpreting and
so they decide to hold a beauty competi- responding to texts:
tion. Unlike the other birds, the jackdaws are
not bothering to enter, because they know • Why is the bird beauty contest taking
they are not beautiful. However, one jackdaw place?
thinks he might be able to win by borrowing • For what reason does the Chief Jackdaw
feathers discarded by all the other birds. decide not to take part in the contest?
• How does the young Jackdaw manage to
When the competition comes, the strange but win the competition?
beautiful new bird does indeed win, but when • How is the Jackdaw’s identity revealed?
the feathers start to fall off, the jackdaw is • Why is the young Jackdaw ignored by the
recognised for who he is, and has the other other jackdaws?
feathers pulled off by the other birds. He is
humiliated, and subsequently ignored by the
other jackdaws.
Sequence of events:
21
Aesop’s Fables
22
Aesop’s Fables
• Cat hangs itself on the wall, pretending to The mouse pleads for its life by claiming that
be a sack one day it will be able to help the lion. The
• Mice are tempted to try again lion, finding this ridiculous thought very fun-
• Mice notice that the sack is not what it ny, lets the mouse go.
seems
The next day, the mouse is indeed able to
Characters: help the lion, who is trapped in a hunter’s
net. The mouse gnaws through the rope to
• Cat; Mighty Mouse; Mildred Mouse; Mini- save the lion, who thanks him and praises his
Mouse bravery.
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Aesop’s Fables
A songbird lives trapped in a cage outside the • Why does the hunter keep the bird caged?
cottage window of a hunter. The bird can sing • Why does the songbird only sing at night?
beautifully but never does so during daylight • For what reason is Fergus described as a
hours, having been caught by the hunter be- ‘really terrible hunter’?
cause of her song. The hunter wants the bird • What causes the bat to come and speak to
to sing for him, but during the day she pre- the songbird?
tends to be asleep, only singing at night. • What does the bat think is wrong with the
songbird’s plan?
One night a bat flies past and asks the bird
why she only sings at night. She explains that
this is her plan not to get caught by a hunter 19: The Fox and the Goat
again. The bat responds that there’s no use
following this plan now that she’s already Synopsis:
been caught.
A fox is running along one day. Not looking
Sequence of events: where it is going, it falls down a well, and
cannot climb out. When a goat sticks its head
Suggestions for use include: cues for oral over the side of the well, and asks the fox
storytelling, support for storyboarding, story what it is doing, the fox realises this is its
planning/writing etc. chance to escape.
• Bird refuses to sing during the day Claiming that the water is the best in the
• Hunter complains to bird about lack of world, the fox invites the goat to come down
song and share it. The goat, feeling thirsty, does
• Bird sings sweetly at night so, and enjoys a drink, but then realises that
• Conversation between bat and bird she too can’t climb out. The fox climbs on the
goat’s back and manages to get out.
Characters:
Sequence of events:
• Songbird; Hunter (Fergus Fowler); Bat
Suggestions for use include: cues for oral
storytelling, support for storyboarding, story
planning/writing etc.
24
Aesop’s Fables
20: The Lion and the Elephant • Don’t let yourself be afraid of something
for no good reason
Synopsis:
Understanding, interpreting and
A lion is awoken each morning by the crowing responding to texts:
of a cockerel. The lion comes to be afraid of
the noise of the cock’s crow, and is ashamed • How does the lion come to be afraid of the
of himself for this, given that he is so big. cock’s crow?
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Aesop’s Fables
Moral:
21: The Crow and the Pitcher
• Take the time to think through a problem
Synopsis: and you might find a solution
26
Aesop’s Fables
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Aesop’s Fables
into the tree 24: The Goose that Laid the Golden
• Man on the ground plays dead Eggs
• Bear refuses to eat supposedly dead meat
• Man on the ground expresses anger at Synopsis:
boastful man who climbed tree
A farmer has fallen into poverty and is starv-
Characters: ing. He had been rich, having inherited the
farm and many possessions, but sold them all
• Friend #1 - the man who is worried about to avoid having to work. Now he only has one
meeting a bear; Friend #2 - the man who goose, which he plans also to sell. However,
claims to be able to fight them; Bear the goose lays a golden egg, which the farm-
er is able to sell for a lot of money.
