FABLE X
by John Gay
The Wise Elephant
Once, there was a smart elephant. He loved to read books. He read stories every single day. He was the smartest animal in the jungle. But nobody in the town knew his secret.
One morning, he walked to the town. He went to a small book shop. The shop was full of books. There were big books and small books. There were old books and new books. The elephant wanted to find a good story.
He saw a book with a bright, colorful cover. It had pictures of many animals. There was a lion, a monkey, and a bird. "This looks fun!" the elephant thought. He opened the book with his trunk. He started to read the words inside.
The first page said, "Animals are not smart." The elephant blinked his big eyes. He read the words again. "Not smart?" he whispered to himself. "That is not true at all! I am smart!"
He turned the page. He saw a picture of a happy dog. The book said dogs are always friendly. The elephant shook his head slowly. He thought about some people he knew. "Some people are only nice," he said softly. "They are nice when they want something."
Next, he saw a picture of a sly fox. The book said foxes are thieves. It said they steal chickens from farms. The elephant let out a little huff. "Some people take more things," he said. "They take much more than any fox!"
Then, he saw a strong tiger. The book said tigers are very mean. It said they fight and roar loudly. The elephant sighed a big sigh. "Some people are mean for money," he said. "That is much, much worse."
A man heard the elephant talking. He was the owner of the shop. He watched the elephant read the book. His eyes opened very wide with surprise. "Wow!" said the man, walking closer. "You are a very smart elephant!" The man had a clever idea. He smiled a big smile. "I will give you lots of money," he said. "Can you write a mean book about people for me?"
The elephant looked at the man. He shook his long, grey trunk. "No, thank you," he said kindly. "That is not a good job. You do not need an elephant for that. You can always find a person. A person will write mean things for money."
The wise elephant put the book down gently. He walked out of the shop. He went back to his quiet home in the jungle. He knew it was wrong to write mean things for money. The man just stood in his shop. He did not know what to say.
Original Story
FABLE X.
Elephant and Bookseller.
The traveller whose undaunted soul Sails o'er the seas from pole to pole Sees many wonders, which become So wonderful they strike one dumb, When we in their description view Monsters which Adam never knew. Yet, on the other hand, the sceptic Supplies his moral antiseptic; Denying unto truths belief, With groans which give his ears relief: But truth is stranger far than fiction, And outlives sceptic contradiction. Read Pliny or old Aldrovandus, If—they would say—you understand us. Let other monsters stand avaunt, And read we of the elephant.
As one of these, in days of yore, Rummaged a stall of antique lore Of parchment rolls—not modern binding— He found a roll; the which unwinding, He saw all birds and beasts portrayed Which Nature's bounteous hand had made, With forms and sentiments, to wit— All by the hand of man down writ. The elephant, with great attention, Remarked upon that great invention:
"Man is endowed with reason; beasts Allowed their instinct—that at least: But here's an author owning neither— No reason and no instinct either: He thinks he has all natures known, And yet he does not know his own. Now here's the spaniel—who is drawn The master spirit sprung to fawn. Pooh, pooh! a courtier in his calling Must fawn more deeply for enthralling. Now there's the fox—his attribute To plunder—as we say, 'to loot.' Pooh, pooh! a lawyer at that vice Would outfox Reynard in a trice. Then come the wolf and tiger's brood; He bans them for their gust of blood. Pooh, pooh! he bloodier is than they; They slay for hunger—he for pay."
A publisher, who heard him speak, And saw him read Parsee and Greek, Thought he had found a prize: "Dear sir, If you against mankind will stir, And write upon the wrongs of Siam, No man is better pay than I am; Or, since 'tis plain that you know true Greek, To make an onslaught on the rubrick."
Twisting his trunk up like a wipsy, "Friend," said the elephant, "you're tipsy: Put up your purse again—be wise; Leave man mankind to criticise. Be sure you ne'er will lack a pen Amidst the bustling sons of men; For, like to game cocks and such cattle, Authors run unprovoked to battle, And never cease to fight and fray them Whilst there's a publisher to pay them.
