Aper
From Seven Sages of Rome
Critical Literature
No critical literature available
The inset story appears in the following manuscripts
The inset story appears in the following versions and secondary versions
Frightened of a fierce, huge boar, a herdsman escapes up a fruit-tree. He throws down fruit which the boar eats until it is full, and unable to pursue the herdsman, nor defend itself when he descends and kills it. In some versions (e.g., Mischle Sendebar), the boar eats until it bursts; in other versions, it is a monkey who tricks the boar.
The accompanying moral is consistent: the emperor should, like the boar, be wary of being tricked by sweet words that will render him defenseless.
Along with Avis, Senescalcus, and Canis, Aper is one of the inset tales that appears in both 'Eastern' and 'Western' versions of the Seven Sages.
