Section 169
The Flea and the Ox explained simply
Aesop's Fables by Aesop
Original excerpt
Excerpt preview
A Flea once said to an Ox, "How comes it that a big strong fellow like you is content to serve mankind, and do all their hard work for them, while I, who am no bigger than you see, live on their bodies and drink my fill of their blood, and never do a stroke for it all?" To whi...
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Public-domain original
A Flea once said to an Ox, "How comes it that a big strong fellow like
you is content to serve mankind, and do all their hard work for them,
while I, who am no bigger than you see, live on their bodies and drink
my fill of their blood, and never do a stroke for it all?" To which
the Ox replied, "Men are very kind to me, and so I am grateful to
them: they feed and house me well, and every now and then they show
their fondness for me by patting me on the head and neck." "They'd pat
me, too," said the Flea, "if I let them: but I take good care they
don't, or there would be nothing left of me."
Public-domain original text shown for study context.
What happens here
A short fable about The Flea and The Ox shows how choices, assumptions, or desires can lead to consequences.
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 Flea: A figure in the fable whose choice helps reveal the lesson.
- The Ox: A figure in the fable whose choice helps reveal the lesson.
Simple story version
In simple terms, The Flea and The Ox face a small situation that reveals a larger lesson about behavior and consequences.