FABLE LXI
by John Gay · from Fables of John Gay (Somewhat Altered)
Adapted Version
In a big, warm barn, many horses live. It is a nice home. It is safe and warm. It is dinner time. The horses stand and eat their food. They eat from big boxes. A kind farmer watches the horses. He smiles a big smile. The horses are happy and safe.
But one horse is not happy. His name is Henry. Henry is a brown horse. He has a long tail. He is not smiling. He stamps his foot. Stomp, stomp, stomp. He moves his head up and down. He makes a loud, cross sound. "Hmph!" says Henry.
"I am special!" Henry says loudly. "I should not eat here. I should not eat with them." He looks at the horses. "They are just plain horses. My mom and dad were great. This is not right at all!"
"My dad was a famous horse. He ran in big races. He was the fastest horse in the world. He won so many shiny medals. Gold medals! My mom ran in big races too. She was so pretty and very fast. All the people knew my mom and dad. They were the best horses anywhere."
"So why am I in this barn? Why do I have to eat with them? It is not fair! I am better than these other horses. I am a very special horse!"
The farmer hears Henry. He hears the loud, cross words. The kind farmer walks over. He walks slowly and quietly. He does not want to scare Henry. He comes to talk to the unhappy horse. His voice is very soft and calm.
"Hello, Henry," the farmer says softly. "I heard what you said. Your mom and dad were very famous. It is true. They were fast horses. They were great horses who ran in races. You can be proud of them. That is a good thing."
"What they did is not what you do. Being a good horse is what you do now. It is about being kind today. I have a question for you. Do you help the other horses? Do you share your space? Are you a good friend to them?"
"All my horses here are special to me. Each one is special. But I love the helpful horses the most. A kind heart is what is important. A kind heart is better than winning a race. Be a good, helpful horse, Henry. That is what makes a horse truly special."
Henry was quiet. He did not stamp his foot. He did not make a cross sound. He looked at the kind farmer. Then he looked at the other horses eating their food. He thought about the farmer’s words. He thought about being a good, helpful horse.
Original Story
FABLE LXI.
The Pack-Horse and the Carrier.
(To a Young Nobleman.)
Begin, my lord, in early youth,
To bear with, nay encourage, truth.
And blame me not, for disrespect,
That I the flatterer's style reject.
Let Virtue be your first pursuit;
Is not the tree known by its fruit?
Set your great ancestry in view;
Honour the title from them due.
Assert that you are nobly born,
Viewing ignoble things with scorn.
My lord, your ancestry had not
The wealth and heirlooms you have got;
Yet was their conscience aye their own,
Nor ever pandered to the throne.
With hands by no corruption stained
They ministerial bribes disdained;
They served the Crown, upheld the laws,
And bore at heart their country's cause:
So did your sires adorn their name,
And raised the title unto fame.
My lord, 'tis not permitted you
To do what humbler men may do.
You may not be a dunce: your post
Is foremost, and before the host.
You may not serve a private end;
To jobs you may not condescend;
As from obscurity exempt,
So are you open to contempt.
Your name alone descends by birth,
Your fame is consequent on worth;
Nor deem a coronet can hide
Folly or overweening pride:
Learning, by toil and study won,
Was ne'er entailed from sire to son.
If you degenerate from your race,
Its merit heightens your disgrace.
A carrier, at night and morn,
Watched while his horses ate their corn:
It sunk the ostler's vales, 'tis true;
But then his horses got their due.
It were as well, in some like cases,
If Ministers watched over places.
And as he stood, the manger minding,
And heard the teeth continue grinding,
There was a racket; for a pack-horse
Foamed at the mouth, and was in rack hoarse.
"Why, zounds!" he cried; "where have I got?
Is, then, my high descent forgot?
Must I endure the vile attacks
Of carriers' drudges—common hacks?
May Roan and Dobbin poke their noses
In cribs where my great nose reposes?
Good gracious me! why, here's old Ball!—
No longer sacred is the stall.
I see Democracy and Devil
Will soon put all upon one level.
We have not been of race of Could-would,
At Epsom, Newmarket, and Goodwood;
Nor, by Dame Truth! I vow and pledge her,
Are we unknown at the St. Leger.
Unnumbered are our triumphs, told;
Unnumbered are the cups we hold;
Unnumbered are our laurels won;
And am I to be put upon
By carrier-nags of low degree?
O Fortune, do not let it be!"
"You stupid blockhead!" said the carrier;
"'Twixt you and us there is no barrier.
Your headstrong youth and wilful heart
Reduced you to a servile part;
And every carrier on the road
Avers your oats are ill-bestowed.
But, know that you do not inherit
From dam or sire any merit.
We give your ancestors their due,
But any ass is good as you.
As you are asinine and crass,
So do we treat you—as an ass."
Story DNA
Moral
True nobility is earned through virtuous actions and personal merit, not merely inherited by birth.
Plot Summary
The fable begins with a direct address to a young nobleman, advising him that true honor comes from personal virtue and upholding his ancestors' integrity, not just inherited title. This moral is then illustrated by a story about a proud pack-horse who boasts of its noble racing lineage and complains about being treated like common horses. The carrier, however, rebukes the pack-horse, explaining that its current lowly status is due to its own 'headstrong youth and wilful heart,' and that despite its ancestors' fame, it currently possesses no personal merit and will be treated accordingly.
