Good day Grade 7-1!

I am your Teacher Intern “Rina Rose Florida”

Today we are going to talk about one of the Aesop’s Fables.

Aesop’s Fables is a collection of fables credited to the author named Aesop.

But before we proceed to the text, let me give you a brief introduction of the author
“Aesop”

Aesop is believed to have been alive from 620 to 560 BC. It was believed that he was a
slave, but was given his freedom because of his literacy and storytelling. 

Aesop is credited with more than six hundred fables. Aesop’s fables have reached
countless generations since he is reported to have been alive, and they continue to be a
part of the lives of many.

Not every fable, however, that has been linked to Aesop is his own original material. In
actuality, there are many fables attributed to Aesop that, for a variety of reasons,
couldn’t possibly be his own.

Fables are short stories that teach a moral, or lesson, to children. The stories are often
funny, and the themes are easy for children to understand. The characters of fables are
usually animals that act and talk like people but still have animal traits. The fables tell a
story and end with a moral or lesson. 

Although the character of the text that we are going to learn today is not actually
animals, still this is under fables since it is also giving us a moral lesson at the end of
the story.

So, class are you ready to listen and learn about the story entitled “Hercules and the
Wagoner”? If yes, let’s start.
 Hercules and the Wagoner
Aesop’s Fable

A wagoner was driving a heavy load along a muddy road. He came to a part of
the road where the wheels sank half-way into the mire, and the more the horse pulled,
the deeper sank the wheels. So, the Wagoner threw down his whip, knelt down and
prayed to Hercules the Strong.

“O Hercules, help me in this my hour of distress.” But Hercules appeared to him,

and said: “Tut, man, don’t sprawl there. Get up and put your shoulder to the wheel.”

And when the wagoner put his shoulder to the wheel and urged on the horses,
the wagon moved very readily, and soon the wagoner was riding along in great content
and with a good lesson learned.

How do you find the story about Hercules and the wagoner? It is a good story right.

Let’s analyse further the story by identifying the common literary elements such as
character, setting, plot, mood, tone, theme and the author’s purpose.

1. Character
a. Hercules b. Wagoner
2. Setting
- muddy road
3. Plot
a. Exposition - A Wagoner was driving a heavy load along a muddy road.
b. Rising action - He came to a part of the road where the wheels sank half-way
into the mire, and the more the horses pulled, the deeper sank the wheels.
c. Climax - The Wagoner threw down his whip, knelt down and prayed to Hercules
the Strong. He then appeared but he did not help the wagoner. Instead, he told
the wagoner to put his shoulder on the wheel.
d. Falling action – The wagoner put his shoulder on the wheel and urged his
horses.
 e. Resolution – The wagon moved very readily, and soon the wagoner was riding
along in great content and with a good lesson learned.

4. Mood – The mood could be inspiring, motivating, relieved, amused, etc.

5. Tone – The tone could be simple and direct.

6. Purpose of the author - The purpose of the author is to entertain and to

inform.

To entertain - Hundred years ago people used it to entertain themselves by the

traditional way of storytelling.
To inform - the readers that self-help is the best help. Help yourself rather than
asking someone or even the Greek’s goddess to help you because heaven helps
those who help themselves.

7. Theme – The theme of the text is “make effort to help yourself to do things
possible rather than asking someone to do it for you”.

The moral lesson of the text is “Self-help is the best help” which originated in the
proverb “God helps those who help themselves”. In doing something, “effort” is much
needed. Instead of asking someone to do or accomplished something for you, it is
better to exert effort in doing it for yourself because in the first place when you want to
be successful to anything that you do, you have to do what you can and make the best
out of it since no one will make it for you but yourself. It is not bad to seek the help of
others especially when you really need help from them but it is not good to depend on
them.
The significance of the text is that it opens our eyes and mind that we should not rely
ourselves to others just because we know they can do it for us. This text serves as an
eye-opener not only for those people of the time it was written but it is also applicable
today.

Now class, do you understand our lesson for today? I hope you are.

Before I end, let me leave a quotation for you

“The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a
lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will.” – Vince Lombardi Jr.