Section 162
The Ass, the Cock, and the Lion explained simply
Aesop's Fables by Aesop
Original excerpt
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An and a Cock were in a cattle-pen together. Presently a Lion, who had been starving for days, came along and was just about to fall upon the Ass and make a meal of him when the Cock, rising to his full height and flapping his wings vigorously, uttered a tremendous crow. N...
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Public-domain original
An and a Cock were in a cattle-pen together. Presently a Lion, who
had been starving for days, came along and was just about to fall
upon the Ass and make a meal of him when the Cock, rising to his full
height and flapping his wings vigorously, uttered a tremendous crow.
Now, if there is one thing that frightens a Lion, it is the crowing of
a Cock: and this one had no sooner heard the noise than he fled.
The Ass was mightily elated at this, and thought that, if the Lion
couldn't face a Cock, he would be still less likely to stand up to an
Ass: so he ran out and pursued him. But when the two had got well out
of sight and hearing of the Cock, the Lion suddenly turned upon the
Ass and ate him up.
False confidence often leads to disaster.
Public-domain original text shown for study context. Underlined terms can be tapped for simple reader notes.
What happens here
An Ass and a Cock were in a cattle-pen together.
Why this scene matters
This fable matters because it turns the lesson “False confidence often leads to disaster.” into a compact story about everyday judgment.
Characters in this scene
- The Ass: A figure in the fable whose choice helps reveal the lesson.
- The Cock: A figure in the fable whose choice helps reveal the lesson.
- The Lion: A figure in the fable whose choice helps reveal the lesson.
Simple story version
An Ass and a Cock were in a cattle-pen together. Presently a Lion, who had been starving for days, came along and was just about to fall upon the Ass and make a meal of him when the Cock, rising to his full height and flapping his wings vigorously, uttered a tremendous crow.