Final answer:
A fable is a short story that uses animals as characters to teach a moral lesson about human nature.
Step-by-step explanation:
A short story that illustrates a general truth about human nature using animals as characters is called a fable. Fables often have talking animals that act out human behaviors and teach a moral lesson. One popular example of a fable is The Tortoise and the Hare, which teaches the value of perseverance.
Learn more about Types of short stories