Oxford Seminars Presentation

1. AESOP’S FABLES

2. Who is Aesop?
What is a fable?
Aesop was believed to be a slave and story teller
who lived in Ancient Greece over 2500 years ago.
A fable is a story that uses animals or supernatural
beings to teach us a lesson or moral.

3. A lion lay asleep in the forest,
his great head resting on his paws. A timid little mouse
came upon him unexpectedly, and in her fright and haste to get away, ran across the lion's
nose. Woken from his nap, the lion laid his huge paw angrily on the tiny creature to kill her.
"Spare me!" begged the poor mouse.
"Please let me go and some day I will surely repay you."
The lion was so amused at the idea of the little mouse being able to help the King of
Beasts, that he lifted up his paw and let her go.
Some weeks later, the lion was caught in a net. The hunters, who desired to carry the lion
alive to their King, tied him to a tree while they went in search of a wagon to carry him.
Just then the little mouse happened to pass by, and seeing the lion's sad plight, went up to
him and soon gnawed away the ropes of the net, freeing the lion.
"You have helped me and now I have returned the favor. Was I not right - even a mouse
can help a lion!" said the little mouse.
THE LION
AND
THE MOUSE

4. moral of the story:
Even little friends may prove to be
great friends.
THE LION
AND
THE MOUSE

5. A lion lay asleep in the forest, his great head resting on his paws. A timid little mouse
came upon him unexpectedly, and in her fright and haste to get away, ran across the lion's
nose. Woken from his nap, the lion laid his huge paw angrily on the tiny creature to kill her.
"Spare me!" begged the poor mouse.
"Please let me go and some day I will surely repay you."
The lion was so amused at the idea of the little mouse being able to help the King of Beasts, that
he lifted up his paw and let her go.
Some weeks later, the lion was caught in a net. The hunters, who desired to carry the
lion alive to their King, tied him to a tree while they went in search of a wagon to carry him.
Just then the little mouse happened to pass by, and seeing the lion's sad plight, went
up to him and soon gnawed away the ropes of the net, freeing the lion.
"You have helped me and now I have returned the favor. Was I not right - even a
mouse can help a lion!" said the little mouse.
VOCABULARY
1)timid 4) plight
2)haste 5) gnawed
3)wagon 6) to return the favor

6. timid (adjective)
To be shy, fearful, not confident

7. haste (noun)
- the act of moving in a hurry
- moving in a fast speed

8. wagon (noun)
A four-wheeled cart
that was originally
drawn by animals to
transport heavy loads.

9. plight (noun)
A situation that is especially sad,
unfortunate, or difficult

10. to gnaw(verb)
To bite, chew at, or wear away with
teeth

11. to return the favor (idiom)
To do something similar to someone
who has done something to/for you
to = usually bad for = usually good

12. 1) How did the mouse wake up the lion?
2) What do the other animals call the lion?
3) Is the mouse male or female?
4) Why did the hunters tie the lion to the tree?
5) How did the mouse free the lion?
6) Why was the lion amused?
7) What does the moral of the story mean?
REMEMBER UNDERSTAND
Questions

13. (optional)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1QXwIV9k6g&feature=related
Short clip retelling the story.

14. Group Activity
Little friends may prove to be great friends.
Directions: Get into groups of three. Complete
the worksheet together and be ready to share
your stories in class tomorrow.
ANALYZE, APPLY,
CREATE

15. Name:_______________________
Date:_______________________
THE LION AND THE MOUSE
List characteristics of the lion and the mouse:
LION MOUSE
What would happen if the lion and the mouse were switched in th is story?
THE MOUSE AND THE LION
In your groups, you will write a new fable. In this fable, the main
characters will still be a mouse and a lion. You can change the ending
and any part of the story, but you must make the lion return the favor
to the mouse.
If you create a new moral for your story, write it here:
_____________________________________________________________
_____
1) Draw a picture for your new
story.
2) Use the back of this
worksheet to write the new
fable.
3) Your story must be at least 10
sentences.
Sample answers:
LION -
MOUSE
big - small
mighty - weak
ANALYZE
differences between
2 characters
Sample answers:
Maybe the mouse would
have been too scared to
help the lion if the lion did
not save the mouse first.
EVALUATE
Students discuss
what would
happen if the roles
are reversed.
Sample answers:
New moral: Be kind to anyone.
One day, there was a lion who was
caged in a zoo…
CREATE
(after using all BT points)
Final assessment comes the
following day when they
share their stories