Aesop's Fables · Chapter
The Stag with One Eye explained
A one-eyed Stag grazes by the seashore, watching the land for danger but ignoring the sea.
What happens
A one-eyed Stag grazes by the seashore, watching the land for danger but ignoring the sea. Sailors shoot him from the sea, and he dies lamenting that he was ruined from the direction he least expected.
Themes in this chapter
Wisdom and Foolishness
The Stag's failure to anticipate danger from the sea illustrates a lack of wisdom in considering all possible threats.
Appearance vs. Reality
The Stag's assumption that the sea is safe proves false, as the real danger comes from an unexpected quarter.
Characters to notice
- The Stag
Blind in one eye, he grazes near the shore and is mortally wounded by sailors.
Key passages
“Misfortune often assails us from an unexpected quarter.”
Trouble frequently comes from where we least expect it.
The moral of the fable, emphasizing the theme of unexpected danger.