Aesop's Fables · Chapter
The Mule explained
A mule, after eating too much and doing too little, boasts that his father was a high-spirited horse.
What happens
A mule, after eating too much and doing too little, boasts that his father was a high-spirited horse. However, after being forced to work hard all day carrying a heavy load, he becomes exhausted and dejectedly concludes that his father must have been an ass.
Themes in this chapter
Pride and Folly
The mule's pride in his imagined noble lineage is quickly humbled by the reality of his labor.
Appearance vs. Reality
The mule's self-perception as the offspring of a horse contrasts with the truth revealed through his exhaustion.
Characters to notice
- The Ass
The mule's father is implied to be an ass, reflecting the mule's humble origins.
Key passages
“My father was undoubtedly a high-spirited horse and I take after him entirely.”
The mule boasts that his father was a noble horse and that he inherits those fine qualities.
The mule's arrogance is based on a false assumption about his lineage.
“I must have been mistaken about my father; he can only have been an ass after all.”
After a hard day's work, the mule admits his earlier belief was wrong and that his father was actually a donkey.
The mule's humility is forced by the evidence of his own limitations.