FABLE IV
by John Gay
The Animals Who Weren't Happy
In the world, all beasts were not happy. The Sky King sat on his big chair. He lived up in the big, blue sky. He heard sad sounds from the world below. The King called his great bird. It was the King's Eagle. "Go down to the world," the King said. "See why the beasts are sad." The Eagle flew down from the sky.
All the beasts came to the eagle. They gathered all around him. The King's Eagle asked them a question. "Why are you all so sad?" he asked. The beasts all wanted to speak.
A Small Dog spoke first. "I am sad," he said with a bark. "The Tall Dog runs very fast. My short legs are slow. I want to be fast like him."
Then the Tall Dog spoke. His tail was low. "I am sad too," he said. "The Small Dog has a great nose. He can smell all things from far away. I cannot smell well at all."
A big Lion spoke with a sad roar. "I am sad," he grumbled. "The Fox is so very clever. He thinks of smart tricks. I am not clever. I want to be."
The clever Fox spoke in a small voice. "I am sad too," she said. "The Lion is big and very strong. I am not strong. I am small. I want to be strong like the Lion."
A Chicken was sad. She clucked. "The Tall Bird can fly so high. He soars in the blue sky. I just flap my wings on the ground. I want to fly high too." The Tall Bird was also sad. "I can fly," he said softly. "But I am not strong enough."
All the beasts were sad. Fish wished to walk on the land. Land beasts wished to swim in the sea. Each one wanted a new thing. Each one wanted a different life.
The King's Eagle listened to them all. Then he spoke with a clear voice. "The King has an idea," he said. "You can get your wish today. You can trade with a new friend. You can change what you are."
All the beasts were quiet. They all began to think. The Small Dog thought, "But I like my nose." The Tall Dog thought, "I like my fast legs." The Lion liked being strong. The Fox liked being clever. No single beast wanted to trade. Not one.
The King's Eagle smiled. "You see?" he said to them. "You are all special just as you are. You are perfect the way you are." And all the beasts were happy again. They were happy to be themselves. The end.
Original Story
FABLE IV.
Jove's Eagle, and Murmuring Beasts.
As Jove once on his judgment-seat, Opened the trap-door at his feet; Up flew the murmurs of creation, Of every brute that had sensation. The Thunderer, therefore, called his Eagle, Which came obedient as a beagle,— And him commanded to descend, And to such murmurs put an end. The eagle did so—citing all To answer the imperial call.
He spoke: "Ye murmurers declare What are these ills which trouble air?— Just are the universal laws. Now let the dog first plead his cause.
A beagle answered him: "How fleet The greyhound's course, how nerved his feet! I hunt by scent, by scent alone; That lost, and all my chance has flown."
Answered the greyhound: "If I had That which he scorns, I should be glad; Had I the hound's sagacious scent, I ne'er had murmured discontent."
The lion murmured he had not Sly Reynard's wits to lay a plot; Sly Reynard pleaded that, to awe, He should possess the lion's paw. The cock desired the heron's flight; The heron wished for greater might. And fish would feed upon the plain, And beasts would refuge in the main. None their ambitious wish could smother, And each was envious of another.
The eagle answered: "Mutineers, The god rejects your idle prayers. But any may exchange who wishes, And chop and change,—birds, beasts, and fishes." The eagle paused; but none consented To quit the race they represented, And recognised the restless mind And proud ambition of mankind.
Moral of the Story
It is foolish to envy the qualities of others, as each creature is best suited to its own nature and role.
Characters
Jove ◆ supporting
A powerful, imposing figure of immense stature, radiating authority. His build is muscular and robust, befitting a king of gods. His skin is fair, with a healthy, commanding complexion.
Attire: Regal, flowing robes of deep purple and gold, made from rich, heavy silk or brocade, often adorned with celestial motifs like stars or lightning bolts. He wears a golden laurel wreath upon his head and thick golden armbands.
Wants: To maintain order and harmony in creation, to understand and address the grievances of his creatures, but not to indulge their unreasonable desires.
Flaw: Can be somewhat detached from the day-to-day struggles of mortals and beasts, leading him to view their complaints as 'idle prayers'.
Remains largely unchanged, reaffirming his role as the ultimate arbiter of natural law.
Authoritative, just, patient (initially), decisive, ultimately dismissive of petty complaints.
Jove's Eagle ◆ supporting
A majestic and powerful eagle, larger than typical, with an impressive wingspan. Its feathers are a rich, dark brown, almost black, with a contrasting white tail. Its talons are formidable and sharp.
Attire: None, as it is an animal, but its natural plumage is its 'attire'.
Wants: To serve Jove and carry out his commands, to maintain order among the creatures.
Flaw: Bound by Jove's will, not an independent actor.
Remains a steadfast servant, demonstrating the futility of the beasts' complaints.
Obedient, loyal, intelligent, authoritative (when delivering Jove's message), observant.
The Beagle ○ minor
A sturdy, medium-sized dog with a compact, muscular build. Its coat is tri-color, typically white, black, and tan, with short, dense fur. Its ears are long and floppy.
