Section 87
The Kid on the Housetop explained simply
Aesop's Fables by Aesop
Original excerpt
Excerpt preview
A Kid climbed up on to the roof of an outhouse, attracted by the gr and other things that grew in the thatch; and as he stood there browsing away, he caught sight of a Wolf passing below, and jeered at him because he couldn't reach him. The Wolf only looked up and said, "I hear you, my...
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Public-domain original
A Kid climbed up on to the roof of an outhouse, attracted by the
gr and other things that grew in the thatch; and as he stood there
browsing away, he caught sight of a Wolf passing below, and jeered at
him because he couldn't reach him. The Wolf only looked up and said,
"I hear you, my young friend; but it is not you who mock me, but the
roof on which you are standing."
Public-domain original text shown for study context. Underlined terms can be tapped for simple reader notes.
What happens here
A young goat insults a wolf only because he is safely on a roof.
Why this scene matters
This fable shows that borrowed safety can make people falsely brave.
Characters in this scene
- Kid on the Housetop: A central figure in the fable’s conflict and lesson.
Simple story version
The kid mocks the wolf from a rooftop. The wolf knows the courage comes from the roof, not the kid.