Section 216
The Pig and the Sheep explained simply
Aesop's Fables by Aesop
Original excerpt
Excerpt preview
A Pig found his way into a meadow where a flock of Sheep were grazing. The shepherd caught him, and was proceeding to carry him off to the butcher's when he set up a loud squealing and struggled to get free. The Sheep rebuked him for making such a to-do, and said to him, "The...
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Public-domain original
A Pig found his way into a meadow where a flock of Sheep were grazing.
The shepherd caught him, and was proceeding to carry him off to the
butcher's when he set up a loud squealing and struggled to get free.
The Sheep rebuked him for making such a to-do, and said to him, "The
shepherd catches us regularly and drags us off just like that, and we
don't make any fuss." "No, I dare say not," replied the Pig, "but my
case and yours are altogether different: he only wants you for wool,
but he wants me for bacon."
Public-domain original text shown for study context.
What happens here
A Pig found his way into a meadow where a flock of Sheep were grazing.
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 Pig: A figure in the fable whose choice helps reveal the lesson.
- The Sheep: A figure in the fable whose choice helps reveal the lesson.
Simple story version
A Pig found his way into a meadow where a flock of Sheep were grazing. The shepherd caught him, and was proceeding to carry him off to the butcher's when he set up a loud squealing and struggled to get free.