The Heron
by Jean de La Fontaine · from A Hundred Fables of La Fontaine
Adapted Version
Once, there was a Heron. He stood by a river. The water was clear. Many Big Fish swam there. They showed golden sides. Heron watched the fish. The sun shone brightly. The fish swam fast.
Heron could catch fish easily. But he was not hungry now. He thought, "I will wait." He wanted food later. He wanted to be very hungry. He wanted the best food. He was a picky bird.
Later, Heron was hungry. He came back to the river. He saw some Medium Fish. They swam in the water. Heron looked at them. The fish were plump. But Heron did not care. He thought, "Not good fish." He was too proud. He did not want Medium Fish. He was still picky. He let them swim away.
Heron waited more time. He was very hungry now. He saw some Small Fish. They were tiny fish. Heron looked at them. They swam quickly. Heron watched them go. He thought, "Too small fish." He would not eat them. He would not eat small fish. He was very, very picky. He let them go.
Then, no fish swam there. All the fish were gone. The river was empty. Heron looked and looked. He saw no fish. The water was still. No fish jumped. Heron had no food. He was very sad. He had waited too long.
Heron was very, very hungry. His stomach hurt. He looked on the bank. He saw a Snail. Only one Snail was there. It moved very slowly. Heron ate it fast. Heron did not like snails. But he had no other food. He had to eat it. He was so hungry. He ate the Snail. It was a very small meal.
Heron learned a lesson. It was a hard lesson. It is not good to be too picky. Do not wait for only the best. Take good chances. Take them when you see them. Be happy with what you have. This is a good lesson. It is a true lesson. Be wise like Heron now.
Original Story
The Heron.
One day,—no matter when or where,—
A long-legg'd heron chanced to fare
By a certain river's brink,
With his long, sharp beak
Helved on his slender neck;
'Twas a fish-spear, you might think.
The water was clear and still,
The carp and the pike there at will
Pursued their silent fun,
Turning up, ever and anon,
A golden side to the sun.
With ease might the heron have made
Great profits in his fishing trade.
So near came the scaly fry,
They might be caught by the passer-by.
But he thought he better might
Wait for a better appetite—
For he lived by rule, and could not eat,
Except at his hours, the best of meat.
Anon his appetite return'd once more;
So, approaching again the shore,
He saw some tench taking their leaps,
Now and then, from their lowest deeps.
With as dainty a taste as Horace's rat,
He turn'd away from such food as that.
"What, tench for a heron! poh!
I scorn the thought, and let them go."
The tench refused, there came a gudgeon;
"For all that," said the bird, "I budge on.
I'll ne'er open my beak, if the gods please,
For such mean little fishes as these."
He did it for less; | For it came to pass,
That not another fish could he see;
And, at last, so hungry was he,
That he thought it of some avail
To find on the bank a single snail.
Such is the sure result
Of being too difficult.
Would you be strong and great
Learn to accommodate.
Story DNA
Moral
Being too selective or proud can lead to missing out on good opportunities and eventually settling for less than what was initially available.
Plot Summary
A proud heron stands by a river teeming with fish, but he decides to wait for a better appetite. When he finally feels hungry, he scorns the tench and then the gudgeon as beneath his standards. Eventually, all the fish disappear, leaving him starving. Forced by hunger, the heron ultimately has to settle for a single snail, illustrating the consequences of his excessive pickiness and pride.
Themes
Emotional Arc
pride to regret
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Jean de La Fontaine was a 17th-century French fabulist, known for adapting ancient fables to contemporary French society, often with satirical undertones.
Plot Beats (7)
- A heron stands by a clear river, observing many carp and pike swimming nearby.
- He could easily catch fish, but he decides to wait until he has a better appetite.
- When his hunger returns, he sees tench, but his pride makes him scorn them as unworthy.
- Later, he sees gudgeon, but again, he refuses to open his beak for such small fish.
- Eventually, all the fish disappear from the river, leaving him with nothing.
- Overcome by extreme hunger, the heron is forced to eat a single snail he finds on the bank.
- The fable concludes with a direct moral about the dangers of being too difficult and the importance of accommodation.
Characters
The Heron
A tall, slender bird with very long, thin legs, designed for wading in shallow water. Its body is lean and graceful, typical of a wading bird.
Attire: Natural plumage, likely grey, blue-grey, or white, typical of a heron species. No artificial clothing.
Wants: To eat only the 'best of meat' at his preferred hours, driven by a sense of self-importance and refined taste.
Flaw: Excessive choosiness and pride, which lead him to reject perfectly good food in anticipation of something 'better', ultimately leaving him with nothing.
Begins as an arrogant and choosy hunter, confident in his ability to find superior food. Ends up humbled and desperate, forced to eat something he would normally scorn, learning the hard lesson of accommodation.
Picky, fastidious, arrogant, proud, regretful (eventually), and ultimately foolish due to his choosiness.
The Carp and the Pike
Various sizes of freshwater fish, with scales that reflect a 'golden side to the sun'. Carp are typically robust and deep-bodied, while pike are long and slender predators.
Attire: Natural scales, likely iridescent or golden-hued in the sunlight.
Wants: To live and swim freely in their natural habitat.
Flaw: Vulnerability to predators like the heron.
Remain unchanged, serving as the initial, rejected food source.
Playful, carefree, oblivious to the heron's presence (or unconcerned by it).
The Tench
Freshwater fish, typically olive-green to golden, with small scales and rounded fins. They are described as 'taking their leaps' from the depths, suggesting a lively nature.
Attire: Natural scales, likely a duller, more earthy tone compared to carp.
Wants: To live and swim in their habitat.
Flaw: Vulnerability to predators.
Remain unchanged, serving as the second, rejected food source.
Lively, active.
The Gudgeon
A small, slender freshwater fish, typically brownish-grey with dark spots. Described as 'mean little fishes', indicating their small size.
Attire: Natural scales, likely camouflaged with the riverbed.
Wants: To live and swim.
Flaw: Small size makes them vulnerable.
Remain unchanged, serving as the final, rejected fish food source.
Insignificant, humble.
The Snail
A small, soft-bodied mollusk with a coiled shell, found on the bank of the river. Its body is slimy and it moves slowly.
Attire: Natural shell, typically brown or grey, providing protection.
Wants: To survive.
Flaw: Slow movement, small size.
Remains unchanged, serving as the Heron's ultimate, undesirable meal.
Passive, unassuming.
Locations
River's Brink
The edge of a clear, still river where carp and pike swim, occasionally flashing their golden sides in the sun. The bank is close enough to the water for fish to be easily seen.
Mood: Peaceful, abundant, initially serene.
The heron first arrives, observing the plentiful fish and deciding to wait for a better appetite.
River Shallows with Tench
A slightly different section of the river, perhaps shallower or with different vegetation, where tench are seen leaping from their depths. Later, only gudgeon are visible.
Mood: Initially still abundant, then gradually becoming sparse and frustrating.
The heron returns, rejects tench and gudgeon, and then finds no other fish.
Desolate River Bank
The same river bank, but now devoid of fish, leaving the heron desperate and hungry. Only a single snail can be found.
Mood: Desolate, empty, frustrating, and humbling.
The heron, starving, is forced to eat a snail, highlighting the consequence of his pickiness.