Aesop
|
Greece

The Bald Man and The Fly

A bald man, tormented by a fly, injures himself trying to swat it with a large stone, while the fly escapes unharmed.
Consequences
Wisdom
Patience
Aesop's Fables - The Bald Man and The Fly
Audio available for B1 version

Once upon a time, there lived a bald man who was resting peacefully on a warm and sunny day. As he sat there enjoying the gentle breeze, a fly suddenly landed on his bald head.

The fly began to bite the man, causing him great discomfort and pain. The bald man, growing increasingly irritated, tried to swat the fly away with his hand. However, the fly was nimble and quick, always managing to evade his grasp.

Frustrated and desperate to get rid of the fly, the bald man picked up a large stone and, without a moment's hesitation, brought it down upon his own head in an attempt to crush the fly. The stone struck him with such force that it left a deep gash on his scalp, causing him pain and anger.

Meanwhile, the fly buzzed away, unharmed and unconcerned, leaving the bald man to suffer the consequences of his rash and foolish action.

Once upon a sunny time in a comfy field, there sat a bald guy, basking in the warm sun like he was at the world's best beach party. You know, he was as bald as a peeled potato, but that didn't bother him. He was just enjoying the soft breeze, probably humming some catchy tune.

"Ah, this is the life," the bald man thought, loving the warm sun on his skin.

Then, like a tiny buzzing ninja, in zooms a fly, going right for the top of Mr. Bald's head, the perfect landing pad.

"Hey, buzz off, would ya?" the bald man said, trying to swat the fly with a flick of his hand.

"Missed me!" the fly buzzed, doing a little loop-de-loop in the air like it was the star of its own airshow. "Ugh!" The bald man was getting really annoyed now. He was as fidgety as a cat near a bathtub. He looked around and saw a big rock. "Ah-ha! That should do it!"

The fly hovered nearby, thinking, "He's not really gonna do it, is he?"

Lifting the rock over his head like he was some kind of superhero, the bald man shouted, "For the love of sunshine!" and—WHAM!—down came the rock right onto his own noggin.

"Ouchie!" the bald man yelped. Now, he had a big owie on his head and probably wished he had some ice cream to make it better. The fly, meanwhile, buzzed away, laughing so hard he had to hold his tiny fly belly. "Oh, man! That was even better than I thought!"

And there the bald man sat, maybe rethinking some of his choices, with nothing but a bruise to show for it. You could almost hear the chuckles from every flower and blade of grass around him.

Baldy sat, the sun so bright,
Feeling happy, feeling light.
Here comes a fly, zooming near,
Lands on his head, oh dear, oh dear!

The fly tickles, buzz and zip,
Baldy's not a fan of this little trip.
He waves his hand to shoo it away,
But the fly just thinks it's time to play.

"No more!" says Baldy, a little mad,
Time for a plan, but oh, it's bad.
He picks a rock from off the ground,
Hoping the fly will soon be found.

Bang, oh no, he missed the mark,
A big ouchie, this isn't a lark.
The fly zips off, saying "Bye, gotta flee!"
Leaves Baldy there, as sad as can be.

"I goofed," says Baldy, rubbing his head,
Wishing the fly had gone elsewhere instead.
He learned that day, as we all should,
Rushing won't bring anything good.

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Understanding Questions

Reflection Questions

  1. Why do you think the bald man decided to use a stone to try to get rid of the fly?
  2. How do you think the bald man felt after he hit himself with the stone, and the fly was still not harmed?
  3. Can you remember a time when you or someone else acted in anger or frustration, and it didn't help the situation?
  4. What lessons can we learn from this story about thinking before we act, especially when we're upset?
  5. How can we apply this story's lesson in our everyday lives to react calmly and thoughtfully, even when we're annoyed or frustrated?

Fable Quotes

Rash actions can bring forth wounds, for consequences follow the footsteps of impulsive choices.
True wisdom lies not in brute force, but in the nimble mind that outwits the greatest challenges.
In the face of irritation, patience unveils its power, guarding against hasty actions and unwelcome consequences.
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