Section 65
The Dolphins, the Whales, and the Sprat explained simply
Aesop's Fables by Aesop
Original excerpt
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The Dolphins quarrelled with the Whales, and before very long they began fighting with one another. The battle was very fierce, and had lasted some time without any sign of coming to an end, when a Sprat thought that perhaps he could stop it; so he stepped in and tried to persuade them to give up fighting and...
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Public-domain original
The Dolphins quarrelled with the Whales, and before very long they
began fighting with one another. The battle was very fierce, and had
lasted some time without any sign of coming to an end, when a Sprat
thought that perhaps he could stop it; so he stepped in and tried to
persuade them to give up fighting and make friends. But one of the
Dolphins said to him contemptuously, "We would rather go on fighting
till we're all killed than be reconciled by a Sprat like you!"
Public-domain original text shown for study context.
What happens here
A tiny sprat tries to mediate a fight between much larger sea creatures.
Why this scene matters
This fable warns that advice may be rejected when the adviser has no standing with the people fighting.
Characters in this scene
- Dolphins: A central figure in the fable’s conflict and lesson.
- the Whales: A central figure in the fable’s conflict and lesson.
- the Sprat: A central figure in the fable’s conflict and lesson.
Simple story version
Dolphins and whales are fighting. A small sprat offers to settle the matter, but they dismiss him as too insignificant.