The Mirror
by Ambrose Bierce
The Proud Puppy and the Big Dog
Once there was a little dog. His name was Proud Puppy. He was very proud. Proud Puppy saw a mirror. It was new. It was very shiny. He looked in it. He saw a dog. He thought it was another dog.
Proud Puppy felt very strong. He puffed out his chest. He thought, "This dog looks small." He thought, "I am bigger." He said, "I am strong!" He talked big. He barked at the mirror dog. The mirror dog barked back. Proud Puppy felt brave.
He ran outside. He wanted to find the dog. He wanted to fight it. He ran very fast. He looked under bushes. He looked behind trees. He looked everywhere.
He did not find the dog. The mirror dog was gone. Then he saw a Big Dog. The Big Dog was very big. He had a big head. He had strong legs. He sat in the sun. He looked very calm.
Proud Puppy was scared. Very scared. His tail stopped. His ears went down. He stopped fast. He stood far away. He looked at the Big Dog. The Big Dog was huge. Proud Puppy felt small.
Proud Puppy talked. His voice was quiet. He said short words. He wagged his tail. "Are you nice?" he asked. "Are you a friend?" He was kind. He did not talk big. He wanted to be safe. He hoped Big Dog was friendly.
Big Dog did not talk. He did not move. He did not understand. He just looked at Proud Puppy. Then he smiled. It was a small, gentle smile. He seemed very calm.
Proud Puppy saw the smile. He was so scared. He thought Big Dog was laughing. He thought Big Dog would eat him. He could not move. He was frozen. He stood very still. He learned a lesson that day. It is not good to talk big. It is better to be kind. It is better to be careful. It is better to be humble.
Original Story
The Mirror
A Silken-Eared Spaniel, who traced his descent from King Charles the Second of England, chanced to look into a mirror which was leaning against the wainscoting of a room on the ground floor of his mistress’s house. Seeing his reflection, he supposed it to be another dog, outside, and said:
“I can chew up any such milksoppy pup as that, and I will.”
So he ran out-of-doors and around to the side of the house where he fancied the enemy was. It so happened that at that moment a Bulldog sat there sunning his teeth. The Spaniel stopped short in dire consternation, and, after regarding the Bulldog a moment from a safe distance, said:
“I don’t know whether you cultivate the arts of peace or your flag is flung to the battle and the breeze and your voice is for war. If you are a civilian, the windows of this house flatter you worse than a newspaper, but if you’re a soldier, they do you a grave injustice.”
This speech being unintelligible to the Bulldog he only civilly smiled, which so terrified the Spaniel that he dropped dead in his tracks.
Moral of the Story
Arrogance and a lack of self-awareness can lead to one's downfall when confronted with true danger.
Characters
Silken-Eared Spaniel ★ protagonist
A small to medium-sized dog, likely a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel given his lineage. He is agile and somewhat delicate in build, with a soft, flowing coat.
Attire: None, as he is an animal.
Wants: To assert his perceived dominance and protect his territory, though he quickly abandons this when faced with a real threat.
Flaw: Extreme cowardice and a tendency to overestimate his own abilities while underestimating real danger.
Starts as a boastful, self-assured dog, then quickly devolves into a terrified, cowering creature, ultimately dying from fright.
Boastful, cowardly, easily intimidated, prone to grand pronouncements, and ultimately fragile.
Bulldog ◆ supporting
A stocky, muscular dog with a broad chest and powerful jaws. He is significantly larger and more formidable in appearance than the Spaniel.
Attire: None, as he is an animal.
Wants: To enjoy the simple pleasure of sunning himself.
Flaw: Lack of understanding of complex human-like speech, which inadvertently leads to the Spaniel's demise.
Remains unchanged, serving as a static, imposing figure that triggers the protagonist's downfall.
Placid, unaggressive, calm, and somewhat oblivious to the Spaniel's dramatic pronouncements.
Locations
Ground Floor Room
A room on the ground floor of the mistress's house, featuring wainscoting along the walls.
Mood: Initially safe and domestic, becoming a place of perceived challenge for the Spaniel.
The Spaniel first sees his reflection in the mirror, mistaking it for another dog.
Side of the House
The exterior side of the mistress's house, exposed to sunlight.
Mood: Initially perceived as a battleground, quickly turning into a scene of terror and demise.
The Spaniel encounters the real Bulldog here and is so terrified he drops dead.
Story DNA
Moral
Arrogance and a lack of self-awareness can lead to one's downfall when confronted with true danger.
Plot Summary
A proud Spaniel mistakes his reflection in a mirror for a weak rival and boasts of his intent to defeat it. He runs outside to confront this imagined foe but instead encounters a formidable Bulldog. Terrified, the Spaniel delivers a convoluted, flattering speech to the Bulldog, whose simple, civil smile so overwhelms the Spaniel with fear that he drops dead.
Themes
Emotional Arc
arrogance to terror
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Ambrose Bierce was known for his dark humor, cynicism, and often grim endings, which is reflected in this fable.
Plot Beats (8)
- A Silken-Eared Spaniel, proud of his lineage, sees his reflection in a mirror.
- Mistaking his reflection for another dog, he boasts about his ability to defeat such a 'milksoppy pup'.
- He runs outside, intending to confront the perceived enemy.
- Instead of his reflection, he finds a large, formidable Bulldog sunning itself.
- The Spaniel is immediately filled with dread and stops at a safe distance.
- He attempts to flatter the Bulldog with an elaborate, confusing speech, questioning if it's a civilian or a soldier.
- The Bulldog, not understanding, merely smiles civilly.
- This simple smile terrifies the Spaniel so profoundly that he dies on the spot.