Moral of the Story
Humans are quick to criticize others while being blind to their own greater faults, and they will always find someone to pay them to do so.
Characters
The Elephant ★ protagonist
A massive, grey-skinned elephant, towering and majestic, with thick, wrinkled hide. Its ears are large and fan-like, and its legs are thick and columnar. It possesses a long, prehensile trunk and two impressive tusks of ivory.
Attire: None, as it is an animal.
Wants: To understand the world and its inhabitants, particularly human nature, and to offer its own reasoned critique.
Flaw: Perhaps its detachment from human society, which allows it to criticize but not directly influence change.
The Elephant remains consistent in its wisdom and critical perspective, serving as a moral compass rather than undergoing personal change.
Intelligent, observant, critical, philosophical, discerning, and wise. It is not easily swayed by flattery or material gain.
The Bookseller ◆ supporting
A man of average height and build, likely with a slightly stooped posture from years of rummaging through books. His hands might be stained with ink or dust from handling old parchments.
Attire: Modest, practical clothing suitable for a bookseller in 18th-century England: a plain linen shirt, a waistcoat of dark wool, breeches, and sturdy leather shoes. Perhaps a simple, unadorned coat.
Wants: To make money by publishing controversial or popular works.
Flaw: His focus on financial gain blinds him to the Elephant's deeper philosophical insights.
He remains unchanged, still seeking profit even after being rebuffed by the Elephant.
Opportunistic, shrewd, somewhat mercenary, and quick to recognize potential profit. He is also a bit naive in his understanding of true wisdom.
Locations
Antique Bookstall
A bustling street-side stall filled with ancient parchment rolls, not modern bound books. The rolls are unwound and displayed, showing illustrations of birds and beasts.
Mood: Curious, intellectual, slightly chaotic with the display of old texts
The elephant discovers and reads the ancient texts, then critiques mankind.
Story DNA
Moral
Humans are quick to criticize others while being blind to their own greater faults, and they will always find someone to pay them to do so.
Plot Summary
An elephant, while perusing ancient texts, discovers a book where humans define animals by their instincts. He critically observes that humans themselves exhibit these 'animalistic' flaws—fawning, thievery, and bloodlust—to a far greater and more self-serving extent than the beasts. A bookseller, impressed by the elephant's articulate critique, offers to pay him to write works against mankind. The elephant wisely declines, asserting that humans will always find fellow humans to criticize each other, especially when there's profit involved.
Themes
Emotional Arc
observation to cynical realization
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
John Gay was known for his satirical works, often critiquing societal norms and political figures of his time. This fable reflects a common Enlightenment-era critique of human hypocrisy and self-importance.
Plot Beats (11)
- The narrator introduces the theme that truth is stranger than fiction and that some wonders, like the elephant, defy skepticism.
- An elephant, while browsing a stall of ancient books, discovers a scroll depicting various animals.
- The elephant reads the human-written descriptions of animals, noting their assigned forms and sentiments.
- The elephant critically observes that humans attribute reason to themselves and instinct to beasts, yet the author seems to lack both.
- The elephant refutes the human portrayal of the spaniel's fawning, stating courtiers fawn more deeply.
- The elephant refutes the human portrayal of the fox's thievery, stating lawyers are more cunning in plunder.
- The elephant refutes the human portrayal of the wolf and tiger's bloodlust, stating humans kill for pay, which is bloodier than killing for hunger.
- A bookseller, overhearing the elephant's articulate critique and seeing his ability to read, is impressed.
- The bookseller offers the elephant payment to write critical works against mankind, specifically on the wrongs of Siam or against religious rubrics.
- The elephant, twisting his trunk, declines the offer, calling the bookseller "tipsy."
- The elephant advises the bookseller to let humans criticize themselves, as there will always be human authors eager to fight and fray for pay from publishers.
