The Brother and the Sister is an English short story from Aesop’s fables with a video or podcast. You can practice reading comprehension and improve your literary vocabulary in context. You can also select any text and listen to it to improve your listening comprehension.
Source of story: Gutenberg Project at www.gutenberg.org
The Brother and the Sister
A father had one son and one daughter, the former remarkable for his good look, the latter for her extraordinary ugliness.
While they were playing one day as children, they happened by chance to look together into a mirror that was placed on their mother’s chair.
The boy congratulated himself on his good looks; the girl grew angry, and could not bear the self-praise of her brother, interpreting all he said (and how could she do otherwise?) into reflection on herself.
She ran off to her father, to be avenged on her brother, and spitefully accused him of having, as a boy, made use of that which belonged only to girls.
The father embraced them both, and bestowing his kisses and affection impartially on each, said:
“I wish you both would look into the mirror every day: you, my son, that you may not spoil your beauty by evil conduct; and you, my daughter, that you may make up for your lack of beauty by your virtue.”
Related tags and keywords
- Aesop’s Fables
- appearance
- beauty
- children
- evil
- look
- make up for
- narcissism
- praise
- sibling
- virtue
Podcast of The Brother and the Sister
