The Picture and the Word: Aesop's Fables Quiz

"The Crow and the Pitcher" is a classic fable attributed to the ancient Greek storyteller Aesop. In this tale, a thirsty crow comes across a pitcher with only a little water at the bottom. Unable to reach the water with its beak, the clever crow drops pebbles into the pitcher one by one, causing the water level to rise until it is within reach.

The story teaches the lesson that ingenuity and resourcefulness can overcome challenges, and highlights the intelligence of even the smallest creatures. "The Crow and the Pitcher" is celebrated for its timeless moral about problem-solving and determination.

"The Fox and the Grapes" is a story about a hungry fox who comes across a vine with ripe, juicy grapes hanging high above it. Unable to reach the grapes despite several attempts, the fox finally gives up, dismissing the grapes as sour and undesirable.

The fable serves as a cautionary tale about the tendency to rationalise our desires when they are unattainable, often by convincing ourselves that we didn't want them in the first place. It teaches the lesson of accepting defeat gracefully and not denigrating what we cannot have.

The phrase "sour grapes" has now become a common idiom in English, referring to the act of criticising or belittling something you want but cannot have.

"The Tortoise and the Hare" is one of Aesop's most famous fables, illustrating the proverb "Slow and steady wins the race". In the story, a boastful hare challenges a humble tortoise to a race. Confident in his speed, the hare quickly takes the lead but becomes overconfident and stops to rest, underestimating the tortoise's steady progress.

In the end, the tortoise, keeping a slow and steady pace, overtakes the hare and wins the race. The fable teaches the timeless lesson that consistent effort and perseverance are often more effective than natural talent or speed alone.

It has been cherished for generations as a reminder of the value of patience, determination and humility.

In "The Ant and the Grasshopper", a hardworking ant spends the summer months gathering food and storing it for the winter. Meanwhile, a carefree grasshopper spends the summer singing and dancing, ignoring the ant's warnings about the importance of preparing for the future.

When winter comes, the ant is well prepared with plenty of food, while the grasshopper is hungry and cold. The fable teaches the moral lesson of the importance of hard work, foresight and careful planning for the future, contrasting the responsible ant with the foolish grasshopper.

It is a reminder of the consequences of procrastination and the rewards of diligence and foresight.

"The Dog and Its Reflection" is a fable attributed to Aesop that teaches the lesson of greed and the dangers of overreaching. In the story, a dog carrying a stolen bone crosses a stream and notices its reflection in the water. Mistaking the reflection for another dog with a bigger bone, the dog greedily tries to grab the other dog's bone.

In the process, he throws his own bone into the water and ends up with nothing. The fable serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of greed and the folly of sacrificing what you have in pursuit of greater gains.

It underlines the importance of appreciating one's blessings and avoiding the pitfalls of envy and greed.

"The Goat and the Vine" is a lesser known fable by Aesop, but it has a similar moral lesson to "The Fox and the Grapes". In this story, a goat discovers a vine full of ripe, delicious fruit hanging high above it. Determined to reach the bunch, the goat jumps and leaps, but fails to do so. Exhausted and frustrated, the goat finally gives up, concluding that the fruit must be sour and undesirable.

The fable serves as a cautionary tale about the tendency to devalue what we cannot obtain, rationalising our disappointment by convincing ourselves that the desired object was never desirable in the first place. Like "The Fox and the Grapes", it teaches the lesson of gracefully accepting defeat and refraining from belittling what we cannot have.

In "The Frog and the Ox", a small frog observes an ox grazing in a field and becomes envious of its size and strength. Wanting to appear equally impressive, the frog blows himself up as much as possible, trying to match the size of the ox. However, the frog's efforts are in vain and he bursts under the strain, realising his limitations.

The moral of the story highlights the danger of envy and the folly of trying to be what we are not. It teaches the lesson that it is better to be content with who you are and appreciate your own unique qualities, rather than strive to emulate others and risk harm in the process.

"The Lion and the Mouse" is one of Aesop's most famous fables, teaching the moral lesson that even the smallest creatures can be of great help to those more powerful than themselves. In the story, a mighty lion is caught in a hunter's net and is unable to escape.

Hearing the lion's distress, a small mouse offers to help and gnaws through the ropes, freeing the lion. Initially sceptical, the lion is grateful for the mouse's help and spares its life. Later, the mouse's small size allows it to return the favour by freeing the lion from a hunter's trap.

The fable demonstrates the virtues of kindness, compassion and reciprocity, and emphasises that acts of kindness, regardless of size, can have a significant impact.

The story of "The Horse and the Donkey" is a lesser-known fable that teaches the lesson of self-worth and the dangers of comparison and envy. In the story, a proud horse meets a humble donkey and begins to boast about his strength, speed and noble appearance. Feeling inadequate in comparison, the donkey becomes envious and wishes to be more like the horse.

However, as the story progresses, the horse encounters various challenges that his size and temperament prevent him from overcoming. Meanwhile, the donkey, with its steady and patient nature, proves to be better at overcoming obstacles.

The fable serves as a reminder that each individual has unique strengths and weaknesses, and that true fulfilment comes from embracing one's own qualities rather than longing for those of others.

The fable of "The Goose That Laid the Golden Eggs" teaches the lessons of patience an gratitude, and the dangers of greed. In the story, a poor farmer discovers that one of his geese lays a golden egg every day. Initially thrilled by his new-found wealth, the farmer becomes increasingly impatient and greedy, wanting to get all the golden eggs at once.

In his haste, he decides to kill the goose to get all the eggs inside, only to find only ordinary eggs. The story illustrates the importance of appreciating what you have and the consequences of seeking instant gratification without considering the long-term consequences.

"The Wolf and the Crane" is a fable that teaches the importance of reciprocity and fairness. In this story, a wolf gets a bone stuck in his throat and asks a crane to help him remove it. The crane agrees to help and uses its long beak to pull the bone out of the wolf's throat.

However, once the bone is removed, the wolf refuses to honour the crane's promise to reward him for his help. Disappointed, but resourceful, the crane devises a plan to teach the wolf a lesson. The next time they dine together, the crane serves the wolf's soup in a long, narrow-necked vessel so that only the crane can enjoy the meal.

The fable highlights the importance of keeping promises and treating others with fairness and respect, as well as the consequences of selfishness and ingratitude.

"The Snake and the Farmer" is a fable that emphasises the importance of kindness and compassion. In this story, a farmer discovers a snake frozen and motionless in the snow. Feeling sorry for the snake, the farmer takes it home and puts it by the fireplace to warm it up.

As the snake thaws, it regains its strength and bites the farmer, delivering a poisonous bite. Mortally wounded, the farmer asks the snake why it would betray someone who had shown it kindness. The snake replies, "It is my nature," before slithering away.

The fable serves as a cautionary tale about the inherent nature of some people and the importance of being cautious in our dealings with others. It underlines the idea that not everyone will appreciate acts of kindness and that we must exercise discernment in our interactions.