THE FATHER and HIS DAUGHTERS
by Aesop · from Aesop's Fables; a new translation
Adapted Version
A kind father had two daughters. One daughter married a gardener. The Gardener's Wife worked with plants. Her husband grew many good things. The other daughter married a potter. The Potter's Wife made clay pots. Her husband shaped the wet clay. The Father loved his girls very much. He wanted them to be happy always. They lived in different towns. He often thought of them.
The Father wanted to see his daughters. He missed them very much. He wanted to know how they were living. Were they doing well? Was their life good? He decided to visit them both. He would travel to their homes. First, he would go to the Gardener's Wife. He would ask about her work. He would ask about her husband. Then he would visit the Potter's Wife. He planned his kind journey.
The Father went to see the Gardener's Wife. He found her working in her green garden. "Hello, my dear," he said. "How are you doing? How is your husband?" She smiled at him. "We are doing very well, Father," she said. "But we need one special thing. We need much rain. Our garden is very dry now. The plants want water. Rain would make them grow big and strong. Please, I wish for heavy rain."
Next, the Father visited the Potter's Wife. He found her working near her clay pots. "Hello, my dear," he said. "How are you doing? How is your husband?" She smiled at him. "We are doing very well, Father," she said. "But we need one special thing. We need very dry weather. Our clay pots are wet now. They need sun to dry them. Dry weather makes strong, good pots. Please, I wish for very dry days."
The Father thought about his two daughters. He had a funny look on his face. The Gardener's Wife wanted much heavy rain. Her garden needed water to grow. The Potter's Wife wanted very dry sun. Her clay pots needed sun to dry. Their wishes were very different indeed. "I wanted to help them both," he thought. "I wanted to ask for their wishes. But I cannot ask for both things. Rain helps one daughter's work. Dry sun helps the other's work. I cannot make both happy." He smiled. "It is hard to make everyone happy."
Original Story
THE FATHER AND HIS DAUGHTERS
A Man had two Daughters, one of whom he gave in marriage to a gardener, and the other to a potter. After a time he thought he would go and see how they were getting on; and first he went to the gardener's wife. He asked her how she was, and how things were going with herself and her husband. She replied that on the whole they were doing very well: "But," she continued, "I do wish we could have some good heavy rain: the garden wants it badly." Then he went on to the potter's wife and made the same inquiries of her. She replied that she and her husband had nothing to complain of: "But," she went on, "I do wish we could have some nice dry weather, to dry the pottery." Her Father looked at her with a humorous expression on his face. "You want dry weather," he said, "and your sister wants rain. I was going to ask in my prayers that your wishes should be granted; but now it strikes me I had better not refer to the subject."
Story DNA
Moral
It is impossible to please everybody, as different people often have conflicting desires.
Plot Summary
A father visits his two married daughters. The first, married to a gardener, wishes for heavy rain. The second, married to a potter, wishes for dry weather. Realizing the impossibility of satisfying both, the father humorously decides not to intervene, acknowledging that granting one wish would harm the other.
Themes
Emotional Arc
neutral to understanding
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Aesop's Fables are ancient Greek stories, often featuring animals or simple human scenarios to convey moral lessons.
Plot Beats (5)
- A father marries off one daughter to a gardener and another to a potter.
- The father decides to visit his daughters to check on their well-being.
- He first visits the gardener's wife, who expresses a desire for heavy rain for her garden.
- Next, he visits the potter's wife, who expresses a desire for dry weather to dry her pottery.
- The father, seeing the direct conflict in their needs, humorously concludes that he cannot pray for either wish to be granted without harming the other daughter.
Characters
★
The Father
A man of average height with a slightly stooped posture from age, but still possessing a sturdy build. His skin is weathered from years of outdoor life, with a network of fine wrinkles around his eyes and mouth. His hands are calloused.
Attire: Simple, practical clothing suitable for a common man in ancient Greece: a short, sleeveless chiton made of undyed linen, reaching just above his knees, cinched at the waist with a plain leather belt. He wears sturdy leather sandals on his feet.
Wants: To ensure the well-being and happiness of his daughters, and to understand their lives.
Flaw: His inability to satisfy conflicting desires, leading to a humorous resignation.
He starts by genuinely wanting to help his daughters but learns the humorous impossibility of satisfying conflicting needs, leading to a resigned acceptance.
Wise, observant, pragmatic, affectionate, humorous.
◆
The Gardener's Wife
A young woman of average height with a healthy, sun-kissed complexion from working outdoors. Her build is slender but strong, indicative of physical labor.
Attire: A practical, knee-length chiton made of coarse, light-colored linen, possibly a pale green or beige, suitable for working in a garden. It is tied at the waist with a simple rope or fabric belt. She wears sturdy, flat leather sandals.
Wants: To ensure the success and prosperity of her garden and her husband's work.
Flaw: Her livelihood is dependent on unpredictable weather, making her vulnerable to natural forces.
Remains consistent in her desire for rain, representing the specific needs of her profession.
Diligent, practical, hopeful, slightly anxious about her livelihood.
◆
The Potter's Wife
A young woman of average height with a neat, composed appearance. Her hands might show faint traces of clay, but she generally keeps herself tidy.
Attire: A simple, ankle-length chiton made of fine, undyed linen, perhaps a soft cream or off-white, indicating a less physically demanding but still industrious profession. It is belted at the waist with a woven fabric sash. She wears soft leather slippers.
Wants: To ensure the proper drying and firing of her pottery, which requires dry weather.
Flaw: Her livelihood is dependent on predictable weather, making her vulnerable to natural forces.
Remains consistent in her desire for dry weather, representing the specific needs of her profession.
Composed, practical, content, focused on her craft's needs.
Locations
Gardener's House and Garden
A modest, functional home likely with a small attached garden plot, showing signs of cultivation and a need for water. The garden is the primary focus of the gardener's livelihood.
Mood: Hopeful yet anxious, reflecting the dependence on nature's bounty.
The father visits his gardener daughter, who expresses her wish for heavy rain.
Potter's Workshop and Drying Area
A functional workshop where pottery is made, with an adjacent outdoor or semi-outdoor area for drying clay wares. The environment needs to be dry to properly cure the pottery.
Mood: Content and productive, but with a desire for continued dry conditions.
The father visits his potter daughter, who expresses her wish for dry weather.