DESIREE EVEN-HEN LIORA TSIFTSER WHAT IS A FABLE FROG FABLES FROG SONG WORKSHEET FEATURES

WHAT IS A FABLE A fable is a very short story which is meant to illustrate a point or teach us a lesson. Usually, but not always, fables are stories about animals that talk like people. The lesson that a fable teaches us is called a moral. A parable means something similar. It is usually short fictitious story that illustrates a moral attitude or a religious principle. Many common sayings come from Aesop? Fables: ?Dont count your chickens before they hatch,? and ?Honesty is the best policy,? and ?Look before you leap? are familiar examples. Aesop is believed to have been a Greek slave who made up these stories to make his life easier. Nobody is really sure if Aesop made up these fables. What is certain, however, is that the stories called Aesop's Fables are so wonderful that they have been told over and over again for thousands of years. Aesop BACK

FEATURES Structure: short, pithy animal tale, most often told or written with a moral tagged on in the form of a proverb. Structure: short, pithy animal tale, most often told or written with a moral tagged on in the form of a proverb.taleproverbtaleproverb Moral: it conveys a moral, which is the aim of most fables, and the tale is the vehicle by which this is done, providing both an illustration of and compelling argument for the moral. Moral: it conveys a moral, which is the aim of most fables, and the tale is the vehicle by which this is done, providing both an illustration of and compelling argument for the moral.moral Personification: Fables involve animals that speak and act like people. Personification: Fables involve animals that speak and act like people. Personification Allegory: The symbolic representation of truths or generalizations about human existence. Allegory: The symbolic representation of truths or generalizations about human existence. Allegory BACK

The Frogs Desiring a King The Frogs were living as happy as could be in a marshy swamp that just suited them. They went splashing about, caring for nobody and nobody troubled them. But some of the frogs thought that this was not right, that they should have a king and a proper constitution, so they sent up a petition to Zeus to give them what they wanted. ?Mighty Zeus,? they cried, ?send unto us a king that will rule over us and keep us in order.? The Frogs were living as happy as could be in a marshy swamp that just suited them. They went splashing about, caring for nobody and nobody troubled them. But some of the frogs thought that this was not right, that they should have a king and a proper constitution, so they sent up a petition to Zeus to give them what they wanted. ?Mighty Zeus,? they cried, ?send unto us a king that will rule over us and keep us in order.?Frogs Zeus laughed at their croaking and threw down into the swamp a huge Log. The Frogs were frightened out of their lives by the commotion made in their midst, and all rushed to the bank to look at the horrible monster. But after a time, seeing that it did not move, one or two of the boldest of them ventured out towards the Log, and even dared to touch it. Still it did not move. Then the greatest hero of the Frogs jumped upon the Log and commenced dancing up and down upon it; thereupon all the Frogs came and did the same, and for some time the Frogs went about their business every day without taking the slightest notice of their new King Log lying in their midst. But this did not suit them, so they sent another petition to Zeus, and said to him, Zeus laughed at their croaking and threw down into the swamp a huge Log. The Frogs were frightened out of their lives by the commotion made in their midst, and all rushed to the bank to look at the horrible monster. But after a time, seeing that it did not move, one or two of the boldest of them ventured out towards the Log, and even dared to touch it. Still it did not move. Then the greatest hero of the Frogs jumped upon the Log and commenced dancing up and down upon it; thereupon all the Frogs came and did the same, and for some time the Frogs went about their business every day without taking the slightest notice of their new King Log lying in their midst. But this did not suit them, so they sent another petition to Zeus, and said to him,Zeus We want a real king ? one that will really rule over us.? We want a real king ? one that will really rule over us.? Now this made Zeus angry, so he sent them a big Stork that soon set to work gobbling them all up. Then the Frogs repented, but it was too late. Now this made Zeus angry, so he sent them a big Stork that soon set to work gobbling them all up. Then the Frogs repented, but it was too late.Stork THE MORAL: Better no rule than cruel rule. THE MORAL: Better no rule than cruel rule.

