Section 276
The Hawk, the Kite, and the Pigeons explained simply
Aesop's Fables by Aesop
Original excerpt
Excerpt preview
The Pigeons in a certain dovecote were persecuted by a Kite, who every now and then swooped down and carried off one of their number. So they invited a Hawk into the dovecote to defend them against their enemy. But they soon repented of their folly: for the Hawk killed more of...
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Public-domain original
The Pigeons in a certain dovecote were persecuted by a Kite, who every
now and then swooped down and carried off one of their number. So they
invited a Hawk into the dovecote to defend them against their enemy.
But they soon repented of their folly: for the Hawk killed more of
them in a day than the Kite had done in a year.
Public-domain original text shown for study context.
What happens here
The Pigeons in a certain dovecote were persecuted by a Kite, who every now and then swooped down and carried off one of their number.
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 Hawk: A figure in the fable whose choice helps reveal the lesson.
- The Kite: A figure in the fable whose choice helps reveal the lesson.
- The Pigeons: A figure in the fable whose choice helps reveal the lesson.
Simple story version
The Pigeons in a certain dovecote were persecuted by a Kite, who every now and then swooped down and carried off one of their number. So they invited a Hawk into the dovecote to defend them against their enemy.