Theme(s):
Further golden eggs follow, and the farmer
• Friendship becomes rich again. Consumed with greed,
• Cowardice the farmer wants to get all the golden eggs
• Empty boasting at once, and cuts the goose open to get at
them. There are no eggs there, and now that
Moral: the goose is dead, no more eggs to come.
The farmer is soon poor again.
• A friend who does not help you when you
are in trouble is not a true friend Sequence of events:
Understanding, interpreting and Suggestions for use include: cues for oral
responding to texts: storytelling, support for storyboarding, story
planning/writing etc.
• Why is one of the travellers reluctant to go
into the forest? • Farmer sells off all possessions except
• How does the second traveller persuade goose
his friend that there is no need to be • Goose lays golden egg
scared of bears? • Farmer regains wealth thanks to golden
• Why don’t both men climb the tree to es- eggs
cape the bear? • Farmer cuts open goose in an unsuccess-
• Why doesn’t the bear eat the man on the ful attempt to have all the golden eggs at
ground? once
• How is it that the bear appears to whisper • Farmer ends up with nothing, having killed
in the man’s ear? the goose
• What gives one friend cause to be angry at
the other? Characters:
Theme(s):
• Greed / avarice
• Being thankful for what you have
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Aesop’s Fables
Suggestions for use include: cues for oral 26: The Old Lion and the Fox
storytelling, support for storyboarding, story
planning/writing etc. Synopsis:
• Mother goat warns kid not to eat at the A lion has grown so old that it can no longer
edge of the field catch its prey. It comes up with the idea of
• Kid eats at edge of field anyway using trickery, claiming to be sick, then catch-
• Kid left along in field ing animals that show sympathy and come to
• Kid encounters wolf help, and putting them in a sack to eat later.
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Aesop’s Fables
A fox does not fall for the lion’s trick, notic- • What trick does the fox play on the lion?
ing that tracks lead into the lion’s den but not
out again. Instead, it gets the lion to close
its eyes, then steals the sack. The fox frees 27: The Eagle and the Jackdaw
the animals that were caught in the sack, and
advises them to be more careful in future. Synopsis:
• Lion is old and unable to catch its prey The male jackdaw then watches an eagle fly
• Lion catches a bird by claiming to be sick, off with a lamb which had become separated
putting it in a sack from a nearby flock. He thinks he will prove
• Lion tries same trick with a monkey, and his worth to his wife by doing something
puts this in the sack similar, but tries to fly off with the prize ram
• Lion tries same trick with fox, but fox runs rather than a lamb. Unable to lift the ram,
away with sack his talons get tangled in the wool, and he is
• Fox frees the trapped animals caught by the shepherd, who clips his wings
to stop him causing more trouble. Both the
Characters: shepherd and the jackdaw’s wife ridicule it for
trying to behave like an eagle.
• Old Lion; Bird; Monkey; Fox
Sequence of events:
Theme(s):
Suggestions for use include: cues for oral
• Trickery storytelling, support for storyboarding, story
• Cunning planning/writing etc.
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Aesop’s Fables
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Aesop’s Fables
29: The Goatherd and the Wild Goats • Sherpa; Other wild goats; Goatherd; Tame
goats
Synopsis:
Theme(s):
A herd of wild goats, with a wise leader called
Sherpa, are often hungry and cold. Sherpa • Fair and equal treatment
observes a flock of tame goats being tended • Friendship
by a goatherd, and provided with food and a
warm sleeping place. Following Sherpa’s plan, Moral:
the wild goats join the flock so that they too
can have food and warmth. • Don’t neglect your old friends in favour of
new ones
The goatherd notices that the wild goats have
joined the flock, but is pleased because he Understanding, interpreting and
will have more milk and cheese to sell. He responding to texts:
looks after the new goats to try and ensure
that they stay with him, but in doing so ne- • How is the life of a wild goat different from
glects the goats he had already. Sherpa is that of a tame one?
concerned that he will neglect the wild goats • Why does Sherpa suggest that the wild
similarly, should more new goats come along, goats should join the tame ones?
so when spring arrives, the wild goats leave. • Why does the goatherd not mind having
the wild goats in the flock?
