Aesop's Fables · Chapter
The Escaped Jackdaw explained
A man catches a jackdaw and gives it to his children as a pet, tying a string to its leg.
What happens
A man catches a jackdaw and gives it to his children as a pet, tying a string to its leg. The jackdaw, disliking captivity, escapes when it seems tame but becomes entangled in a tree by the string and dies, lamenting that in gaining freedom it lost its life.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Falling action.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
The emotional and psychological peak occurs when the victor Cock, swollen with pride after his triumph, is sud…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Wisdom and Foolishness
The jackdaw's escape leads to its death, illustrating the folly of seeking freedom without considering the consequences.
Characters to notice
- The Jackdaw
The jackdaw is caught by a man, kept as a pet, escapes, but is entangled by the string and dies.
Key passages
“Alas, in gaining my freedom I have lost my life.”
The jackdaw realizes that its attempt to escape captivity has resulted in its death.
The moral of the fable: freedom without caution can be fatal.
