Section 197
The Mule explained simply
Aesop's Fables by Aesop
Original excerpt
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One morning a Mule, who had too much to eat and too little to do, began to think himself a very fine fellow indeed, and frisked about saying, "My father was undoubtedly a high-spirited horse and I take after him entirely." But very soon afterwards he was put into the harness a...
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Public-domain original
One morning a Mule, who had too much to eat and too little to do,
began to think himself a very fine fellow indeed, and frisked about
saying, "My father was undoubtedly a high-spirited horse and I take
after him entirely." But very soon afterwards he was put into the
harness and compelled to go a very long way with a heavy load behind
him. At the end of the day, exhausted by his unusual exertions, he
said dejectedly to himself, "I must have been mistaken about my
father; he can only have been an after all."
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What happens here
A short fable about The Mule 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 Mule: A figure in the fable whose choice helps reveal the lesson.
Simple story version
In simple terms, The Mule faces a small situation that reveals a larger lesson about behavior and consequences.