The goatherd is angry, but Sherpa points out • Why does the goatherd treat the wild
that he should have treated all of his goats goats more kindly than the tame ones?
fairly. • Why does Sherpa think that the wild goats
should not stay with the tame ones?
Sequence of events: • How do the wild goats escape?
• Why is the goatherd angry? Does he have
Suggestions for use include: cues for oral any right to be angry?
storytelling, support for storyboarding, story
planning/writing etc.
32
Aesop’s Fables
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Aesop’s Fables
Synopsis: Moral:
Patch the dog lives on a farm. He is cute as a • Be thankful for what you have
puppy, but grows up into a fierce and badly- • If you are too greedy you risk losing what
behaved dog. He bullies the other dogs and you already have
steals their food. One day he steals the joint
of meat from the farmer’s table and runs
away with it.
34
Aesop’s Fables
Understanding, interpreting and any fish, thinking those that come not to
responding to texts: be good enough for him
• Heron ends up with nothing to eat
• How does Patch come to be known simply
as Bad Dog? Characters:
• In what ways is Bad Dog bad?
• How does Bad Dog bully the other dogs on • Heron; Otter; Water vole; Kingfisher
the farm?
• Why does Bad Dog run away from the Theme(s):
farm?
• Why is Bad Dog wrong to think he has met • Thinking yourself better than you are
another dog on the bridge? • Pride coming before a fall
• How does Bad Dog lose the piece of meat? • Greed
• Fussiness
35
Aesop’s Fables
The eagle comes down and offers to teach • Do not promise what you can’t deliver
Tod to fly. Tod promises the eagle anything
it wants in return. Up in the sky, the Eagle Understanding, interpreting and
demands Milly Mouse, who it wants to eat. responding to texts:
When Tod is unwilling to betray his friend, the
Eagle drops him. However, Tod lands in a pile • Why does Tod struggle to get any food in
of lettuce leaves which his friends in the gar- the garden?
den had stacked up to save him. Tod realises • Why does Tod think he would like to fly?
that he is happy as himself. • Why does the Eagle offer to help Tod to
fly?
Sequence of events: • What does the Eagle ask for in return from
Tod, and why?
Suggestions for use include: cues for oral • Why does the Eagle drop Tod?
storytelling, support for storyboarding, story • How does Tod manage to survive his fall?
planning/writing etc.
• Tod struggles to get any scraps in the gar- 35: The Town Mouse and the Country
den Mouse
• Milly brings him some lettuce
• Tod expresses desire to fly Synopsis:
• Eagle offers to teach Tod to fly
• Tod offers eagle anything it wants in re- Town Mouse visits his cousin in the coun-
turn try. Country Mouse has collected lots of food
• Eagle takes Tod up into the air ready for the visit, but Town Mouse turns his
• Eagle demands Milly Mouse in return for nose up at it. Town Mouse claims that the
the flying lesson food and lifestyle in town is much better, so
• Eagle drops Tod when he refuses to give Country Mouse agrees to travel back with
Milly away him.
• Tod lands in pile of lettuce leaves and is
saved Country Mouse finds out that the house where
Town Mouse lives is indeed warm and com-
Characters: fortable and full of beautiful food. However, it
is also full of people, one of whom wants to
• Tod Tortoise; Milly Mouse; Racy Rabbit; suck the mice up in a vacuum cleaner. De-
Old Mrs Mumbles; Eagle spite the luxurious food, Country Mouse runs
back to his home, where he can eat in safety.
Theme(s):
Sequence of events:
• Friendship
• Being content with the simple things in life Suggestions for use include: cues for oral
• Unrealistic aspiration storytelling, support for storyboarding, story
planning/writing etc.
