Section 250
The Farmer and his Dogs explained simply
Aesop's Fables by Aesop
Original excerpt
Excerpt preview
A Farmer was snowed up in his farmstead by a severe storm, and was unable to go out and procure provisions for himself and his family. So he first killed his sheep and used them for food; then, as the storm still continued, he killed his goats; and, last of all, as the weather...
Read full original text in reading mode
Public-domain original
A Farmer was snowed up in his farmstead by a severe storm, and was
unable to go out and procure provisions for himself and his family. So
he first killed his sheep and used them for food; then, as the storm
still continued, he killed his goats; and, last of all, as the weather
showed no signs of improving, he was compelled to kill his oxen and
eat them. When his Dogs saw the various animals being killed and eaten
in turn, they said to one another, "We had better get out of this or
we shall be the next to go!"
Public-domain original text shown for study context.
What happens here
A Farmer was snowed up in his farmstead by a severe storm, and was unable to go out and procure provisions for himself and his family.
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 Farmer: A figure in the fable whose choice helps reveal the lesson.
- his Dogs: A figure in the fable whose choice helps reveal the lesson.
Simple story version
A Farmer was snowed up in his farmstead by a severe storm, and was unable to go out and procure provisions for himself and his family. So he first killed his sheep and used them for food; then, as the storm still continued, he killed his goats; and, last of all, as the weather showed no signs of improving, he was compelled to kill his oxen and eat them.