Section 279
The Swallow and the Crow explained simply
Aesop's Fables by Aesop
Original excerpt
Excerpt preview
A Swallow was once boasting to a Crow about her birth. "I was once a princess," said she, "the daughter of a King of Athens, but my husband used me cruelly, and cut out my tongue for a slight fault. Then, to protect me from further injury, I was turned by into a bird." "Y...
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Public-domain original
A Swallow was once boasting to a Crow about her birth. "I was once a
princess," said she, "the daughter of a King of Athens, but my husband
used me cruelly, and cut out my tongue for a slight fault. Then, to
protect me from further injury, I was turned by into a bird."
"You chatter quite enough as it is," said the Crow. "What you would
have been like if you hadn't lost your tongue, I can't think."
Public-domain original text shown for study context. Underlined terms can be tapped for simple reader notes.
What happens here
A Swallow was once boasting to a Crow about her birth.
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 Swallow: A figure in the fable whose choice helps reveal the lesson.
- The Crow: A figure in the fable whose choice helps reveal the lesson.
Simple story version
In simple terms, The Swallow and The Crow face a small situation that reveals a larger lesson about behavior and consequences.