Section 180
The Ass and the Mule explained simply
Aesop's Fables by Aesop
Original excerpt
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A certain man who had an and a Mule loaded them both up one day and set out upon a journey. So long as the road was fairly level, the Ass got on very well: but by and by they came to a place among the hills where the road was very rough and steep, and the Ass was at his la...
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Public-domain original
A certain man who had an and a Mule loaded them both up one day
and set out upon a journey. So long as the road was fairly level, the
Ass got on very well: but by and by they came to a place among the
hills where the road was very rough and steep, and the Ass was at his
last gasp. So he begged the Mule to relieve him of a part of his load:
but the Mule refused. At last, from sheer weariness, the Ass stumbled
and fell down a steep place and was killed. The driver was in despair,
but he did the best he could: he added the Ass's load to the Mule's,
and he also flayed the Ass and put his skin on the top of the double
load. The Mule could only just manage the extra weight, and, as he
staggered painfully along, he said to himself, "I have only got what I
deserved: if I had been willing to help the Ass at first, I should not
now be carrying his load and his skin into the bargain."
Public-domain original text shown for study context. Underlined terms can be tapped for simple reader notes.
What happens here
A certain man who had an Ass and a Mule loaded them both up one day and set out upon a journey.
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.
- The Mule: A figure in the fable whose choice helps reveal the lesson.
Simple story version
A certain man who had an Ass and a Mule loaded them both up one day and set out upon a journey. So long as the road was fairly level, the Ass got on very well: but by and by they came to a place among the hills where the road was very rough and steep, and the Ass was at his last gasp.