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 Old Man and The Ass
In "The Old Man and The Ass," a classic among concise moral stories, an old man and his ass encounter a lush meadow, where the carefree animal prioritizes its own comfort over the man's warnings about approaching robbers. This dynamic illustrates themes of self-interest and the relationship between master and servant, serving as a reminder found in many famous fables with moral lessons: sometimes, one's own safety may be overlooked in the pursuit of personal pleasure. Ultimately, the tale underscores the importance of recognizing the true nature of those we rely on in moral-based storytelling.
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.
The Lion the Fox and the Ass
In the short moral story "The Lion, the Fox and the Ass," three animals agree to share the spoils of a hunt. After the Ass is devoured by the Lion for dividing the loot equally, the Fox wisely learns from this misfortune and takes the largest portion for himself when asked to divide the spoils. This tale, part of folklore and moral stories, emphasizes the importance of learning from others' experiences, making it a fitting choice for bedtime moral stories.
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.