1. A short moral story or fable, typically featuring animals as characters, told to illustrate a lesson or principle.
Usage: Often used in literary and educational contexts.; Similar to a fable but may involve human characters as well.

Examples

• Aesop's apologues, such as 'The Tortoise and the Hare,' have taught moral lessons for centuries.
• The teacher used an apologue about a greedy merchant to explain the dangers of dishonesty.
• Many ancient cultures preserved their wisdom through apologues passed down orally.
• The apologue of the ant and the grasshopper illustrates the value of hard work.
• Children often learn ethical principles through apologues rather than direct instruction.
• Medieval writers frequently employed the apologue as a vehicle for social criticism.