Section 238
The Swan explained simply
Aesop's Fables by Aesop
Original excerpt
Excerpt preview
The Swan is said to sing but once in its life--when it knows that it is about to die. A certain man, who had heard of the song of the Swan, one day saw one of these birds for sale in the market, and bought it and took it home with him. A few days later he had some friends to d...
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Public-domain original
The Swan is said to sing but once in its life--when it knows that it
is about to die. A certain man, who had heard of the song of the Swan,
one day saw one of these birds for sale in the market, and bought it
and took it home with him. A few days later he had some friends
to dinner, and produced the Swan, and bade it sing for their
entertainment: but the Swan remained silent. In course of time, when
it was growing old, it became aware of its approaching end and broke
into a sweet, sad song. When its owner heard it, he said angrily, "If
the creature only sings when it is about to die, what a fool I was
that day I wanted to hear its song! I ought to have wrung its neck
instead of merely inviting it to sing."
Public-domain original text shown for study context.
What happens here
The Swan is said to sing but once in its life--when it knows that it is about to die.
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 Swan: A figure in the fable whose choice helps reveal the lesson.
Simple story version
The Swan is said to sing but once in its life--when it knows that it is about to die. A certain man, who had heard of the song of the Swan, one day saw one of these birds for sale in the market, and bought it and took it home with him.