FABLE L
by John Gay
The Bunny With Many Friends
A little bunny has many friends. Or so she thinks. She is a happy bunny. She loves all her friends. She plays with them every day. She thinks they are good friends. She trusts all of them.
The sun is warm. The grass is green. One day, Bunny eats a flower. She is happy and calm. Then she hears a loud noise. It comes from the woods. It gets louder. It is loud barking dogs. Bunny is very scared. The dogs are coming. Bunny runs fast. She runs for her life. She is very tired.
She sees a big Horse. He is eating grass. "Please help me!" says Bunny. "The dogs are coming!" The Horse looks. "No," he says. "I cannot help you." He points his head. "Go ask the Bull."
The dogs are still coming. Bunny runs to the Bull. The Bull is very big. He is black and strong. He has big horns. "Please, please help me!" she says. The Bull looks down. "No," he says. "I am busy now." He goes back to work.
Bunny's legs are weak. She is still very scared. She sees a Goat on a rock. The Goat is climbing. "Please help me!" she says. The dogs are closer now. The Goat looks down. "No," says the Goat. "I cannot help you here."
Bunny keeps running. Her paws hurt. She runs to the Sheep. The Sheep is white and fluffy. "Please help me!" says Bunny. The Sheep looks very scared. She starts to shake. "No," she says. "I am scared of the dogs."
The dogs get closer now. Their barking is very loud. She is losing hope. Then she sees a little Calf. The Calf is small. "Please help me!" she says. It is her last chance.
The Calf looks very sad. He looks at the dogs. He looks at Bunny. "I am sorry," he says. "I have to go now." He turns and runs. He does not look back.
The dogs are very close. Their teeth are sharp. Bunny is all alone. No one helps her. Her friends are not her friends. She is very sad. But she must be brave. She must save herself. She runs away, very fast. She runs and runs. Now she is safe at home. She is safe, but she is alone.
Original Story
FABLE L.
Hare and Many Friends.
Friendship, as love, is but a name, Save in a concentrated flame; And thus, in friendships, who depend On more than one, find not one friend.
A hare who, in a civil way, Was not dissimilar to Gay, Was well known never to offend, And every creature was her friend. As was her wont, at early dawn, She issued to the dewy lawn; When, from the wood and empty lair, The cry of hounds fell on her ear. She started at the frightful sounds, And doubled to mislead the hounds; Till, fainting with her beating heart, She saw the horse, who fed apart. "My friend, the hounds are on my track; Oh, let me refuge on your back!"
The horse responded: "Honest Puss, It grieves me much to see you thus. Be comforted—relief is near; Behold, the bull is in the rear."
Then she implored the stately bull, His answer we relate in full: "Madam, each beast alive can tell How very much I wish you well; But business presses in a heap, I an appointment have to keep; And now a lady's in the case,— When other things, you know, give place. Behold the goat is just behind; Trust, trust you'll not think me unkind."
The goat declared his rocky lairs Wholly unsuited were to hares. "There is the sheep," he said, "with fleece. Adapted, now, to your release."
The sheep replied that she was sure Her weight was too great to endure; "Besides," she said, "hounds worry sheep."
Next was a calf, safe in a keep: "Oh, help me, bull-calf—lend me aid!"
"My youth and inexperience weighed," Replied the bull-calf, "though I rue it, Make me incompetent to do it; My friends might take offence. My heart— You know my heart, my friend—we part, I do assure you——Hark! adieu! The pack, in full cry, is in view."
Moral of the Story
Those who depend on many friends often find themselves without a true friend when in need.
Characters
The Hare ★ protagonist
A small, agile creature, about 2 feet long, with long hind legs built for speed. Her fur is a soft, mottled brown and grey, blending well with natural surroundings. She has a slender build and is always poised for flight.
Attire: None, as she is an animal. Her natural fur coat is her only covering.
Wants: To escape the hounds and survive; to find true friendship.
Flaw: Overly trusting of fair-weather friends; physically vulnerable to predators.
She begins the story believing she has many friends but learns a harsh lesson about the superficiality of those friendships when she is in dire need.
Naive, trusting, friendly, easily frightened, desperate.
The Horse ◆ supporting
A large, sturdy farm horse, likely a draft breed given the context of a fable. He has a powerful build, strong legs, and a broad chest. His coat is a solid, earthy brown, well-groomed from his life on the farm.
Attire: None, as he is an animal. Perhaps a simple leather halter if he is accustomed to being handled, but not explicitly mentioned.
Wants: To maintain his own comfort and avoid inconvenience.
Flaw: Lack of genuine empathy; prioritizing personal ease over helping others.
Remains unchanged, serving as an example of a superficial friend.
Polite, evasive, self-interested, seemingly sympathetic but ultimately unhelpful.
