The Donkey, The Rooster, and The Lion
The rooster's crow scared off the lion, but the donkey, mistakenly thinking he was the threat, chased the lion, leading to his demise.
In a green meadow, a donkey and a rooster were eating grass and seeds. Suddenly, a lion jumped out from behind a bush. Scared, the rooster made a loud sound. Lions do not like the crowing of roosters, so the lion quickly ran away.
The donkey saw this and thought that he had scared the lion. Feeling proud, the donkey decided to chase the lion. He ran after it, leaving the rooster behind.
But once they were far from the rooster’s noise, the lion stopped and turned around. The donkey realized too late that the lion wasn’t afraid of him. In a second, the lion attacked, and the donkey was gone. He had wrongly thought he was the one who scared the lion, and it cost him his life.
Audio available for B1 version
In a green meadow, a donkey and a rooster were eating grass and seeds.
Suddenly, a lion jumped out from behind a bush.
Scared, the rooster made a loud sound.
Lions do not like the crowing of roosters, so the lion quickly ran away.
The donkey saw this and thought that he had scared the lion.
Feeling proud, the donkey decided to chase the lion.
He ran after it, leaving the rooster behind.
But once they were far from the rooster’s noise, the lion stopped and turned around.
The donkey realized too late that the lion wasn’t afraid of him.
In a second, the lion attacked, and the donkey was gone.
He had wrongly thought he was the one who scared the lion, and it cost him his life.
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Word Finder
Meadow
A field with grass and wild plants.Rooster
A male chicken that makes a loud sound.Suddenly
Happening quickly, without any warning.Crowing
The loud sound that a rooster makes.Quickly
Moving fast or in a short time.Chase
To run after someone or something.Proud
Feeling happy and important about yourself.Realized
Understood something clearly, often after thinking.Afraid
Feeling fear or scared of something.Attacked
Hurting or trying to harm someone suddenly.
Understanding Questions
- What animals were in the green meadow at the beginning of the story?
- What did the rooster do when the lion appeared?
- Why did the lion run away at first?
- What mistake did the donkey make after the lion ran away?
- What happened to the donkey at the end of the story?
Reflection Questions
- Why do you think the donkey thought that it was him the lion was afraid of?
- How do you think the rooster felt when the donkey ran off after the lion?
- Can you think of a time when you or someone else misunderstood a situation and it led to a mistake?
- What does this story teach us about understanding our strengths and not overestimating our abilities?
- How can we apply the lesson from this story in our own lives to better evaluate situations and understand our limitations?
Fable Quotes
Understanding one's role in a situation is vital for survival.
Pride precedes the fall, for in arrogance lies the blind disregard for truth.
Wisdom is knowing when to rely on knowledge, not donkeyumptions, to avoid the perils of self-deception.
Just One More Fable
- Gratitude
- Respect
The Raven and the Goose
A stubborn raven upset a goose while being painted, leading the goose to cover the raven entirely in black.
- Understanding
- Consequences
The Bee and Jupiter
A small Bee gave Jupiter golden honey and asked for a powerful sting, but Jupiter warned that using it would cost her life.
- Contentment
- Appreciation
The Old Woman and The Wine-Jar
An Old Woman finds an empty wine jar, but its lingering aroma evokes cherished memories, bringing her joy and treasure.
- Deception
- Resourcefulness
The Wolf and The Seven Little Kids
A mother goat's kids are tricked and eaten by a wolf, but she rescues them, and they defeat him.