THE FOXES and THE RIVER
by Aesop · from Aesop's Fables; a new translation
Adapted Version
The foxes were thirsty. They came to the river. The river water looked very deep. It moved very fast. The foxes wanted to drink. But they felt scared. The strong current looked dangerous. They stood by the river bank. They did not drink.
The Other Foxes stood near the water. They looked at the fast river. "Do not be afraid!" one fox said. Another fox nodded. "Yes, do not be afraid!" No fox entered. They felt scared. The water was too strong. They just watched the water. They stayed on the bank.
Then Foxy spoke loudly. He wanted to show he was brave. He wanted to shame the other foxes. "I am not scared!" Foxy said. "I am not afraid." He saw the foxes. "See me! I will step in now." He was proud. He stood tall.
Foxy did not wait. He stepped into the river. The water was cold. He put his paw in first. Then he walked in more. He was very quick. He wanted to show his courage. He did not think much.
The river current was very strong. It grabbed Foxy's feet. He could not stand up. The water pulled him away. It pulled him very fast. Foxy went down the river. He went far away. He could not stop himself. He was helpless in the water.
The Other Foxes watched Foxy. They saw him go downstream. They cried out loudly. "Do not leave us!" they shouted. "Come back, Foxy, come back!" "Show us where to drink!" "Where can we drink safely?" They were very worried. They needed his help.
Foxy called back to them. He was far away now. "I cannot come back yet!" he said. "I want to go to the seaside." "This current takes me there nicely." "I will show you later." "I will help you later." But he was swept away fast. The Other Foxes were alone. They were still thirsty. Foxy did not help them. His promise was empty.
Foxy was gone. The Other Foxes were still thirsty. They did not drink. It is not good to boast. It is not good to be reckless. Empty words cannot help anyone.
Original Story
THE FOXES AND THE RIVER
A number of Foxes assembled on the bank of a river and wanted to drink; but the current was so strong and the water looked so deep and dangerous that they didn't dare to do so, but stood near the edge encouraging one another not to be afraid. At last one of them, to shame the rest, and show how brave he was, said, "I am not a bit frightened! See, I'll step right into the water!" He had no sooner done so than the current swept him off his feet. When the others saw him being carried down-stream they cried, "Don't go and leave us! Come back and show us where we too can drink with safety." But he replied, "I'm afraid I can't yet: I want to go to the seaside, and this current will take me there nicely. When I come back I'll show you with pleasure."
Story DNA
Moral
Those who are quick to boast and act recklessly often find themselves in trouble, and their promises become empty.
Plot Summary
A group of foxes wants to drink from a river but fears its strong current. One fox, to show off, boasts he isn't scared and steps in, only to be immediately swept away. As he's carried downstream, the others ask him to return and help them find a safe spot, but he dismisses their pleas, claiming he's now on a journey to the seaside, revealing his helplessness and the folly of his initial boast.
Themes
Emotional Arc
pride to predicament
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Aesop's Fables are a collection of fables credited to Aesop, a slave and storyteller believed to have lived in ancient Greece between 620 and 564 BCE. They are characterized by their brevity and clear moral lessons.
Plot Beats (7)
- A group of foxes gathers at a riverbank, wanting to drink but fearing the strong current.
- They stand at the edge, encouraging each other but none daring to enter.
- One fox, to shame the others and display his bravery, declares he is not frightened and will step in.
- He immediately steps into the water.
- The current sweeps him off his feet and carries him downstream.
- The other foxes, seeing him carried away, cry out for him to return and show them a safe place to drink.
- The swept-away fox replies that he cannot return, as he is now going to the seaside, and will help them later.
Characters
★
The Brave Fox
A lean, agile fox with a sleek, reddish-brown coat and a bushy tail tipped with white. He is of average size for a fox, with strong, slender legs built for speed and cunning.
Attire: None (animal)
Wants: To prove his bravery and superiority to the other foxes, and to avoid admitting his mistake once swept away.
Flaw: His excessive pride and impulsiveness lead him to take unnecessary risks and then to rationalize his failures.
He begins as a boastful leader, makes a foolish mistake, and then transforms into a self-serving deceiver to save face, showing no remorse or intention to help others.
Boastful, overconfident, impulsive, quick-witted (in his excuse), and ultimately self-serving.
◆
The Other Foxes
A group of several foxes, similar in appearance to the Brave Fox but perhaps slightly less robust or confident in their posture. Their coats are also reddish-brown, with variations typical of their species.
Attire: None (animal)
Wants: To drink safely from the river, and later, to seek guidance from the Brave Fox on how to do so.
Flaw: Their timidity prevents them from acting, and their gullibility makes them believe the Brave Fox's excuse.
They begin as a hesitant group, are momentarily shamed by one of their own, witness his folly, and are then left without a solution to their problem, still thirsty and perhaps wiser about false bravado.
Cautious, easily swayed by bravado, concerned for their peer, and ultimately naive.
Locations
River Bank
A gathering point for foxes on the edge of a powerful river, with the water appearing deep and dangerous.
Mood: tense, hesitant, later urgent
Foxes gather, hesitate to drink, and one fox bravely (or foolishly) enters the water.
River Midstream
The main body of the river where the current is strong enough to sweep a fox off its feet, carrying it downstream.
Mood: perilous, uncontrollable, later ironic
The brave fox is carried away by the current, unable to return to its companions.