Aesop's Fables · Chapter
The Father and His Daughters explained
A man visits his two daughters, one married to a gardener and the other to a potter.
What happens
A man visits his two daughters, one married to a gardener and the other to a potter. The gardener's wife wishes for rain to help the garden, while the potter's wife wishes for dry weather to dry the pottery. The father realizes he cannot pray for both wishes to be granted, as they are contradictory.
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 father wisely refrains from praying for both wishes, recognizing their incompatibility.
Characters to notice
- The Old Man
The father who visits his two daughters and recognizes the impossibility of satisfying both their conflicting wishes.
Key passages
“I was going to ask in my prayers that your wishes should be granted; but now it strikes me I had better not refer to the subject.”
The father decides not to pray for his daughters' wishes because they are mutually exclusive.
Highlights the father's realization of the conflict.