The Bull ◆ supporting
A large, imposing bull, with a muscular, heavy frame. His hide is a dark, solid color, perhaps black or deep brown, indicative of strength. He possesses powerful shoulders and a thick neck.
Attire: None, as he is an animal.
Wants: To maintain his schedule and social engagements, particularly with 'a lady'.
Flaw: Extreme self-absorption; a complete lack of genuine concern for others.
Remains unchanged, serving as an example of a superficial friend.
Self-important, pompous, dismissive, prioritizing his own 'business' over others' distress.
The Goat ◆ supporting
A medium-sized goat with a shaggy coat, likely white or light grey, and a lean, agile build. He has strong, nimble legs suited for climbing rocky terrain.
Attire: None, as he is an animal.
Wants: To protect his own comfort and the suitability of his environment.
Flaw: Unwillingness to inconvenience himself for others; a narrow view of helpfulness.
Remains unchanged, serving as an example of a superficial friend.
Practical, self-preserving, direct, and unapologetically unhelpful.
The Sheep ◆ supporting
A plump, woolly sheep with a thick, cream-colored fleece. Her body is rounded and soft, not built for speed or carrying heavy loads.
Attire: None, as she is an animal. Her thick fleece is her natural covering.
Wants: To avoid danger and protect herself from harm.
Flaw: Excessive timidity; a tendency to make excuses based on perceived inadequacy.
Remains unchanged, serving as an example of a superficial friend.
Timid, self-deprecating, fearful, and focused on her own vulnerabilities.
The Bull-Calf ◆ supporting
A young, smaller version of a bull, still growing into his frame. His coat is a lighter shade of brown or black than an adult bull, and his build is less massive, more gangly.
Attire: None, as he is an animal.
Wants: To avoid offending his 'friends' and to maintain his own safety.
Flaw: Youth and inexperience; fear of social disapproval; lack of courage.
Remains unchanged, serving as the final example of a superficial friend.
Immature, easily swayed by peer pressure, feigning sympathy while prioritizing self-preservation.
Locations
Dewy Lawn at Wood's Edge
A wide, open expanse of grass, still wet with morning dew, bordering a dense, dark wood. The ground is soft and green, likely with some wild grasses and possibly clover. The air is fresh and cool.
Mood: Initially peaceful and serene, quickly turning to panic and urgency.
The Hare begins her day here, hears the hounds, and starts her desperate flight.
Pasture with Grazing Horse
A grassy field, likely fenced or naturally enclosed, where a horse is calmly grazing. The ground is trodden in places by hooves, but generally green. The air is open and exposed.
Mood: Initially hopeful for the Hare, quickly turning to disappointment and continued desperation.
The Hare encounters the horse, seeking refuge, but is denied.
Field with Stately Bull
Another open field, possibly contiguous with the pasture, where a large, imposing bull stands. The ground is firm, likely with some patches of richer grass. The space feels exposed and unyielding.
Mood: Desperate and increasingly futile for the Hare.
The Hare implores the bull for help, only to be met with a polite refusal.
Rocky Lairs of the Goat
A rugged, uneven terrain characterized by exposed rock formations, possibly small caves or overhangs, and sparse, hardy vegetation. The ground is stony and difficult to traverse, offering little soft footing.
Mood: Harsh, unwelcoming, and unsuitable for the fleeing Hare.
The goat explains his rocky home is unsuitable for the Hare, further highlighting her vulnerability.
Story DNA
Moral
Those who depend on many friends often find themselves without a true friend when in need.
Plot Summary
A friendly Hare, believing she has many friends, finds herself hunted by hounds. She desperately seeks help from a Horse, a Bull, a Goat, a Sheep, and a Calf, but each animal offers a polite excuse and refuses to aid her. Ultimately, all her supposed friends abandon her, leaving her alone to face the approaching danger, illustrating that true friendship is rare and valuable.
Themes
Emotional Arc
fear to despair
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
John Gay was an English poet and dramatist known for his fables, often satirizing human behavior and society.
Plot Beats (11)
- The fable begins with a moral about the nature of friendship.
- A Hare, known for her pleasant demeanor, believes she has many friends among all creatures.
- One morning, while on the lawn, she hears the terrifying sound of hunting hounds.
- Frightened and exhausted from running, she approaches a Horse, begging for refuge on its back.
- The Horse expresses sympathy but declines, suggesting she seek help from the Bull.
- The Hare then asks the Bull for help, who politely refuses, citing a pressing appointment and a lady's case, directing her to the Goat.
- The Goat declares his rocky lair unsuitable for hares and points her towards the Sheep.
- The Sheep refuses, claiming her weight is too great and expressing fear of the hounds.
- Finally, the Hare appeals to a young Calf for aid.
- The Calf, citing youth and inexperience, and fear of offending his friends, regretfully declines.
- As the hounds' cries grow louder, the Calf quickly bids the Hare farewell, leaving her to her fate.
