Aesop's Fables · Chapter
The Bald Man and the Fly explained
A fly bites a bald man's head, and in trying to kill it, the man slaps himself.
What happens
A fly bites a bald man's head, and in trying to kill it, the man slaps himself. The fly mocks him for the self-inflicted blow, but the man replies that he bears no grudge against himself, only against the fly, which he would gladly suffer more to destroy.
Themes in this chapter
Human Nature and Vice
The man's disproportionate anger toward the fly versus his own self-inflicted harm illustrates human tendency to rationalize personal faults while condemning others.
Characters to notice
- The Fly
Bites the bald man and mocks him after he slaps himself.
Key passages
“You tried to kill me for just one little bite; what will you do to yourself now, for the heavy smack you have just given yourself?”
You attempted to kill me over a single small bite; what punishment will you give yourself for the hard slap you just delivered?
The fly's mocking question highlights the irony of the man's disproportionate reaction.
“Oh, for that blow I bear no grudge, for I never intended myself any harm; but as for you, you contemptible insect, who live by sucking human blood, I’d have borne a good deal more than that for the satisfaction of dashing the life out of you!”
I don't resent that slap because I didn't mean to hurt myself; but you, a despicable blood-sucking insect, I would endure far more for the pleasure of killing you.
The man's reply reveals his rationalization of self-harm and intense hatred for the fly.