Attire: None, as it is an animal.
Wants: To be as fast as the greyhound, desiring a trait it lacks.
Flaw: Envy, inability to appreciate its own strengths.
Remains unchanged, unwilling to accept its natural abilities.
Complaining, envious, self-pitying, focused on its perceived lack.
The Greyhound ○ minor
A tall, slender, and exceptionally athletic dog with a deep chest and a narrow waist, built for speed. Its coat is short and sleek, often a solid color like fawn, black, or brindle.
Attire: None, as it is an animal.
Wants: To possess the beagle's sagacious scent, desiring a trait it lacks.
Flaw: Envy, inability to appreciate its own strengths.
Remains unchanged, unwilling to accept its natural abilities.
Complaining, envious, focused on its perceived lack, unappreciative of its own gifts.
The Lion ○ minor
A large, powerful, and muscular lion with a majestic presence. Its coat is a tawny golden-brown, and it possesses a magnificent, thick mane of darker brown or black fur around its head and shoulders.
Attire: None, as it is an animal.
Wants: To possess the cunning and wit of Reynard the Fox.
Flaw: Underestimation of its own power, envy of intellectual traits.
Remains unchanged, unwilling to accept its natural abilities.
Complaining, envious, proud but also self-pitying about its perceived lack of cunning.
Sly Reynard ○ minor
A sleek, agile fox with a slender build and a bushy tail. Its fur is a vibrant reddish-orange, with white markings on its chest and belly, and black 'stockings' on its legs.
Attire: None, as it is an animal.
Wants: To possess the physical power and awe-inspiring presence of the lion.
Flaw: Envy of physical might, underestimation of its own intellectual strengths.
Remains unchanged, unwilling to accept its natural abilities.
Cunning, sly, intelligent, but also envious of physical power.
The Cock ○ minor
A proud and colorful rooster with iridescent feathers, typically a mix of red, green, gold, and black. It has a prominent red comb on its head and wattles under its chin. Its legs are strong with sharp spurs.
Attire: None, as it is an animal.
Wants: To be able to fly like the heron.
Flaw: Envy of aerial abilities, inability to appreciate its own ground-based strengths.
Remains unchanged, unwilling to accept its natural abilities.
Proud, but also envious of the heron's flight, demonstrating a desire for abilities beyond its own.
The Heron ○ minor
A tall, slender wading bird with long legs, a long, S-shaped neck, and a sharp, pointed bill. Its plumage is typically grey-blue on its back and wings, with white underparts and a distinctive black stripe over its eyes.
Attire: None, as it is an animal.
Wants: To possess greater physical strength and might.
Flaw: Envy of brute force, underestimation of its own specialized hunting skills.
Remains unchanged, unwilling to accept its natural abilities.
Patient, graceful, but also envious of greater physical might, demonstrating a desire for abilities beyond its own.
Locations
Jove's Judgment-Seat
A celestial throne room, high above the world, where Jove presides. It features a trap-door at his feet through which the murmurs of creation ascend.
Mood: Authoritative, grand, slightly detached
Jove hears the complaints of the animals and dispatches his Eagle.
The Gathering Place of Beasts
A natural, open area where all the animals, from dogs to lions to birds and fish, are gathered by the Eagle to voice their complaints.
Mood: Restless, discontented, expectant
The Eagle calls all creatures to account, and they voice their envy and dissatisfaction with their given attributes.
Story DNA
Moral
It is foolish to envy the qualities of others, as each creature is best suited to its own nature and role.
Plot Summary
Jove, hearing the constant complaints of all creatures, sends his Eagle to investigate. The Eagle gathers the animals, who each express envy for the unique traits of others, wishing they possessed different abilities or forms. The Eagle then offers them the chance to exchange their desired qualities, but surprisingly, none accept, preferring their own nature. The Eagle concludes that this reflects the inherent ambition and discontent of mankind, highlighting the folly of envying others.
Themes
Emotional Arc
discontent to resignation
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
John Gay was an English poet and dramatist of the Augustan age, known for his fables which often satirized human nature and society.
Plot Beats (12)
- Jove, from his throne, hears the constant complaints and murmurs of all creatures on Earth.
- He summons his obedient Eagle and commands it to investigate and resolve the widespread discontent.
- The Eagle descends and gathers all the murmuring animals to present their grievances.
- The beagle complains that the greyhound is faster and more agile, while it hunts only by scent.
- The greyhound, in turn, wishes it had the beagle's keen sense of smell.
- The lion laments not having the cunning wits of the fox.
- The fox desires the powerful paw of the lion for intimidation.
- The cock wishes for the heron's ability to fly, and the heron wishes for greater strength.
- Fish wish to live on land, and land beasts wish to live in the sea, demonstrating universal envy.
- The Eagle declares that Jove rejects their prayers but offers them the opportunity to exchange their desired traits with any other creature.
- Despite their earlier complaints, none of the creatures accept the offer to exchange, preferring their own forms.
- The Eagle concludes that this reflects the restless mind and proud ambition inherent in mankind.
