FABLE LXV
by John Gay · from Fables of John Gay (Somewhat Altered)
Adapted Version
Bob is a little dog. Bob is sad. He does not like his job. His job is watching the gate. The job is boring. Very boring. He sits all day. He sees the same tree. The leaves on the tree do not move. A little bird sits on the tree. Then the bird flies away. The tree is empty again. Bob puts his head on his paws.
He thinks about other dogs. He wants to be a pet dog. A pet dog plays all day. They run and jump in the soft grass. They chase a red ball. The ball goes bounce, bounce, bounce. A kind hand pats their head. Their tail goes wag, wag, wag. A pet dog has fun.
A Big Ox sees Bob. The Ox is very big and strong. He is brown like the good soil. His horns are long and white. He has a kind face. His eyes are soft. The Big Ox speaks. He asks, "Why are you sad, little dog?"
The Big Ox talks to Bob. "My job is hard," he says. "I work in the big, big field. The sun is hot on my back. I pull the heavy cart. The cart is full of hay. I pull it up the hill. I work all day long. My work is very hard work."
"But my work is good," says the Ox. "My hard work helps all of us here. It helps grow the food. All the animals can eat. The people can eat too. My work helps make them happy."
The Ox looks at Bob. His eyes are kind. "I work hard for you, too," he says. "So you can eat your dinner. Your food is a good gift. We all help each other on the farm. The hen gives her eggs. I pull the cart. You watch the gate. That is how we are all friends."
Bob looks up at the Big Ox. The Ox is so big and so strong. The Ox works so very hard. And the Ox is kind to him. Bob sees now. All of us have a job to do. Each job is a good job. Each job is needed.
Bob is not sad now. He stands up. He wags his happy tail. Wag, wag, wag. A happy bark comes out. Woof! He is ready to do his job. He will watch the gate very hard. He is a good dog. He is a happy dog now.
Original Story
FABLE LXV.
Cookmaid, Turnspit, and Ox.
(To a Poor Man.)
Consider man in every sphere,
Then answer,—Is your lot severe?
Is God unjust? You would be fed:
I grant you have to toil for bread.
Your wants are plainly to you known,
So every mortal feels his own;
Nor would I dare to say I knew,
'Midst men, one happier man than you.
Adam in Paradise was lone;
With Eve was first transgression known;
And thus they fell, and thus disgrace
Entailed the curse on human race.
When Philip's son, by glory fired,
The empire of the world desired,
He wept to find the course he ran—
Despite of altars—was of man.
So avaricious hopes are checked,
And so proud man may lack respect;
And so ambition may be foiled
Of the reward for which it moiled.
The wealthy surfeit of their wealth,
Grudging the ploughman's strength and health.
The man, who weds the loveliest wife,
Weds, with her loveliness, much strife.
One wants an heir: another rails
Upon his heirs and the entails.
Another—but can'st thou discern
Envies and jealousies that burn?
Bid them avaunt! and say you have
Blessings unknown, which others crave.
"Where is the turnspit? Bob is gone,
And dinner must be drest by one:
Where is that cur—(and I am loth
To say that Betty swore an oath)—
The sirloin's spoiled: I'll give it him!"—
And Betty did look fierce and grim.
Bob, who saw mischief in her eye,
Avoided her—approaching nigh:
He feared the broomstick, too, with physics
As dread as Betty's metaphysics.
"What star did at my birth preside,
That I should be born-slave?" he sighed:
"To tread that spit, of horrid sound—
Inglorious task—to which no hound,
That ever I knew, was abased.
Whence is my line and lineage traced?
I would that I had been professed
A lap-dog, by some dame caressed:
I would I had been born a spaniel,
Sagacious nostrilled, and called Daniel:
I would I had been born a lion,
Although I scorn a feline scion:
I would I had been born of woman,
And free from servitude—as human;
My lot had then been, I discern, fit,
And not, as now, a wretched turnspit."
An ox replied, who heard this whine:
"Dare you at partial fate repine?
Behold me, now beneath the goad.
And now beneath the waggon's load;
Now ploughing the tenacious plain,
And housing now the yellow grain.
Yet I without a murmur bear
These various labours of the year.
Yet come it will, the day decreed
By fates, when I am doomed to bleed:
And you, by duties of your post,
Must turn the spit when I must roast;
And to repay your currish moans
Will have the pickings of my bones."
The turnspit answered: "Superficial
Has been my gaze on poor and rich, all.
What, do the mighty ones then bear
Their load of carking grief and care?
And man perhaps—ah, goodness knows!—
May have his share of pains and woes."
So saying, with contented look.
Bob wagged his tail, and followed cook.
Story DNA
Moral
One should not envy the lot of others, as everyone faces their own burdens, and one's own situation may have hidden blessings.
Plot Summary
A philosophical introduction argues that all beings face burdens, and one should not envy others. A turnspit dog, Bob, bitterly complains about his inglorious life of endless toil, wishing he were any other creature or even human. An Ox, overhearing, calmly responds by detailing its own life of constant labor and its inevitable fate of being slaughtered. The Ox then points out that Bob, as the turnspit, will ultimately benefit by getting the bones. This revelation causes Bob to realize the superficiality of his complaints, and he accepts his lot with newfound contentment.
Themes
Emotional Arc
complaint to acceptance
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
John Gay's fables often satirized contemporary society and politics, though this one is more universally philosophical. The turnspit dog was a real and common fixture in large kitchens before mechanical rotisseries.
Plot Beats (11)
- The narrator addresses the reader, arguing that no one's lot is truly severe compared to others, and everyone has their own burdens.
- The narrator provides examples of human suffering and discontent, from Adam and Eve to kings and wealthy individuals, to illustrate that even the seemingly fortunate face troubles.
