Fable assignment: The purpose of this assignment is to practice storytelling skills while integrating a theme and being concise. Additionally, I want you to have fun! DUE DATE: FRIDAY, JANUARY 21. YOU WILL BE EXPECTED TO READ YOUR FABLE TO THE CLASS.
Requirements: The fable animals should generally be consistent with the nature of the creature in the fable. For instance, ants don't have 'mom and dad' families. No humans should be involved. The animals can speak. The fables should be limited to half a page in length. Use the student sample as a model, but you can decide if you want to “tell” the moral at the end or not. Additionally, remember that many fables are not “happily ever after”—they are designed to teach a lesson and reflect the realities of a world that is sometimes kind, sometimes harsh.
THE LION AND THE MOUSE—AESOP
A lion was tired with hunting, and lay down to rest under an oak tree. While he slept, a little mouse ran across his back and woke him. In his rage he started up, clapped his paw on her, and would have put her to death straightway. But the little mouse begged for mercy in so sweet and piteous a manner that the kindly beast let her go.
A few days afterwards, the lion while hunting in the forest, was caught in a net which had been put there to trap him. He fought and struggled to escape; but in vain; the net held him fast, and in despair the lion set up a loud roar.
The grateful mouse, hearing the voice, and knowing it to be that of her friend, ran to the place. She bade the poor beast have no fear, and without more ado, she began to nibble at the knots and fastenings of the net. These were strong, but the teeth of the mouse were as sharp as steel, and soon knots and fastenings were bitten through and the lion was set free.
Sample Fable #1
A Fable by Hadley R.
In the beginning of time, deep down in the depths of the ocean there lived a jellyfish named Mertle and a fish named Yunky. These two had been best friends as long as they could remember and they were always together.
Mertle was a little different from Yunky, not only because Mertle was much squishier than normal fish, but because his personality was a little freakish as well. You see, Mertle was constantly looking for approval from the other fish, even the ones that repeatedly mocked Yunky and hurt his feelings. Yunky was a little slow so he never really caught on to the teasing or the fact that Mertle still looked up to these bully fish.
One day these bully fish were teasing Yunky unmercifully, and he began to understand the cruelty of their jokes. Yunky looked up to Mertle with tears in his eyes and asked him if the two of them could just go play together away from all the other fish. Mertle looked at his poor innocent best friend that needed him now more than ever before, and then looked at the other fish. These fish were big and tough, and they always had girl fish flirting with them. Mertle looked Yunky straight in the eye, and told him to go home by himself, because he had new friends now and didn't need him.
Yunky swam home alone, and left Mertle there with the other fish. The other fish, seeing that Mertle looked much different from the rest of them, moved on to him as their victim of verbal abuse. In the end proving that it never pays off to be spineless.