Themes
Emotional Arc
pride to humiliation
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
John Gay's fables were often satirical, using animal characters to comment on human society, politics, and morality in 18th-century England. The address to a 'Young Nobleman' directly reflects the didactic purpose of instructing the aristocracy on their responsibilities.
Plot Beats (13)
- The narrator addresses a young nobleman, urging him to embrace truth and virtue, and to live up to his noble ancestry through personal merit, not just inherited wealth or title.
- The narrator emphasizes that the nobleman's ancestors earned their fame through integrity and service, not corruption.
- The narrator warns the nobleman that his high position means he cannot afford to be foolish or self-serving, as his fame depends on his worth.
- A carrier diligently watches his horses eat, ensuring they get their due, which is a subtle critique of ministers.
- A pack-horse, while eating, begins to complain loudly and indignantly.
- The pack-horse expresses outrage at having to endure the company of 'common hacks' and share a manger with them, feeling its 'high descent' is forgotten.
- It fears a breakdown of social order, where 'Democracy and Devil' will level all distinctions.
- The pack-horse boasts of its illustrious racing lineage, mentioning famous tracks and numerous victories and cups won by its ancestors.
- It questions why it should be subjected to such indignity by 'carrier-nags of low degree'.
- The carrier, overhearing, calls the pack-horse a 'stupid blockhead'.
- The carrier explains that the pack-horse's current lowly status is a result of its own 'headstrong youth and wilful heart'.
- The carrier acknowledges the merit of the pack-horse's ancestors but states that the pack-horse itself has no inherited merit and is currently 'as good as' any other 'ass'.
- The carrier concludes by stating that because the pack-horse is 'asinine and crass', it will be treated as an ass.
Characters
The Pack-Horse ★ protagonist
A sturdy, well-built horse, likely a draft or pack breed, with a strong frame and powerful legs, indicating a history of carrying heavy loads. Its coat is likely a common, practical color for a working horse, such as bay, brown, or black, possibly with some white markings on its face or legs. Its mouth is foaming from agitation.
Attire: No specific wardrobe, but as a pack-horse, it would be accustomed to wearing a sturdy leather harness, saddle, and panniers for carrying goods, though these are not explicitly mentioned as being worn during the scene in the stable.
Wants: To be recognized and treated with the respect it believes it deserves due to its noble ancestry, and to maintain a perceived social hierarchy among horses.
Flaw: Overweening pride and a reliance on inherited status rather than personal merit. It fails to acknowledge its own shortcomings and the consequences of its past actions.
Does not undergo a significant arc within the fable; it remains stubbornly proud and unyielding in its self-perception, despite the Carrier's rebuke.
Arrogant, entitled, boastful, self-important, and easily agitated. It believes its lineage grants it superior status despite its current circumstances.
Image Prompt & Upload
A sturdy, well-built brown pack-horse standing in a stable, facing forward, full body visible from head to toe. Its mouth is slightly open with white foam at the corners, and its eyes are wide with an indignant expression. Its mane and tail are practical and unadorned. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Carrier ◆ supporting
A practical, no-nonsense man of average height and build, accustomed to physical labor. His hands are likely calloused, and his face weathered from working outdoors. He carries himself with the steady, grounded posture of someone used to managing animals and goods.
Attire: Typical 18th-century English working-class attire: a sturdy, plain linen or wool shirt, a waistcoat, breeches, and practical leather boots. His clothes would be functional, possibly patched, and show signs of wear from his trade. He might wear a simple felt hat.
Wants: To ensure his horses are well-fed and cared for, and to impart practical wisdom, especially regarding the importance of personal merit over lineage.
Flaw: Not explicitly shown, but perhaps a tendency to be overly blunt or dismissive of others' feelings when delivering harsh truths.
Serves as a voice of reason and moral instruction within the fable, delivering a lesson to the proud pack-horse. He does not undergo a personal arc.
Pragmatic, direct, observant, wise, and firm. He values merit and hard work over inherited status.
Image Prompt & Upload
A middle-aged English carrier standing in a stable, facing forward, full body visible from head to toe. He has a weathered face with a short beard, observant eyes, and practical, short brown hair. He wears a sturdy brown wool waistcoat over a cream linen shirt, dark breeches, and worn leather boots. His hands are clasped in front of him, and he has a firm, knowing expression. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Locations
The Carrier's Stable
A rustic stable, likely part of an English coaching inn or farm, with wooden mangers where horses eat their corn. The air would be thick with the smell of hay, horse, and damp earth. The sound of grinding teeth fills the space.
Mood: Functional, busy, slightly chaotic during the pack-horse's outburst, otherwise routine.
The carrier observes his horses eating, and the pack-horse, feeling its high descent forgotten, complains about sharing a crib with common hacks.
Image Prompt & Upload
A dimly lit, rustic English stable interior. Rough-hewn timber posts and beams support a low ceiling, with straw scattered on a packed earth floor. Wooden mangers line one side, filled with golden corn, and several horses are visible, one with a foamy mouth, its teeth grinding audibly. Soft, cool light filters in from a small, high window, casting long shadows. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
