The Enduring Wisdom of Fables
Art by Charles Santore
Fables are short stories that contain a moral or practical lesson for life. They are similar to parables, with the only difference that fables are often - although not always - performed by talking animals, which personify some human archetypes. For instance, the fox is sly, the ass is stupid, the horse is noble, the lion is powerful, etc.
The earliest fables to record are attributed to Aesop, an educated slave who lived in ancient Greece in 5 BC. Some of his most famous fables are “The Hare and the Tortoise”, “The Ant and the grasshopper” and “The Lion and the Mouse”.
Just like parables, fables were used from ancient times to amuse and educate both adults and children, but probably due to their fantastical connection to talking animals, the educating role of fables was relegated to children’s literature over the centuries.
However, fables are a great way to learn and remember basic truths and important lessons for life, no matter your age.
The Ant and the Grasshopper
Passed mostly by word of mouth during the middle ages, and compiled during the Renaissance, fables had a revival during the Age of Illumination, when many illustrious fabulists emerged in Europe to contribute with the educational movement of the time.
Among some of the most famed authors of this era were Felix Maria Samaniego and Tomas de Iriarte in Spain, Jean de la Fontaine in France, Lorenzo Pignotti in Italy, and John Gay in England.
Due to their educational character, fables were often written in verse, to encourage children’s retention thanks to rhyme, and they used wit and humour to help popularize their message.
Due to its antiquity, Aesop’s fables have been retold countless times, often by other fabulists such as de la Fontaine and Samaniego, and we are not certain of the exact wording, but the story and final morale remains the same.
Here’s five fables from Aesop, Samaniego, de la Fontaine, Gay, and Irirarte
Aesop - The Lion and the Mouse
Art by Jerry Pinkney
Once, the mighty Lion was asleep, when a little Mouse began running up and down upon him. Disturbed in his rest, the Lion awoke upset, trapped the Mouse under his paw and opened his big jaws to swallow him.
"Pardon, O King!" cried the little Mouse: "Please forgive me and I shall never forget it. Who knows what I may be able to do help you one of these days?"
The Lion was so amused at the idea of the Mouse helping him, that he let him go.
Some time after, the Lion was caught in a hunter’s net. All his mighty efforts to set free were in vain. Immobilized and hoisted on the branch of a tree, the Lion roared angrily as the hunters rushed for a wagon to carry him on.
But then, the little Mouse just happened to pass by. Seeing the sad plight in which the Lion was, and remembering his promise, he quickly went up to him and gnawed away the ropes of the net.
In seconds the mighty Lion was free and both he and the Mouse raced away from the hunters.
Morale: Be kind to everyone regardless of their station or appearance - you never know who may help you in case of need in the future.
Felix Maria Samaniego - The Milkmaid
Bringing on the head “I’ll take it to the market and make good money
a jug the milkmaid to the market Will buy in cash
with such quickness A stout cow and a veal,
such ease, such gladness, that may run and jump around the fields
that declares to everyone who notices: up to the cabin’s nearby hills”.
I am glad of my luck! With this thought,
distracted, she leaps so,
For she had no wish of company that her violent jump
other than her own thoughts, made the jug fall. Poor milkmaid!
Which joyfully offered her Good mercy! Goodbye milk, money,
innocent ideas of content, eggs, chicks, pig, cow and veal.
Marched alone, the happy milkmaid;
saying thus to herself: Oh, mindless whim,
Such palaces you build on thin air!
“Sold this milk, Measure your happiness;
it’ll give me so much cash, may it not be that by leaping
that with it I shall out of the joyful prospect,
buy myself a basket of eggs, the jug of hope may shatter.
To have a hundred chicks that by dawn
may surround me with song". Do not be ambitious
for more and better fortune;
“From the profit of the chicks for you’ll live anxious
I will purchase myself a pig; and dissatisfied with everything.
With acorn, bran, cabbage, Do not impatiently wish future wealth,
chestnut, will fatten anon, for not even the present is assured.
So that I may even see
its fat belly drag along”.
Morale: Don’t plan on the future counting on what you don’t yet have. Keep your feet on the ground and enjoy the present.
