The Stag and the Pool from Aesop’s fables with video and new vocabulary to learn English words in real context with images, and enjoy English literature with great moral lessons.
Source of story: Gutenberg Project
Video of The Stag and the Pool
The Stag and the Pool
A thirsty stag went down to a pool to drink. As he bent over the surface, he saw his own reflection in the water, and was struck with admiration for his fine spreading antlers, but at the same time he felt nothing but disgust for the weakness and slenderness of his legs.
While he stood there looking at himself, he was seen and attacked by a lion; but in the chase which ensued, he soon drew away from his pursuer, and kept his lead as long as the ground over which he ran was open and free of trees.
But coming presently to a wood, he was caught by his antlers in the branches, and fell a victim to the teeth and claws of his enemy.
“Woe is me!” he cried with his last breath; “I despised my legs, which might have saved my life: but I gloried in my horns, and they have proved my ruin.”
What is worth most is often valued least.
The moral of this story is about the dangers of being vain and overly concerned with looks. It shows that focusing too much on how you appear can make you forget what really matters. The story teaches that inner qualities, like being strong and practical, are much more important than just looking good, especially when facing tough situations.
You’ve captured the essence of “The Stag and the Pool” perfectly. Aesop’s fable indeed highlights the folly of vanity, illustrating how the stag’s pride in his antlers, his superficial beauty, blinded him to the practical value of his less glamorous legs. His preoccupation with appearance ultimately led to his downfall, reinforcing the timeless lesson that true worth lies in functional strengths and inner qualities rather than fleeting aesthetic appeal.