Section 233
The Dogs and the Fox explained simply
Aesop's Fables by Aesop
Original excerpt
Excerpt preview
Some Dogs once found a lion's skin, and were worrying it with their teeth. Just then a Fox came by, and said, "You think yourselves very brave, no doubt; but if that were a live lion you'd find his claws a good deal sharper than your teeth."
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Public-domain original
Some Dogs once found a lion's skin, and were worrying it with their
teeth. Just then a Fox came by, and said, "You think yourselves very
brave, no doubt; but if that were a live lion you'd find his claws a
good deal sharper than your teeth."
Public-domain original text shown for study context.
What happens here
Some Dogs once found a lion's skin, and were worrying it with their teeth.
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 Dogs: A figure in the fable whose choice helps reveal the lesson.
- The Fox: A figure in the fable whose choice helps reveal the lesson.
Simple story version
Some Dogs once found a lion's skin, and were worrying it with their teeth. Just then a Fox came by, and said, "You think yourselves very brave, no doubt; but if that were a live lion you'd find his claws a good deal sharper than your teeth."