Jean de la Fontaine - The Ass Carrying Relics
An ass, with relics for his load,
Supposed the worship on the road
Meant for himself alone,
And took on lofty airs,
Receiving as his own
the incense and the prayers.
One, who saw his great mistake,
Cried, "Master Donkey, do not make
Yourself so big a fool.
Not you they worship, but your pack;
They praise the idols on your back,
And count yourself a paltry tool."
'Tis thus a brainless magistrate
Is honour'd for his robe of state.
Morale: Only fools attribute themselves the glory of others, thinking them their own.
John Gay - The Pin and the Needle (Fable XVI)
A pin, who long had served a beauty, You better might employ your parts,
Proficient in the toilet’s duty, And aid the sempstress in her arts.
Had formed her sleeve, confined her hair, But tell me how the friendship grew
Or given her knot a smarter air, Between that paltry flint and you?”
Now nearest to her heart was placed, “Friend, says the needle, cease to blame;
Now in her mantua’s tail disgraced: I follow real worth and fame. Know’st
But could she partial fortune blame, thou the loadstone’s power and art
Who saw her lovers served the same? That virtue virtues can impart?
At length from all her honours cast; Of all his talents I partake,
Through various turns of life she pass’d; Who then can such a friend forsake?
Now glittered on a tailor’s arm; ‘Tis I directs the pilot’s hand
Now kept a beggar’s infant warm; To shun the rocks and treacherous sand;
Now, ranged within a miser’s coat, By me distant world is known,
Contributes to his yearly groat; And either India is our own.
Now, raised again from low approach, Had I with milliners been bred,
She visits in the doctor’s coach; What had I been? The guide of thread,
Here, there, by various fortune toss’d, And drudged as vulgar needles do,
At last in Gresham Hall was lost. Of no more consequence than you.”
Charmed with the wonders of the show,
On every side, above, below,
She now of this or that enquires,
What least was understood admires.
’Tis plain, each thing so struck her mind.
Her head’s of virtuoso kind.
“And pray what’s this, and this, dear sir?”
“A needle”, says the interpreter.
She knew the name. And thus the fool
Addressed her as a tailor’s tool:
“A needle with that filthy stone,
Quite idle, all with rust o’ergrown!
Morale: Don’t be too quick to judge by appearances, and instead be wise to learn more in depth about those you would otherwise despise at first glance.
Tomas de Iriarte - The Flute-playing Donkey
This little fable, Inside the flute the air
whether good or not, seeped in,
has sparked on me now and the flute sounded
by mere chance. by mere chance.
Near some pastures “Oh!” said the donkey,
around my place, “How well I play!
A donkey paced And they say it’s bad
by mere chance. a donkey’s music!”
A flute in them Without rules or art,
found, which a boy some donkeys there are,
thoughtlessly forgot, who once in a while hit it
by mere chance. by mere chance.
Drew in to smell it
the said animal,
and suddenly he snorted
by mere chance.
Morale: When there are no rules, those who hit it right by chance wrongly believe themselves experts in the matter.
The Golden Fish, Russian folk tale
Aside from fables, many cultures have developed their own short stories carrying morals and ancient wisdom, passed on from generation to generation and woven into the idiosyncrasy of its folklore.
Among these we can count the tales of Uncle Remus in Southern United States, the Panchatantra and Jakata tales in India, the Uncle Tiger and Uncle Rabbit tales in Venezuela, and many folk tales from Russia, Ukraine and Poland.
Also, many fairy tales, such as the Grimm’s Brothers (Puss in Boots, Red Riding Hood, Hansel & Gretel, etc.) and Andersen’s (The Little Mermaid, The Little Match Girl, The Ugly Duckling, etc.), also contain lessons and morals, and while their length excludes them from being fables, they were and are still used as entertaining educational tools for children.
Fables and tales are a fun and memorable way to pass on centuries-old wisdom and valuable lessons that we may apply for life.
It’s never too early or too late to enjoy them and refresh their timeless wisdom or pass it on to future generations for their enjoyment and moral formation.
To Learn More...
Want to read more fables and tales? This website contains a wide collection of stories from all over the world: from traditional fables to tales from North and South America, Africa, Australia, Asia and more!
Sources: Biblioteca Virtual Cervantes, TalesWithMorals.com, Wikipedia.
Comments
Post a Comment