Aesop's Fables, Part 58 summary
Part 58 of 284 · 1 min to read the part
In Father and Sons, a man teaches his quarreling sons about unity by asking them to break sticks, first bundled together and then separately. Their failure with the bundle and success with single sticks support his warning that division leaves them vulnerable to enemies.
What happens
- A man cannot persuade his sons to stop quarreling and live peacefully together.
- He asks them to fetch bundled sticks and try breaking the bundle across a knee; each son fails.
- He separates the sticks and gives them out individually, and the sons break them easily.
- He explains that unity makes them strong against enemies, while quarrels and separation make them vulnerable.
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What to notice
The warning connects the easily broken sticks to the sons' quarrels. It explains the danger that his demonstration asks them to recognize.
Quick check
What happens when the sons try to break the bundled sticks?
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