FABLE LXII
by John Gay
Leo and the Shiny Coins
Leo had a jar full of shiny coins. The coins were bright and gold. He loved to count his shiny coins. He was very happy. One day, a Tricky Fox came by. The fox saw the shiny coins. He wanted the coins. He smiled a tricky smile.
The Tricky Fox had a red car. "Do you want this toy?" he asked. Leo’s eyes opened wide. "Yes!" he said. He gave the fox a shiny coin. The fox gave Leo the red car. Leo played with the car. Then a wheel fell off. The toy broke right away.
Leo wanted more toys. The fox showed him a boat. Leo gave him another coin. The boat broke. The fox showed him a plane. Leo gave him another coin. The plane broke. Soon, Leo gave the fox all his coins. He got many new toys. But all the new toys broke. Leo was sad. He had no more shiny coins.
He wanted more toys. He had a big oak tree. He sold the big oak tree.
Pip the Squirrel lived in the tree. The tree was his home. He had a cozy nest inside. Now Pip has no home. He was very, very sad. He watched the big tree go away. His home was gone. He cried a little tear.
Pip saw Hoot the Wise Owl. Pip was very sad. He said, "This is bad luck." "My home is gone," he sobbed.
Hoot the Wise Owl listened. He looked at Pip with his big eyes. "Was it luck, Pip?" asked Hoot. "Are you sure it was luck?"
Hoot was very wise. He said, "Leo chose to trade his coins. The fox did not force him. Leo made a choice."
"Leo was silly," Hoot said softly. "He did not stop and think." Hoot shook his head slowly. "He just wanted more and more toys."
"Thinking is very important," said Hoot. "Not thinking made the tree go away. It was not bad luck, Pip. It was a silly choice."
Leo sat all alone. He had no coins and no tree. He missed his friend Pip. Leo was very sad. Next time, Leo would stop and think.
Original Story
FABLE LXII.
Pan and Fortune. (*To a Young Heir.*)
No sooner was thy father's death Proclaimed to some, with bated breath, Than every gambler was agog To win your rents and gorge your prog.
One counted how much income clear You had in "ready"—by the year.
Another cast his eyelid dark Over the mansion and the park. Some weighed the jewels and the plate, And all the unentailed estate: So much in land from mortgage free, So much in personality.
Would you to highwaymen abroad Display your treasures on the road? Would you abet their raid of stealth By the display of hoarded wealth? And are you yet with blacklegs fain With loaded dice to throw a main? It is not charity—for shame! The rascals look on you as game. And you—you feed the rogues with bread— By you rascality is fed. Nay, more, you of the gallows cheat The scoundrels who would be its meat. The risks of the highway they shun, Having your rents to prey upon.
Consider, ere you lose the bet, That you might pay your duns and debt. Consider, as the dice-box rattles, Your honour and unpaid for chattels. Think of to-morrow and its duns; Usurious interest, how it runs; And scoundrel sharpers, how they cheat you. Think of your honour, I entreat you.
Look round, and see the wreck of play,— Estate and honour thrown away: Their one time owner, unconfined, Wanders in equal wreck of mind, Or tries to learn the trade by which He ruined fell, and so grow rich: But failing there, for want of cunning, Subsists on charity by dunning. Ah! you will find this maxim true:— "Fools are the game which knaves pursue."
And now the sylvans groan: the wood Must make the gamester's losses good. The antique oaks, the stately elms, One common ruin overwhelms. The brawny arms of boor and clown Cast with the axe their honours down, With Echo's repetitive sounds Complaining of the raided bounds.
Pan dropt a tear, he hung his head, To see such desolation spread. He said: "To slugs I hatred bear, To locusts that devour the ear, To caterpillars, fly, and lice; But what are they to cursed dice? Or what to cards? A bet is made, Which ruin is to mount or glade; My glory and my realm defaced, And my best regions run to waste. It is that hag's—that Fortune's—doing: She ever meditates my ruin. False, fickle jade! who more devours Than frost, in merry May, eats flowers."
But Fortune heard Pan railing thus. "Old Pan," said Fortune, "what's this fuss? Am I the patroness of dice? Is not she our fair cousin, Vice? Do I cog dice or mark the cards? Do gamesters offer me regards? They trust to their own fingers' ends: On Vice, not me, the game depends. So would I save the fools, if they Would not defy my rule by play. They worship Folly, and the knaves Own all her votaries for slaves. They cast their elm and oak trees low: 'Tis Folly,—Folly is thy foe. Dear Pan, then do not rail on me: I would have saved him every tree."
Moral of the Story
Fools are the game which knaves pursue, and one's ruin often stems from personal folly, not external forces.
Characters
Pan ★ protagonist
A robust, muscular figure with the lower body of a goat, including shaggy fur-covered legs and cloven hooves. His human-like torso is strong and earthy, suggesting a life spent outdoors. He is of medium height, with a rustic, wild appearance.
Attire: Minimal clothing, perhaps a simple loincloth made of leaves or rough animal hide, allowing his goat-like lower body to be visible. He might wear a garland of ivy or wild flowers.
Wants: To preserve the natural world, especially his beloved woods and forests, and to see justice for those who harm it.
