Classical Writing: Progymnasmata - Aesop's Fables: The Sick Lion

We've found progymnasmata exercises to be a fun and helpful way for our kids to learn how to write. Here's two progymnasmata exercises our 10 year-old daughter (5th grade) recently did for her class. If you have a reluctant writer, see if reading these examples might help encourage them to get their feet wet.

First is the Aesop's fable; the second, a re-telling; the third, an imaginative elaboration. She was told to include hydrographia (description of water), topographia (description of place), and pragmatographia (description of event) in addition to working in: a who/which clause, 2 "ly" words, a "because" clause, and 5 "quality" adjectives.

#1: The Original Aesop's Fable: The Sick Lion

A Lion, unable from old age and infirmities to provide himself with food by force, resolved to do so by artifice. He returned to his den, and lying down there, pretended to be sick, taking care that his sickness should be publicly known. The beasts expressed their sorrow, and came one by one to his den, where the Lion devoured them. After many of the beasts had thus disappeared, the Fox discovered the trick and presenting himself to the Lion, stood on the outside of the cave, at a respectful distance, and asked him how he was. “I am very middling,” replied the Lion, “but why do you stand without? Pray enter within to talk with me.” “No, thank you,” said the Fox. “I notice that there are many prints of feet entering your cave, but I see no trace of any returning.”

He is wise who is warned by the misfortunes of others.

#2. Re-Telling of The Sick Lion

Once there was an old and weak lion with dull, ruffled, brown fur, who couldn't take care of himself. He thought for a long time, then decided to feed himself by pretending to be sick. He quickly returned to his den. Before he entered, he jumped over a shining river that had tiny little waves that rippled in the sunlight. His den had a hole for an entrance, leaves for his bed, with a tiny puddle of water to drink from near his bed. Animal bones were scattered throughout his den.

Because a shiny black crow saw the Lion looking sick, the news spread like wildfire. Soon all the animals from the youngest mouse to the oldest turtle knew the Lion was sick. Immediately he was visited by hundreds of animals who expressed their sorrow. The Lion quickly, messily, and hungrily devoured them.

In a few days, the Fox who had shiny orange fur and a black tail came to visit the Lion. Amazing, but true, he discovered the Lion's trick before he entered the den. He stood outside the Loin's den and asked, "How are you Lion?"

"I am very sick, come in and talk to me," the Lion replied.

"No," said the Fox, "I saw many tracks going in, but none going out," and he left.

He is wise who is warned from the misfortunes of others.

#3. Re-Telling of The Sick Lion with a Twist

"Mr. Psychiatrist," said Holon the Lion, "I am having problems. I used to get lots of food, but now I'm getting none."

"Right, right," grumbled Grendlen the Bull. "Tell me the whole story, Holon." Holon comfortably sat down on the psychiatrist's couch and the Bull sat on a chair beside the couch. "Well," said the Lion, "When I was returning from a cruise I had won in a contest, the water was beautiful and sparkly, but the water made me sick. Waves were crashing against the boat when we landed. I was anxious to get to my tropical paradise. The beautiful shoreline was filled with zebras, giraffes, elephants, and antelope. The seagulls were driving me crazy! Then I collapsed in my bed for I had arthritis.

The next day, I carefully stalked a zebra. The smell wafted into my nostrils. As I pounced, a sharp pain struck me on the leg making me cry out, scaring the zebra awa. I stumbled back to my straw den, and thought for five days until I thought of an idea to fool the animals by inviting them to a feast and eating them both."

"Nice, nice, Lion, nice," said Grendlen. "Let's continue the story, Lion."

"Fine," growled the Lion. "Two animals came, both zebras. I ate them all. Then a mean, evil, cruel fox called Argiana, decided to tell everyone that I was eating all my guests. Now at that time I did not know that was bad manners. Argiana was so cocky and stuck up and was like, "You're in big trouble." I thought, "I'll show her!"

"Enough, Lion!," Roared the Bull. "I diagnose you with Food Obsession Disease!" Furthermore, I have to make you eat some Blue Grass of Kentucky and water from the Himalayas."

"What??" yelled the Lion. Then "Whoa!"

For the Bull had tossed him out the window.

"Golly if I didn't throw him out, he would have eaten me," said the Bull. He then put up a sign "No carnivores!"

He who is wise learns from the misfortunes of others.

Aesop's Fables: The Sick Lion