- The scene shifts to a kitchen where a cookmaid, Betty, is furious because the turnspit dog, Bob, is missing, threatening him with a broomstick.
- Bob, fearing Betty, hides and begins to lament his existence as a turnspit, feeling it's an inglorious, slave-like task beneath even other dogs.
- Bob wishes he had been born a pampered lap-dog, a skilled spaniel, a noble lion, or even a free human, rather than a wretched turnspit.
- An Ox, overhearing Bob's complaints, calmly interjects, asking if Bob dares to complain about his fate.
- The Ox describes its own life of constant toil, from pulling loads and ploughing fields to housing grain, all endured without complaint.
- The Ox then reveals its inevitable fate: to be slaughtered and roasted.
- The Ox points out that Bob, in his duty, will turn the spit for the Ox's roasting and, as a reward for his 'currish moans,' will get to pick its bones.
- Bob, the turnspit, has an epiphany, realizing his perspective on the rich and poor was superficial and that even the 'mighty ones' bear burdens.
- With a contented look, Bob wags his tail and follows the cook, having accepted his place.
Characters
Betty ◆ supporting
A woman of average height and sturdy build, likely accustomed to physical labor in a kitchen. Her face is capable of looking 'fierce and grim' when angered, suggesting strong features.
Attire: Practical, durable clothing suitable for a cookmaid in an 18th-century English household. This would include a plain linen or wool gown, possibly with an apron over it, and sturdy shoes.
Wants: To ensure the dinner is cooked properly and on time, and to maintain order in her kitchen domain.
Flaw: Her quick temper and tendency to resort to physical threats (the broomstick).
She does not undergo a significant arc, serving primarily as an external force that drives Bob's initial lament.
Short-tempered, demanding, easily frustrated, prone to anger, and somewhat aggressive when provoked. She is also practical and focused on her duties.
Image Prompt & Upload
An adult English cookmaid standing upright, facing forward, full body visible from head to toe. She has a sturdy build, a stern expression, and dark hair pulled back neatly under a white linen cap. She wears a practical, dark blue wool gown with a white linen apron tied over it, and sturdy brown leather shoes. She holds a wooden broomstick in her right hand, her eyebrows slightly furrowed. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Bob ★ protagonist
A small to medium-sized dog, likely a terrier or similar breed known for its stamina and suitability for turning a spit. He is agile enough to avoid Betty's wrath.
Attire: None, as he is a dog. Perhaps a simple leather collar, though not specified.
Wants: To escape his perceived servitude and find a more dignified existence. Later, to find contentment in his current role.
Flaw: His initial self-pity and tendency to compare his lot unfavorably to others.
He transforms from a resentful and self-pitying 'slave' to a contented and accepting individual after hearing the Ox's perspective.
Complaining, self-pitying, philosophical, reflective, and ultimately contented. He is initially resentful of his lot but capable of introspection and accepting his fate.
Image Prompt & Upload
A small, wiry-haired terrier-type dog, standing upright on all fours, facing forward, full body visible from head to toe. He has short, scruffy brown and white fur, alert dark eyes, and a pointed snout. His tail is wagging gently, and he has a slightly contented expression. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Ox ◆ supporting
A large, powerful bovine animal, accustomed to heavy labor. His body shows the signs of a working life, such as broad shoulders and strong legs.
Attire: None, though he is described as being 'beneath the goad' and 'beneath the waggon's load', implying a yoke or harness.
Wants: To fulfill his duties without complaint and to offer a broader perspective on suffering and fate.
Flaw: His ultimate fate is to be slaughtered, a vulnerability inherent to his species in this context.
He serves as a catalyst for Bob's change, providing a contrasting perspective on suffering and duty.
Stoic, patient, wise, enduring, and accepting of his fate. He is a voice of reason and perspective.
Image Prompt & Upload
A large, muscular brown ox standing upright, facing forward, full body visible from head to toe. It has a broad head, calm dark eyes, and short, coarse fur. A sturdy wooden yoke is fitted over its neck. Its posture is stoic and powerful. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Locations
The Kitchen of a Grand House
A bustling, warm kitchen in a large English country house, likely from the 18th century. It would feature a large open hearth with a roasting spit, heavy wooden tables, and various cooking implements. The air is filled with the scent of roasting meat and the sounds of kitchen activity.
Mood: Initially tense and frantic due to the missing turnspit and the cookmaid's anger, later settling into a more contented, industrious mood.
Betty the cookmaid's furious search for Bob the turnspit, Bob's initial lament about his servitude, and his eventual return to his duties.
Image Prompt & Upload
A warm, bustling 18th-century English country house kitchen. A large, rough-hewn stone hearth dominates one wall, with a metal roasting spit slowly turning a large joint of meat over glowing embers. Sunlight streams through a tall, mullioned window, illuminating dust motes in the air and casting warm light on heavy oak workbenches laden with copper pots and ceramic bowls. The floor is made of wide, scrubbed wooden planks. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
Farmyard/Pasture near the House
An open, rural area adjacent to the grand house, where farm animals like oxen would be kept or work. It would include elements like a muddy track, a wooden cart, and fields, reflecting the daily toil of farm life.
Mood: Laborious and stoic, reflecting the ox's acceptance of its fate, but also a place of quiet reflection.
Bob the turnspit's brief escape and his philosophical conversation with the ox about their respective fates and the nature of suffering.
Image Prompt & Upload
A sun-drenched 18th-century English farmyard, with a well-worn, muddy track leading towards distant rolling hills. A sturdy wooden cart stands idle near a weathered timber fence. Lush green grass with patches of clover covers the ground, and a few scattered oak trees provide dappled shade. The sky is a clear, pale blue with soft, wispy clouds. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