Moral:
• Town Mouse travels to the country
• Learn to love yourself for what you are • Country Mouse prepares for his cousin’s
• Be content with what you have visit
• Be careful what you wish for • Town Mouse scorns the surroundings and
36
Aesop’s Fables
• Town Mouse; Country Mouse; Chef and The mice have a meeting to discuss the mat-
Servants ter. They agree that the problem is that cat’s
ability to sneak up on them unheard. A young
Theme(s): mouse proposes a plan to tie a bell around
the cat’s neck. All the mice agree that this is
• Simplicity and safety as preferable to a great plan, until they find that none of them
luxury and danger wants to take on the task of placing the bell
• The simple things in life can be the best on the cat.
• Putting on airs and graces
• Happiness and security as preferable to Sequence of events:
material possessions
Suggestions for use include: cues for oral
Moral: storytelling, support for storyboarding, story
planning/writing etc.
• Be thankful for what you have
• Be careful what you wish for • Mice live happily, unmolested by old cat
• Material possessions are not everything • New cat arrives
• Mice start disappearing, caught by the
Understanding, interpreting and new cat
responding to texts: • Mice hold a meeting to discuss the cat
• Solution of ‘belling the cat’ is proposed
• How would you summarise the differences • A suitable bell is found
between Town Mouse and Country Mouse? • No mouse volunteers to place the bell on
• Why does Town Mouse not want the food the cat
that Country Mouse offers?
• Why does Country Mouse travel into town? Characters:
• How come all the nice food is available to
the mice in town? • Old Cat; Young Cat; Old Mouse; Young
• What is the noise that scares Country Mouse; Other Mice
Mouse?
• Why do the mice have to run away under Theme(s):
the floorboards?
• Why does Country Mouse choose to go • Unrealistic aspirations
home? • Bravery
37
Aesop’s Fables
Sequence of events:
38
Aesop’s Fables
• Rat; Cat; Elephant; Townspeople; King A dove helps the ant to safety by helping him
climb on to a leaf, and disappears before the
ant can thank her. However, the ant is able
to return the favour when two hunters come
39
Aesop’s Fables
with the aim of catching the dove. He bites • Why does the ant bite the feet of the hunt-
the feet of the hunters, preventing them from ers?
catching the doves and causing them to run
away.
40: The Boy who Cried Wolf
Sequence of events:
Synopsis:
Suggestions for use include: cues for oral
storytelling, support for storyboarding, story A boy has the job of protecting a flock of
planning/writing etc. sheep from wolves. If a wolf comes, he is to
ring a bell and cry out “wolf”, so that the men
• Ant, dying of thirst, decides to risk drink- from the village will come with their guns. Af-
ing from the river ter a few days with no wolf, the boy is getting
• Ant swept away by water bored, so he pretends that a wolf is attack-
• Ant is saved by a dove, who helps it climb ing. The men come running, and praise the
on to a leaf boy even when they find no wolf, believing his
• Ant sees hunters preparing to catch the story of the wolf having run off.
dove
• Ant bites the hunters’ feet to save the The boy enjoys the attention, so repeats the
dove trick. This time he is not praised – the men
do not believe that there was a wolf. When a
Characters: wolf really does attack, and the boy rings his
bell and cries “wolf”, the men do not come,
• Dove; Ant; Hunters thinking that he is playing the trick again. The
wolf takes one of the fattest sheep.
Theme(s):
Sequence of events:
• Mutual kindness and favours
• Size not necessarily equating to effective- Suggestions for use include: cues for oral
ness storytelling, support for storyboarding, story
planning/writing etc.
Moral:
• Boy takes job watching over sheep
• Do someone a good turn and they may do • Boy becomes bored, and pretends a wolf
the same for you in return is attacking
• One good turn deserves another • The villagers come, and the boy is praised
for saving the sheep
Understanding, interpreting and • Boy pretends a wolf is attacking again
responding to texts: • The villagers come, but do not believe that
a wolf was attacking
• Why is it dangerous for the ant to drink • A wolf really does attack
from the river? • The villagers do not come, so a sheep is
• Why does the ant need to drink from the eaten
river?
• How does the ant manage to get out of Characters:
the river?
• Why are hunters trying to catch the dove? • Boy; Shepherd; Villagers
40