Aesop
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Greece

The Oxen and The Axles

Two diligent oxen pulling a wagon loaded with grain grow upset by the creaking wheels until they realize it's a shared burden."
Understanding
Responsibility
Respect
Aesop's Fables - The Oxen and The Axles
Audio available for B1 version

In a quiet village, two strong oxen worked tirelessly, pulling a heavy wagon loaded with grain from the fields each day. They were very good at their work and never complained.

But one day, something strange happened. As the oxen pulled the wagon, they heard a loud creaking noise coming from the wheels. It annoyed them, and they wondered why the wheels were making such a racket when they were working so quietly.

The oxen grew a bit upset and said, "Why are the wheels complaining? We are the ones doing all the hard work. They have an easier job!"

As the day wore on, under the blazing sun, the weight of the wagon seemed to increase. Tired and drained, the oxen finally understood. The wheels weren't complaining. The noise was simply the response to the heavy load they all shared.

The oxen realized that everyone, even the wheels, had their own burdens to bear. So, their resentment turned into respect for the silently enduring wheels. From that day on, the creaking became a part of their shared symphony of labor and understanding.

Once in a village, so quiet you could hear a mouse hiccup, two beefy oxen worked their hooves off, pulling a wagon stuffed with grain. They were the talk of the farm, a real dynamic duo, never grumbling, never moaning. They were like superheroes but without the capes – or maybe the capes were just invisible.

One sizzling summer day, as they were pulling the wagon, a sound interrupted their thoughts. *Creeeeak!* The wheels were singing a tune, and let's be honest, they were no rock stars.

"What's that racket?" one ox said, tilting his head. "Sounds like my uncle trying to dance."

"You think that's loud?" the other ox snorted. "I heard a snail sneeze once. Now that was ear-popping."

As they kept trudging along, the noise continued. *Creeeeak! Creeeeak!*

"It's like the wheels are telling jokes at a comedy club, only they're not funny," the first ox complained. "We do the hard work, and they just creak along."

"Yeah, they're living the good life," the other ox added. "Sunbathing, rolling around... Must be nice."

But as hours ticked by and the sun played a game of peek-a-boo with the clouds, the wagon felt like it had gobbled up a dozen more sacks of grain. The oxen's energy sagged, like a balloon after a birthday party.

Finally, as the sun was giving its last wink before bedtime, the oxen realized something.

"Hey, do you think the wheels might actually have it tough too?" the first ox wondered.

"You mean, like they're not just doing the twist all day?" the other asked, his eyebrows raised high.

"That's right!" the first ox said, nodding. "Maybe they're not complaining; they're just creaking along, doing their part."

A newfound respect bloomed between the oxen and the wheels, and from that day on, they worked together like jam on toast, always in sync.

Once upon a time, in hills so bright,
Two sturdy oxen pulled with all their might.
A wagon full of grain, so heavy, so grand,
They moved it with care, across the land.

Each dawn they'd begin, with nary a moan,
For their strength was known, muscles fully grown.
But one sunny day, a new sound did rise,
A creaking, a groaning, much to their surprise.

“Why do the wheels creak, when we bear the load?
We pull with such strength, on this winding road!”
Musing aloud, in the middle of day,
Believing the wheels just rolled in their play.

But as hours went by, in the sun's warm embrace,
The weight of their load, they came to face.
They understood then, as the day unwound,
That wheels too had burdens, on this very ground.

With newfound respect, they changed their view,
Realizing that each had burdens to chew.
The creaks and the groans, they now understood,
Were sounds of shared effort, through bad and good.

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Understanding Questions

Reflection Questions

  1. Why did the oxen initially feel annoyed by the creaking noise of the wheels?
  2. What made the oxen change their minds about the wheels' "complaining"?
  3. Can you think of a time when you thought someone had it easy, but then realized they had their own difficulties?
  4. What does this story teach us about understanding and respecting the challenges others face?
  5. How can we apply this lesson to our lives and how we treat others around us?

Fable Quotes

In understanding each other's struggles, we discover the true strength of the team.
Responsibility is not just carrying the load, but sharing the burden.
Respect blossoms when we acknowledge the hidden burdens others carry, creating a symphony of understanding.
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