moral fable

A moral fable is a short story, often featuring animals or fantastical elements, that illustrates an ethical lesson.

Aesop's fables are the prototype—the tortoise beats the hare, teaching that steady persistence defeats careless speed.

The moral may be stated explicitly at the end or left for the reader to extract.

Unlike parables, which tend toward realism, moral fables embrace the obviously fictional: talking foxes, scheming crows, industrious ants.