Aesop
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Greece

The Flea and The Man

A man fought a bothersome flea, caught it, confronted its plea for mercy, but ultimately chose to punish it anyway.
Consequences
Responsibility
Justice
Aesop's Fables - The Flea and The Man
Audio available for B1 version

Once upon a time, a man found himself bothered by a tiny flea. This tiny creature had been feeding on his skin, causing him much discomfort and irritation.

Despite its size, the flea proved extremely difficult to catch. When the man finally captured it, his anger became apparent. "Why do you dare to bite me and cause me such hassle in trying to catch you?" he asked the flea.

In a timid voice, the flea replied, "Oh, kind sir, please don't hurt me. I'm just a tiny creature and I can't possibly cause you any real harm."

The man couldn't help but laugh at the flea's plea. "You may be small, but you've caused me enough trouble. No wrongdoing, no matter how tiny, should be allowed," he said.

And with that, the man closed his hand, sealing the fate of the tiny flea.

Once upon a time, a man had a little problem. And when we say "little," we mean really, really small. Yup, a tiny flea was bugging him—literally!

The man tried all sorts of goofy moves to shake off the flea. He twirled, he hopped, and he even did the chicken dance. "Hey, cut it out! I'm not a playground, you know!"

Finally, after what felt like an eternity of acting like a clown, he caught the tricky little flea and held it up for a close look. "Gotcha! So, why are you turning my life into a comedy show?"

The flea, looking as innocent as a flea could look, chirped, "Hey, mister, I'm just a little guy! What harm could I possibly do?"

The man chuckled. "Little, you say? Well, have you ever had a pie ruined by a single yucky crumb? Even something tiny can mess things up!"

The flea's eyes widened, "Hold on! What if I promise to leave and never come back? Maybe even join a bug talent show?"

The man grinned, "A bug talent show, huh? That's funny. But some things you just can't laugh off."

And so, with a sly smile, the man closed his hand, and that was the end of the tiny flea's comedy tour.

Little Mr. Man, oh he scratched and he fussed,
A tiny flea’s bite had just turned his day to dust.
Nip, nip, nip, went the flea on his skin,
Making Mr. Man jump, oh where had he been?

Finally he caught it, the flea in his hand,
“Why do you nip me? I don't understand!
You may be small, but oh what a task,
Chasing you down is too much to ask!”

“Kind Mr. Man, I’m so wee and so small,
I never meant to bother you, no, not at all!
I’m just a flea, not a dragon, not a bear,
Harm’s not my plan, there’s enough love to share.”

Mr. Man chuckled, “Your size isn't the thing,
It’s the trouble you cause with each little sting.
Wrong is still wrong, whether big or quite small,
Doing what's right is the best way for all.”

With a squeeze and a squish, the flea’s story did end,
Teaching a lesson to each of its friends.
Tiny or big, let’s be fair and be kind,
For good deeds are the treasures we all wish to find.

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Reflection Questions

  1. Why do you think the flea felt that it wasn't doing any real harm to the man?
  2. How did the man feel when he finally caught the flea?
  3. Can you remember a time when a small problem or annoyance became a big issue for you or someone else?
  4. What does this story teach us about the impact of our actions, no matter how small they may seem?
  5. How can we apply the lesson from this story in our daily lives to be mindful of our actions?

Fable Quotes

Every action, large or small, has its own set of consequences.
We must always take responsibility for our actions, no matter how small.
No misdeed is too small to escape justice's rightful gaze.
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