Aesop's Fables, Part 201 summary
Part 201 of 284 · 1 min to read the part
In The Pack-Ass, the Wild Ass, and the Lion, a Wild Ass mocks a burdened Pack-Ass for depending on a master, but a Lion kills the unprotected speaker. The driver's presence keeps the Pack-Ass safe, and the closing lesson makes the value of independence depend on the ability to defend oneself.
What happens
- A Wild Ass sees a Pack-Ass carrying a heavy load and mocks his working life.
- He boasts about his freedom and plentiful food, contrasting these with the Pack-Ass's dependence and harsh treatment.
- A Lion appears and leaves the Pack-Ass alone because the driver is present.
- The Lion kills and eats the unprotected Wild Ass.
- The closing lesson warns that independence is useless without the means to defend oneself.
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In this part
What to notice
The closing lesson states the condition that limits the value of freedom. The Wild Ass's death demonstrates the danger of independence without protection.
Quick check
Why does the Lion leave the Pack-Ass alone?
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