# The Lion and the Ass explained — Aesop's Fables

> Chapter companion for Aesop's Fables by Aesop.

## What happens

A Lion and an Ass form a hunting partnership. The Ass enters a cave to frighten wild goats out by braying, while the Lion waits at the entrance to strike them down. Afterward, the Ass boasts about his contribution, but the Lion dryly remarks that only knowledge of the Ass's true nature prevented him from fleeing as well.

## Themes in this chapter

### Pride and Folly

The Ass's boastful pride is undercut by the Lion's ironic comment, revealing the Ass's foolish self-importance.

### Appearance vs. Reality

The Ass appears to be a fearsome hunter but is merely a noisy fool; the Lion sees through the pretense.

## Character check-ins

### The Lion

Forms a partnership with the Ass and does the actual killing of the goats.

### The Ass

Braggart partner who scares the goats out of the cave but takes undue credit.

## Key lines

> Well, I scared them pretty well, didn’t I?

The Ass boasts about his role in the hunt.

_Highlights the Ass's inflated sense of contribution._

> I should think you did: why, if I hadn’t known you were an Ass, I should have turned and run myself.

The Lion sarcastically agrees, implying the Ass's braying was so obnoxious it would frighten anyone—except the Lion knows the Ass is harmless.

_Delivers the moral about self-deception and the value of knowing one's true nature._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/fables_se/chapters/the-lion-and-the-ass
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/fables_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/fables_se/chapters