Understanding Theme

Name: ________________________

Understanding Theme with Fables

In Aesop’s fables, the moral of the story (theme) is written in the last line. In the following fables, the last line or theme has been removed. I have also made some slight changes to the originals.

Directions: Determine the moral or theme of these fables and explain your interpretations.

1. The Ant and the Grasshopper

In a field one summer's day a Grasshopper was hopping about, chirping and singing to its heart's content. An Ant passed by, bearing along with great toil an ear of corn he was taking to the nest. "Why not come and chat with me," said the Grasshopper, "instead of toiling and moiling in that way?" "I am helping to lay up food for the winter," said the Ant, "and recommend you to do the same." "Why bother about winter?" said the Grasshopper; we have got plenty of food at present." But the Ant went on its way and continued its toil. When the winter came the Grasshopper had no food and found itself dying of hunger, while it saw the ants distributing every day corn and grain from the stores they had collected in the summer. Then the Grasshopper knew.

What did the Grasshopper learn? _________________________________________________________

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Explain how your answer relates to the story: _______________________________________________

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2. The Monkey and the Cookies

A monkey put his hand into a jar of cookies. He grasped as many as he could possibly hold, but when he tried to pull out his hand, he was prevented from doing so by the neck of the cookie jar. Unwilling to lose the cookies, and yet unable to withdraw his hand, he burst into tears and bitterly lamented his disappointment.

What is the moral of the story?___________________________________________________________...