Section 51
The Farmer and His Sons explained simply
Aesop's Fables by Aesop
Original excerpt
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A Farmer, being at death's door, and desiring to impart to his Sons a secret of much moment, called them round him and said, "My sons, I am shortly about to die; I would have you know, therefore, that in my vineyard there lies a hidden treasure. Dig, and you will find it." As soon as their father...
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Public-domain original
A Farmer, being at death's door, and desiring to impart to his Sons a
secret of much moment, called them round him and said, "My sons, I am
shortly about to die; I would have you know, therefore, that in my
vineyard there lies a hidden treasure. Dig, and you will find it." As
soon as their father was dead, the Sons took spade and fork and turned
up the soil of the vineyard over and over again, in their search for
the treasure which they supposed to lie buried there. They found none,
however: but the vines, after so thorough a digging, produced a crop
such as had never before been seen.
Public-domain original text shown for study context.
What happens here
A farmer makes his sons dig the vineyard, and the work itself becomes the treasure.
Why this scene matters
This fable teaches that effort can be the hidden inheritance.
Characters in this scene
- Farmer: A central figure in the fable’s conflict and lesson.
- Sons: A central figure in the fable’s conflict and lesson.
Simple story version
A dying farmer says treasure is buried in the vineyard. His sons dig everywhere and make the vines fruitful.