The Ass and the Frogs
Story Summary
In "The Ass and the Frogs," a burdened ass falls into a pond and groans under the weight of his load, prompting the frogs to mock him for his distress. This humorous story imparts a valuable lesson: people often complain more about minor grievances than they do about greater hardships, making it a perfect quick read story with moral for students. Through this moral short story, readers learn that perspective is crucial when facing challenges.
Click to reveal the moral of the story
The moral of the story is that people often complain more about minor troubles than they do about significant hardships.
Historical Context
This fable is reminiscent of Aesop's Fables, a collection of moral tales from ancient Greece that often feature animals with human traits to convey ethical lessons. The story reflects themes of perspective on suffering and resilience, emphasizing how individuals often overreact to minor setbacks while underestimating the hardships faced by others—an idea that has been retold and adapted in various cultures throughout history to highlight human nature and the relativity of grievances.
Our Editors Opinion
This story highlights how people often react more dramatically to minor inconveniences than to significant hardships, reflecting a tendency to amplify trivial struggles in modern life. For instance, someone might complain excessively about a long wait in line at a coffee shop, while simultaneously ignoring the challenges faced by those experiencing homelessness in their community.
You May Also Like
The Hare and the Hound
In the well-known moral story "The Hare and the Hound," a hound chases a hare but eventually gives up, prompting a goat-herd to mock him for losing the race. The hound explains that while he was only running for a dinner, the hare was running for his life, illustrating the difference in their motivations. This quick moral story serves as a classic example of fable stories with moral lessons, perfect for childhood stories with moral teachings.
The Ass and His Shadow
In the simple short story "The Ass and His Shadow," a traveler hires an ass for transportation and seeks refuge from the intense heat under its shadow. A dispute ensues between the traveler and the ass's owner over who has the right to the shadow, escalating to a physical fight, during which the ass gallops away. This famous fable with moral illustrates that in quarreling over trivial matters, we often lose what is truly important, making it one of the best moral stories suitable for short bedtime stories with moral lessons.
The Ass and the Horse
In the engaging moral tale "The Ass and the Horse," an Ass requests a small portion of feed from a Horse, who promises to provide more later. However, the Ass doubts the sincerity of the Horse's promise, suggesting that those who refuse to help with simple requests are unlikely to offer greater favors in the future. This short moral story illustrates the simple lesson that true generosity is shown through immediate acts of kindness, not empty promises.
Other names for this story
"Frogs and the Burdened Beast", "The Burden of the Ass", "Lessons from the Pond", "The Ass's Lament", "Frogs' Wisdom for the Weary", "When the Ass Stumbled", "Heavy Load, Light Grievance", "The Ass, the Frogs, and Life's Burdens"
Did You Know?
This fable highlights the irony of perspective, illustrating how individuals often complain about minor inconveniences while failing to appreciate the greater hardships faced by others, emphasizing the theme of resilience in the face of adversity.
Subscribe to Daily Stories
Get a new moral story in your inbox every day.