AESOP'S FABLE - THE GOATHERD AND THE GOAT

En esta ocasión, publicamos una de las famosas fábulas de Esopo en inglés.

1.- The Goatherd And The Goat

A young goatherd who was gathering his herd to take them back to the fold, noticed that one of the goats was absently grazing in a small meadow of tender grass.

The impatient young goatherd was so eager to get back on time, that he picked up a rock and threw it at the animal's horns, breaking one as he did so.

Frightened by his own actions, and fearing punishment at home, the young goatherd knelt before the goat and the pleaded.

"I beg you, forgive me", and on the verge of tears, he added, "please don't say anything about this to the master!"

"Don't worry", said the kind goat "I'll say nothing to the master, but do you think my broken horn will keep your secret?"

Moral: Tell your secrets just to one, better yet, to none.

2.- Vocabulary

- Goatherd = Cabrero

- gather = reunir

- herd = manada, rabaño

- fold = redil

- grazing = graze = pastar, comer pasto

- meadow = prado, pradera

- eager = impaciente

- threw = throw = lanzar, arrojar

- horns = cuernos

- frightened = asustado

- punishment = castigo

- knelt = kneel = arrodillarse

- pleaded = plead = suplicar

- beg = Suplicar

- verge = al borde de

- broken = break = romper

- none = ninguno, nadie

3.- Questions on the text

a) What was the young goatherd doing?

b) Where was one of the goats?

c) What did the impatient young goatherd do?

d) Why did the young goatherd kneel?

e) Explain the moral.

4.- Exercises

Cambiar las frases.

Ejemplo:

*** A young goatherd was gathering his herd. (old)

*** An old goatherd was gathering his herd.

a) A young goatherd was gathering his herd. (Negative)

b) The impatient young goatherd was eager to get back on time. (calm)

c) The young goatherd knelt and pleaded. (Negative)

d) I'll say nothing to the master. (Present Perfect Tense)