aesopica.
ENFRESDEITPT
FableNº 90

The Woman and the Hen

A widow had a hen that laid her an egg every day. She imagined that if she gave it more barley, her hen would lay twice a day, and she duly increased its ration. But once the hen had grown fat, was no longer even able to lay once a day.

Those who grasp for more may lose even what they already possess.
Moral

Similar fables

  1. A kneeling man holds his hands over a dead hen laid on a cloth; beside them, an overturned basket and a golden eggNº 287The Hen with the Golden EggsA man had a fine hen that laid golden eggs. Believing she had a lump of gold inside her, he killed her, and found her just like any other hen. He had…Read the fable →
  2. Illustration for Aesop’s fable “The Statue Seller”Nº 2The Statue SellerA man carved a wooden statue of the god Hermes and took it to the market, but no buyer came near. Hoping to attract one, he began to call out that he…Read the fable →
  3. Illustration for Aesop’s fable “The Fisherman and the Sprat”Nº 26The Fisherman and the SpratA fisherman let down his net into the sea and drew up a sprat. As it was small, it begged him not to take it yet but to let it go, given its size.…Read the fable →
The newsletter

One fable, every Sunday, in your inbox.