A Treasury of Literary Classics -
Fairy Tales Series

Instruction:

    Read the story and answer the following questions.

The Fox and the Horse

by the Brothers Grimm

Click here to read the text.

1. Why did the master no longer want to give food to his horse?

A. The master did not have enough food for his horse.
B. The master punished his horse by giving it no more food.
C. The master thought his horse was old and useless. Thus he didn't want to feed it.
D. The master gave all the food to another new horse.

Your answer:

Read paragraph 1.

“Once there was a horse. He used to be a faithful servant to a farmer, but as he grew older and weaker, he could not work as well as before. His master no longer wanted to give him food and was even determined to drive him away. One day, the farmer said, ‘You’re no longer useful to me and I won’t keep you …’ ”

2. What did the master ask the horse to do to show it was still strong?

A. The horse had to kill a lion and bring it to the master.
B. The horse had to bring another horse to the master.
C. The horse had to bring a fox to the master.
D. The horse had to bring a lion to the master.

Your answer:

Read paragraph 1.

“One day, the farmer said, ‘… However, if you can prove yourself stronger than a lion and bring one to me, I’ll take you back and let you have enough to eat.’ ”

3. Which adjective best describes the attitude of the master when he drove his horse away?

A. Caring
B. Selfish
C. Responsible
D. Reliable

Your answer:

Read paragraph 1.

“Once there was a horse. He used to be a faithful servant to a farmer, but as he grew older and weaker, he could not work as well as before. His master no longer wanted to give him food and was even determined to drive him away.”
What did the master do to his faithful horse?

4. What did the fox ask the horse to do?

A. The fox asked the horse to pretend to be dead.
B. The fox asked the horse to make friends with a lion.
C. The fox asked the horse to look for a lion together.
D. The fox asked the horse to set a trap to kill a lion.

Your answer:

Read paragraph 4.

“The fox offered, ‘I’ll help you. Just lie down, stretch yourself out stiffly as if you were dead, and do not move.’ ”

5. Which adjectives best describe how the fox trapped the lion?

  1. Shy
  2. Reliable
  3. Dishonest
  4. Cunning

A. (i) & (ii)
B. (iii) & (iv)
C. (i), (ii) & (iii)
D. All of the above

Your answer:

Read paragraph 5.

“… the fox said, ‘It’s not comfortable for you to start your delicious meal here. There are eagles circling in the sky above. I’ll fasten the horse to you by the tail, and you can drag it to your cave and eat it in peace.’ The lion agreed and lay down for the fox to tie the horse to him. But the fox tied the lion’s legs together with the horse’s tail, and twisted and fastened the tail so tightly that the lion could not break loose.”
Did the fox keep his words?

6. Why did the horse follow what the fox told it to do?

A. The fox had helped the horse before.
B. The fox knew where the lion’s cave was.
C. The horse misunderstood the fox’s suggestion.
D. The horse had nobody to rely on except the fox.

Your answer:

Read paragraphs 2 and 3.

Did the horse get help from others?

7. Sensory details including sight, sound, touch, smell and taste can make the description more vivid. Read the following descriptions and the words underlined. Identify the correct sensory detail from the list given. Each option can be used once only.


A. Sound B. Sight C. Touch D. Taste
Description Sensory detail
7a. “Why are you looking so miserable wandering in this cold wind and rain?” asked the fox. (Paragraph 2)
7b. He told the lion, “A large dead horse is lying outside. Come with me and you can eat to your heart’s desire!” (Paragraph 5)
7c. It’s not comfortable for you to start your delicious meal here. (Paragraph 5)
7d. The lion was shocked and furious. He roared so loudly that all the birds in the forest flew out in all directions. (Paragraph 5)

Read the sentences carefully to understand their meanings.

8. What sensory details are described in the following sentence?
“While hiking in the mountain, Christy enjoyed the fresh air and the pleasant scent of flowers.”

A. Sight
B. Touch
C. Taste
D. Smell

Your answer:

What does the word “scent” tell you about the flowers?

9. Which of the following is NOT TRUE about the horse?

A. The horse was young.
B. The horse had worked for its master for a long time.
C. The horse hung its head down because it was upset.
D. The horse dragged a lion to its master.

Your answer:

Was the horse young?
What did the master do to the horse?

The Fox and the Horse

Score Sheet

Questions Results
Question 1
Question 2
Question 3
Question 4
Question 5
Question 6
Question 7a
Question 7b
Question 7c
Question 7d
Question 8
Question 9
Total

Extension: Time to think!

10. What is the moral lesson of the story?

11. Do you keep a pet at home? If your pet gets old, what will you do to it? Think and share with your parents or classmates.