Section 184

The Ass and his Driver explained simply

Aesop's Fables by Aesop

Original excerpt

Excerpt preview

An was being driven down a mountain road, and after jogging along for a while sensibly enough he suddenly quitted the track and rushed to the edge of a precipice. He was just about to leap over the edge when his Driver caught hold of his tail and did his best to pull him b...

Read full original text in reading mode

Public-domain original

An was being driven down a mountain road, and after jogging along for a while sensibly enough he suddenly quitted the track and rushed to the edge of a precipice. He was just about to leap over the edge when his Driver caught hold of his tail and did his best to pull him back: but pull as he might he couldn't get the Ass to budge from the brink. At last he gave up, crying, "All right, then, get to the bottom your own way; but it's the way to sudden death, as you'll find out quick enough."

Public-domain original text shown for study context. Underlined terms can be tapped for simple reader notes.

What happens here

An Ass was being driven down a mountain road, and after jogging along for a while sensibly enough he suddenly quitted the track and rushed to the edge of a precipice.

Why this scene matters

This fable matters because it turns a common human habit into a short lesson about judgment and consequences.

Characters in this scene

The Ass: A figure in the fable whose choice helps reveal the lesson.
his Driver: A figure in the fable whose choice helps reveal the lesson.

Simple story version

An Ass was being driven down a mountain road, and after jogging along for a while sensibly enough he suddenly quitted the track and rushed to the edge of a precipice. He was just about to leap over the edge when his Driver caught hold of his tail and did his best to pull him back: but pull as he might he couldn't get the Ass to budge from the brink.