The Lion and the Wild Ass by Aesop with New Words

The Lion and the Wild Ass by Aesop for ESL students with a video, vocabulary in real context, discussion questions and relevant idioms in the public domain available on Gutenberg Project.

Video of the Lion and the Wild Ass

The Lion and the Wild Ass

A lion and a wild ass went out hunting together: the latter was to run down the prey by his superior speed, and the former would then come up and dispatch it.

The Lion The Fox and the Stag - Best Aesop's fables with video and vocabulary practice

They met with great success; and when it came to sharing the spoil, the lion divided it all into three equal portions. “I will take the first,” said he, “because I am king of the beasts.”

lion's share LELB Society

I will also take the second, because, as your partner, I am entitled to half of what remains; and as for the third—well, unless you give it up to me and take yourself off pretty quick, the third, believe me, will make you feel very sorry for yourself!”

The ass the fox and the lion by Aesop at LELB Society as a famous fairy tale to practice English with flashcards and podcast

English proverbs of the short story

Here are a couple of idioms or proverbs that fit well with the theme of this fable:

Might makes right.

This directly reflects the moral of the fable, emphasizing that those in power often justify their actions by virtue of their strength or position.

The lion’s share

This idiom originates from similar tales and means taking the largest portion of something, reflecting the lion’s greed in the story.

Vocabulary in real context

  1. The latter: the second, near or toward the end of something
  2. Prey: an animal that is hunted and killed for food by another animal
  3. Superior: higher in rank or social position than others
  4. The former: first-mentioned, the first, or or in an earlier time
  5. Dispatch: to kill someone (prey)
  6. Portion: a part or share of something larger
  7. Entitled: authorized, eligible, allowed

Moral of the short story

The moral of this Aesop’s fable, “A Lion and a Wild Ass,” is that might makes right. It highlights how those in positions of power can manipulate situations to their advantage, often disregarding fairness and justice. In this story, the lion uses its status as the king of beasts to claim the largest share of the spoils, demonstrating that strength and authority can override principles of equity and fairness.

Discussion questions

  1. Why do you think the lion decided to divide the spoils into three portions?
  2. How might the outcome have been different if the wild ass had been the stronger of the two?
  3. What lesson can be learned about partnerships and fairness from this story?

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