Select the most appropriate word that means the same as the group of words given.

A short story with a moral, usually with animals as characters.

Fable

The most appropriate word that means the same as the group of words "a short story with a moral, usually with animals as characters" is fable.

• Hymn is a song of praise or worship.
• Parody is a humorous imitation of a serious work.
• Fable is a short story with a moral, usually with animals as characters.
• Ode is a long, formal poem, typically of a serious or meditative nature.

The word fable is the most appropriate because it specifically refers to a short story with a moral, and it is often used to describe stories with animal characters. The other words do not have the same connotation of a moral lesson.