Æsop's fables in words of one syllable

Chapter 10: THE CHILD AND THE BROOK.

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About This Book

A collection of short, self-contained fables retold in simple monosyllabic language for young readers. Each brief tale stages animal characters in a single situation that leads to a clear outcome and an explicit moral, exploring themes such as honesty, pride, prudence, selfishness, and the consequences of deceit or folly. Lines are spare and direct, often paired with small illustrations, and the arrangement of discrete episodes emphasizes cause-and-effect and memorable aphorisms to make ethical lessons accessible and easy to discuss.

THE CHILD AND THE BROOK.

An old man who saw a child stand for a long time by the side of a stream, said, “My boy, why do you gaze so long on this brook?” “Sir,” said the child, “I stay here to wait till the stream has run off, for then I shall pass with dry feet.” “Nay,” quoth the old man, “you might stay out your life, and yet not do that, for this brook will run on as long as time. And as you wend your way through life, you will find this out. If you go with the stream, you will get to the sea; but if you do not go with the stream, you will have to wade.”