Aesop's Fables: The Three Bullocks and the Lion

Sadi Rey
Jan 8
3 min read

Updated: Aug 26

Fable

A Lion had been watching three Bullocks feeding in an open field. He had tried to attack them several times, but they had kept together, and helped each other to drive him off. The Lion had little hope of eating them, for he was no match for three strong Bullocks with their sharp horns and hoofs. But he could not keep away from that field, for it is hard to resist watching a good meal, even when there is little chance of getting it.

Then one day the Bullocks had a quarrel, and when the hungry Lion came to look at them and lick his chops as he was accustomed to do, he found them in separate corners of the field, as far away from one another as they could get.

It was now an easy matter for the Lion to attack them one at a time, and this he proceeded to do with the greatest satisfaction and relish.

Moral

There is strength in unity. When siblings, family, friends, neighborhoods, groups of people, or larger populations come together as a cohesive unit with a common focus, they are more powerful, influential, and successful than if they worked alone. Quarreling over insignificant matters that will not affect the overall goal is pointless and, in some instances, can be dangerous.

Activities

Here are some activities your students or children may complete to facilitate positive character traits, comprehension skills, processing skills, improved writing skills, and sharper speaking abilities. Tailor them as needed to fit your student's level.

Using complete sentences, discuss a time you worked together with another person or group of people and the results of the unified effort. Discuss a time you did not work cohesively with someone. What was the outcome? Was there a difference between the two? Can you think of a news story that reinforces the idea that there is strength in unity?
Narrate the fable of the Three Bullocks and the Lion back to an adult or record yourself re-telling it. Play it back. Did you get the sequence of events correct and recall the story easily? Was your speech fluid, or did you pause often with filler words like "um"?
Re-write the fable in summary form. Using a copy of the fable, identify the sentence that tells the main idea. Then, cross out any extra details that don't alter the main idea, sequence of events, and moral. Use what is left to write a summary. A summary is a brief and concise version of a story used when something shorter is warranted.
Look up a poem about bulls. Discuss the type of poem, the meaning of certain phrases and lines, and the author.
Use the poem as copywork. In homeschooling, copywork practice common in Charlotte Mason-style teaching where passages are copied from literature or other superior, well-writing sources to reinforce good writing skills, handwriting, vocabulary, and more. It serves a model to emulate.

Coloring Page

Three Bullocks And A Lion

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