Aesop's Fables · Chapter
The Rich Man and the Tanner explained
A Rich Man, disturbed by the smell from his neighbor the Tanner's yard, repeatedly asks him to move.
What happens
A Rich Man, disturbed by the smell from his neighbor the Tanner's yard, repeatedly asks him to move. The Tanner keeps delaying, and eventually the Rich Man becomes accustomed to the odor and stops complaining.
Themes in this chapter
Human Nature and Vice
Illustrates how humans can become desensitized to unpleasantness through familiarity.
Characters to notice
- The Rich Man
Initially disturbed by the Tanner's smell, he eventually becomes desensitized.
- The Tanner
Repeatedly delays moving, allowing the Rich Man to grow accustomed to the odor.
Key passages
“A Rich Man took up his residence next door to a Tanner, and found the smell of the tan-yard so extremely unpleasant that he told him he must go.”
A wealthy man moved in beside a leatherworker and was so bothered by the stench that he demanded the Tanner leave.
Sets up the conflict of the fable.
“This went on for some time, till at last the Rich Man got so used to the smell that he ceased to mind it, and troubled the Tanner with his objections no more.”
After repeated delays, the Rich Man eventually became accustomed to the odor and stopped complaining.
Highlights the moral about habituation.