The Goat and the Ass

Story Summary
In "The Goat and the Ass," a story often shared as a childhood tale with moral lessons, a Goat envies the Ass for its better food and persuades it to pretend to be ill to escape hard labor. The Ass follows this misguided advice, injuring itself in a ditch, which ultimately leads to the Goat being killed to treat the Ass's wounds. This culturally significant moral story illustrates the dangers of envy and the consequences of poor decisions, making it a valuable lesson for kids and students alike.
Click to reveal the moral of the story
Envy can lead to harmful consequences, both for oneself and for others.
Historical Context
This story reflects themes common in ancient fables, particularly those attributed to Aesop, where animals personify human traits and convey moral lessons. The tale illustrates the dangers of envy and deceit, emphasizing that ill-conceived advice can lead to unforeseen consequences. Similar narratives have been retold across cultures, highlighting the universal nature of these moral dilemmas.
Our Editors Opinion
This fable illustrates the dangers of envy and the consequences of misguided advice in modern life, where individuals may be tempted to sabotage others out of jealousy. For instance, in a workplace scenario, an employee might encourage a colleague to feign incompetence to escape responsibilities, only to find that their deceit leads to serious repercussions and ultimately harms not just the colleague, but themselves as well.
You May Also Like

The Gamecocks and the Partridge
In this fable story with moral, a man introduces a tame Partridge to his two aggressive Gamecocks, who initially distress the newcomer with their hostility. However, upon witnessing the Gamecocks fighting each other, the Partridge realizes that their aggression is not personal, leading to a valuable lesson about not taking others' actions to heart. This short moral story highlights the importance of understanding that conflicts often stem from nature rather than individual intent.

The Self-Made Monkey
In this short moral tale, a humble man in a high political office boasts about being a self-made man to a Monkey he encounters in the forest. The Monkey challenges his claim by demonstrating self-creation in a humorous way, ultimately conveying that merely being self-made does not constitute true achievement. This meaningful story imparts a simple lesson about the distinction between self-creation and genuine accomplishment, highlighting the value of humility and recognition of true merit.

The Lion, the Cock, and the Ass
In "The Lion, the Cock, and the Ass," a Lion is startled away from attacking an Ass by the proud crowing of a Cock, who claims his voice instills fear in the mighty beast. The Ass, however, humorously questions the Lion's peculiar fear of the Cock while disregarding the braying of the Ass, highlighting the thought-provoking moral that true strength lies not in appearances but in the wisdom to discern simple lessons from stories. This timeless tale serves as one of many moral stories for kids, encouraging them to reflect on the nature of fear and bravado.
Other names for this story
"Envious Goat's Mistake, The Ass's Burden, Goat's Foolish Advice, Ditch of Deceit, The Cost of Jealousy, Lessons from the Goat, The Ass's Misadventure, Goat's Revenge on Ass"
Did You Know?
This fable illustrates the dangers of envy and the consequences of giving in to misguided advice, as the Goat's jealousy ultimately leads to its own demise while the Ass suffers from the consequences of his poor choice. It serves as a cautionary tale about the perils of coveting what others have without understanding the full implications of that desire.
Subscribe to Daily Stories
Get a new moral story in your inbox every day.