10 Examples of Short Fables

Short fables

The fables They are short literary texts with educational or exemplary content, and which are especially intended for children in the process of growth.

Fables constitute an important role in children's literature since they are usually orally disseminated, which allows children who still cannot read to learn through stories.

The characters in fables are usually animals that behave like humans since it is considered more pedagogical to personalize the strengths and weaknesses of people in animals.

Origin and evolution

The origin of the fable is located in certain oriental cultures, which sought to spread in the children of the nobles values and virtues that will help them become rulers.

Greco-Roman slaves used them to convey pagan morality and emphasize that the natural virtues of things could not be changed. Then Christianity modified the spirit of the fables, including the possibility of change within human behavior.

Structure of fables

Fables are also the minimum expression of some issues related to literature, their short length means that the stories must quickly condense their main elements:

Examples of short fables

1. The wolf in sheep's clothing. In order to eat the lambs of the flock, a wolf decided to get inside a sheepskin and to mislead the shepherd. At dusk, the farmer led him to the herd and closed the door so that no wolves could enter. However, at night the shepherd entered the flock to take a lamb for dinner for the next day, he took the wolf believing it to be a lamb and slaughtered it instantly. Moral: Whoever does the deception receives the damage.
2. The dog and the reflection of him. Once upon a time there was a dog that was crossing a lake. In doing so, he carried quite a large prey in his mouth. As he crossed it, he saw himself in the reflection of the water. Believing that he was another dog and seeing the huge piece of meat that he was carrying, he launched himself to snatch it from him but wanting to remove the prey from the reflection, he lost the prey that he had in his mouth. Moral: The ambition to have it all can lead to losing what you achieved.
3. Peter and the wolf. Pedro used to amuse himself by making fun of his neighbors, because he screamed for a wolf and when everyone came to help him, he laughed telling them that it had been a lie. Until one day, a wolf came and wanted to attack him. When Pedro began to ask for help, nobody believed him. Moral: Make yourself famous and go to sleep.