The Mistress and Her Servants by Aesop with a podcast, vocabulary practice in real context for advanced ESL students
The Mistress and Her Servants is now in the public domain available on Gutenberg Project.
Podcast of the Mistress and Her Servants
The Mistress and Her Servants
A widow, thrifty and industrious, had two servants, whom she kept pretty hard at work. They were not allowed to lie long abed in the mornings, but the old lady had them up and doing as soon as the cock crew.
- widow: a woman whose husband has died
- industrious: hard-working, working diligently
- abed: in bed
They disliked intensely having to get up at such an hour, especially in winter-time: and they thought that if it were not for the cock waking up their mistress so horribly early, they could sleep longer.
- mistress: a woman who owns or controls something, employer
- horribly: unpleasantly, terribly
So they caught it and wrung its neck. But they weren’t prepared for the consequences. For what happened was that their mistress, not hearing the cock crow as usual, waked them up earlier than ever, and set them to work in the middle of the night.
- wrung: past tense of wring which means to twist and break
- consequences: results, effects
The story of the mistress and her servants by Aesop is a reminder that taking dishonest shortcuts can lead to worse consequences than honest hard work. For instance, a student tries to cheat by writing answers on their hand, thinking it will make the test easier. However, they get caught, fail the exam, and damage their reputation.
Moreover, employers should notice that overworking people can lead to resistance and unintended consequences. So, an unfair employer who pushes workers too hard, will have faced with big problems such as hiring and training new staff.
Your analysis of The Mistress and Her Servants highlights two important lessons from Aesop’s fable. The first, about dishonest shortcuts leading to worse consequences, is well illustrated by your example of a student cheating on a test. It reinforces the idea that integrity and hard work are ultimately more beneficial.
The second point about overworking employees is also insightful. Just as the servants in the fable resisted their mistress’s increasing demands, real-world workers may push back against unfair treatment, leading to burnout, turnover, and difficulties for the employer. It’s a great reminder that balance and fairness are key to a successful work environment.