Section 43
The Boy and the Snails explained simply
Aesop's Fables by Aesop
Original excerpt
Excerpt preview
A Farmer's Boy went looking for Snails, and, when he had picked up both his hands full, he set about making a fire at which to roast them; for he meant to eat them. When it got well alight and the Snails began to feel the heat, they gradually withdrew more and more into their shells with the...
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Public-domain original
A Farmer's Boy went looking for Snails, and, when he had picked up
both his hands full, he set about making a fire at which to roast
them; for he meant to eat them. When it got well alight and the Snails
began to feel the heat, they gradually withdrew more and more into
their shells with the hissing noise they always make when they do so.
When the Boy heard it, he said, "You abandoned creatures, how can you
find heart to whistle when your houses are burning?"
Public-domain original text shown for study context.
What happens here
A boy misunderstands the sound snails make while they are in danger.
Why this scene matters
This fable shows how people can misread others when they only see from their own position.
Characters in this scene
- Boy: A central figure in the fable’s conflict and lesson.
- the Snails: A central figure in the fable’s conflict and lesson.
Simple story version
A boy roasts snails and hears them hiss. He thinks they are cheerful, not suffering.