Section 277
The Woman and the Farmer explained simply
Aesop's Fables by Aesop
Original excerpt
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A Woman, who had lately lost her husband, used to go every day to his grave and lament her loss. A Farmer, who was engaged in ploughing not far from the spot, set eyes upon the Woman and desired to have her for his wife: so he left his plough and came and sat by her side, and...
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A Woman, who had lately lost her husband, used to go every day to his
grave and lament her loss. A Farmer, who was engaged in ploughing not
far from the spot, set eyes upon the Woman and desired to have her
for his wife: so he left his plough and came and sat by her side,
and began to shed tears himself. She asked him why he wept; and he
replied, "I have lately lost my wife, who was very dear to me, and
tears ease my grief." "And I," said she, "have lost my husband." And
so for a while they mourned in silence. Then he said, "Since you and I
are in like case, shall we not do well to marry and live together? I
shall take the place of your dead husband, and you, that of my dead
wife." The Woman consented to the plan, which indeed seemed reasonable
enough: and they dried their tears. Meanwhile, a thief had come
and stolen the oxen which the Farmer had left with his plough. On
discovering the theft, he beat his breast and loudly bewailed his
loss. When the Woman heard his cries, she came and said, "Why, are you
weeping still?" To which he replied, "Yes, and I mean it this time."
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What happens here
A Woman, who had lately lost her husband, used to go every day to his grave and lament her loss.
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 Woman: A figure in the fable whose choice helps reveal the lesson.
- The Farmer: A figure in the fable whose choice helps reveal the lesson.
Simple story version
A Woman, who had lately lost her husband, used to go every day to his grave and lament her loss. A Farmer, who was engaged in ploughing not far from the spot, set eyes upon the Woman and desired to have her for his wife: so he left his plough and came and sat by her side, and began to shed tears himself.