The Boys and the Frogs Some boys, playing near a pond, saw a number of Frogs in the water and began to pelt them with stones. They killed several of them, when one of the Frogs, lifting his head out of the water, cried out: "Pray stop, my boys: what is sport to you, is death to us. Some boys, playing near a pond, saw a number of Frogs in the water and began to pelt them with stones. They killed several of them, when one of the Frogs, lifting his head out of the water, cried out: "Pray stop, my boys: what is sport to you, is death to us. THE MORAL : One man's pleasure may be another's pain. THE MORAL : One man's pleasure may be another's pain.

The, the, and the A Mouse who always lived on the land, by an unlucky chance, formed an intimate acquaintance with a Frog, who lived, for the most part, in the water. One day, the Frog was intent on mischief. He tied the foot of the Mouse tightly to his own. Thus joined together, the Frog led his friend the Mouse to the meadow where they usually searched for food. After this, he gradually led him towards the pond in which he lived, until reaching the banks of the water, he suddenly jumped in, dragging the Mouse with him. A Mouse who always lived on the land, by an unlucky chance, formed an intimate acquaintance with a Frog, who lived, for the most part, in the water. One day, the Frog was intent on mischief. He tied the foot of the Mouse tightly to his own. Thus joined together, the Frog led his friend the Mouse to the meadow where they usually searched for food. After this, he gradually led him towards the pond in which he lived, until reaching the banks of the water, he suddenly jumped in, dragging the Mouse with him.Mouse The Frog enjoyed the water amazingly, and swam croaking about, as if he had done a good deed. The unhappy Mouse was soon sputtered and drowned in the water, and his poor dead body floating about on the surface. A Hawk observed the floating Mouse from the sky, and dove down and grabbed it with his talons, carrying it back to his nest. The Frog, being still fastened to the leg of the Mouse, was also carried off a prisoner, and was eaten by the Hawk. The Frog enjoyed the water amazingly, and swam croaking about, as if he had done a good deed. The unhappy Mouse was soon sputtered and drowned in the water, and his poor dead body floating about on the surface. A Hawk observed the floating Mouse from the sky, and dove down and grabbed it with his talons, carrying it back to his nest. The Frog, being still fastened to the leg of the Mouse, was also carried off a prisoner, and was eaten by the Hawk.Hawk THE MORAL: "Choose your allies carefully" THE MORAL: "Choose your allies carefully"allies

Frog in a Milk-Pail A frog was hopping around a farmyard, when it decided to investigate the barn. Being somewhat careless, and maybe a little too curious, he ended up falling into a pail half-filled with fresh milk. As he swam about attempting to reach the top of the pail, he found that the sides of the pail were too high and steep to reach. He tried to stretch his back legs to push off the bottom of the pail but found it too deep. But this frog was determined not to give up, and he continued to struggle. He kicked and squirmed and kicked and squirmed, until at last, all his churning about in the milk had turned the milk into a big hunk of butter. The butter was now solid enough for him to climb onto and get out of the pail! A frog was hopping around a farmyard, when it decided to investigate the barn. Being somewhat careless, and maybe a little too curious, he ended up falling into a pail half-filled with fresh milk. As he swam about attempting to reach the top of the pail, he found that the sides of the pail were too high and steep to reach. He tried to stretch his back legs to push off the bottom of the pail but found it too deep. But this frog was determined not to give up, and he continued to struggle. He kicked and squirmed and kicked and squirmed, until at last, all his churning about in the milk had turned the milk into a big hunk of butter. The butter was now solid enough for him to climb onto and get out of the pail! The MORAL: Never Give Up! BACK

Five Green and Speckled Frogs Five green and speckled frogs Sat on a speckled log Eating some most delicious bugs YYYYUUUUMMMM YYYYUUUUMMMM One jumped into the pool Where it was nice and cool Then there were Four green and speckled frogs GGGGLLLLUUUUBBBB GGGGLLLLUUUUBBBB (Repeat in descending order.)

My muddy buddy I have a buddy, My buddy's a toad. My buddy is muddy, He's flat on the road. But he is my buddy, My buddy to stay. Until he's peeled up, And sailed away. I have a buddy, My buddy's a toad. My buddy is muddy, He's flat on the road. But he is my buddy, My buddy to stay. Until he's peeled up, And sailed away. BACK

WORKSHEET Choose a fable: 1. Write a letter to one of the characters. 2. Write a letter from one character to another. 3. Create a fable of your own. Pay attention to the features and the structure attention to the features and the structure of a fable. of a fable. Enjoy your work! Enjoy your work!