Flaw: Blames others (Fortune) for problems caused by human folly, rather than addressing the root cause directly. He is deeply emotional and easily despondent.
He begins by blaming Fortune for the destruction of his realm but is corrected by Fortune, learning that human folly is the true culprit.
Protective, sorrowful, traditional, somewhat naive, prone to blaming external forces.
Fortune ◆ supporting
A graceful and elegant figure, neither young nor old, embodying timelessness. She is of average height with a balanced, poised build, suggesting an impartial nature.
Attire: Flowing, classical Greek or Roman-inspired drapery, possibly in shades of white, gold, or silver, indicating her divine status and impartiality. The fabric would be fine and ethereal, like silk or chiffon, draped gracefully around her form.
Wants: To clarify her role in human affairs and distinguish herself from Vice and Folly, asserting her true nature as an impartial force.
Flaw: Her impartiality means she does not actively intervene to save individuals from their own poor choices, which can be perceived as indifference.
She serves as a catalyst for Pan's understanding, clarifying her role and distinguishing herself from Vice and Folly.
Wise, logical, impartial, slightly detached, corrective, patient.
Young Heir ○ minor
A young man of noble birth, likely of slender to average build, reflecting a life of leisure rather than manual labor. He would be of average height for his era, with a generally well-groomed appearance.
Attire: Early 18th-century English aristocratic attire: a finely tailored velvet or silk coat (perhaps in a rich color like blue or burgundy) with ornate buttons, a waistcoat of contrasting fabric, knee breeches, silk stockings, and buckled shoes. His clothing would initially be of high quality, reflecting his wealth.
Wants: To enjoy his inherited wealth and status, seeking entertainment and social acceptance, without considering the long-term consequences.
Flaw: Gullibility, lack of foresight, addiction to gambling, inability to manage his finances, susceptibility to flattery and manipulation.
Begins as a wealthy heir, falls into gambling, loses his estate and honor, and ends up a 'wreck of mind', subsisting on charity.
Impulsive, naive, easily swayed, pleasure-seeking, ultimately foolish.
Locations
The Young Heir's Mansion and Park
A grand estate featuring a substantial mansion and an expansive parkland. The mansion likely possesses architectural details typical of a wealthy English country house of the 18th century, possibly Georgian or Palladian style, with symmetrical facades, sash windows, and perhaps a portico. The park would be landscaped with mature trees, possibly including ancient oaks and stately elms, and open lawns.
Mood: Initially grand and prosperous, quickly shifting to one of impending doom and financial distress as its assets are gambled away.
The initial assessment of the young heir's wealth by gamblers, and later, the physical destruction of the estate's natural beauty as trees are felled to cover gambling debts.
The Wood/Forest
A once-majestic woodland, part of the heir's estate, characterized by ancient oaks and stately elms. The ground is likely covered with fallen leaves and undergrowth. The air is filled with the sounds of axes and the repetitive echo of their blows, signifying destruction.
Mood: Initially serene and ancient, rapidly transforming into one of desolation, lament, and destruction due to the felling of trees.
The physical manifestation of the heir's financial ruin, where the natural glory of the estate is destroyed to pay debts, causing Pan's lament.
Story DNA
Moral
Fools are the game which knaves pursue, and one's ruin often stems from personal folly, not external forces.
Plot Summary
A young heir inherits a fortune, immediately attracting gamblers and sharpers. The narrator issues a stern warning, detailing how gambling leads to financial ruin, loss of honor, and the destruction of one's estate. Pan, the god of the wild, laments the felling of ancient trees to cover gambling debts, blaming Fortune. However, Fortune appears and refutes Pan's accusation, explaining that she is not responsible for such ruin; instead, Folly and Vice are the true culprits, as individuals choose to gamble and defy prudence.
Themes
Emotional Arc
warning to potential ruin
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
John Gay's fables were popular in 18th-century England, often satirizing contemporary society and offering moral instruction, particularly to the upper classes. Gambling was a significant social issue during this period.
Plot Beats (13)
- Upon a father's death, a young heir inherits wealth, immediately attracting gamblers and sharpers.
- The narrator warns the heir against displaying wealth to 'highwaymen' and engaging in gambling with 'blacklegs'.
- The narrator emphasizes that gambling is not charity, but rather feeding rogues who see the heir as 'game'.
- The narrator urges the heir to consider debts, honor, and future consequences before gambling.
- The narrator describes the common fate of gamblers: ruin of estate and mind, leading to poverty or failed attempts to become a sharper.
- The narrator states the maxim: 'Fools are the game which knaves pursue.'
- The natural world, personified by the woods, groans as ancient trees are felled to cover gambling losses.
- Pan, the god of the wild, expresses sorrow and anger over the desolation of his realm, blaming 'cursed dice' and 'cards'.
- Pan accuses Fortune of meditating his ruin, calling her a 'false, fickle jade'.
- Fortune appears, hearing Pan's complaints, and questions his accusations.
- Fortune clarifies that she is not the patroness of dice, but rather Vice is, and gamblers trust their own actions.
- Fortune asserts that she would save the fools if they didn't defy her by gambling, stating that Folly is the true enemy.
- Fortune concludes that gamblers worship Folly, and Folly is responsible for the destruction of the trees and the heir's potential ruin.
