FABLE XLI
by John Gay · from Fables of John Gay (Somewhat Altered)
Adapted Version
An owl lived in a big, red barn. The barn was quiet and warm. He liked the barn. It was a good home for an owl. He sat on a high, dark beam. He looked down at the floor below. He saw a little mouse run by. He thought, "I am smart." He was a proud owl. He puffed out his chest.
A farmer came into the barn. The big doors made a loud noise. The barn belonged to the farmer. He came to see his things. He had hay for his cows. He had seeds for the fields. He looked all around the big barn. He did not see the owl high up.
The owl saw the farmer below. He saw the farmer's big boots. The owl was not happy. He ruffled his feathers. He thought about the farmer. He thought, "People are strange. They like the small birds. The small birds sing sweet songs. Their songs are nice to hear. But I am big and smart. My eyes are big and yellow. I am a very important bird. Why do they not like me?"
The owl hooted a proud hoot. "Hoo, hoo!" he said loudly. His voice filled the big barn. He thought about the other birds. "The other birds know I am best. They see me in the day. They all fly after me. They follow me everywhere. They know I am the king. I am the king of birds." He felt very good. He felt strong and important.
The farmer heard the owl's hoot. The sound was loud in the quiet barn. The farmer looked up high. He looked into the shadows. He saw the proud owl on the beam. The farmer shook his head slowly. He smiled a little smile. He said, "You are a silly owl. You are a very proud owl."
The owl looked down at the farmer. He blinked his big, yellow eyes. The farmer spoke again. "The other birds do not like you. They do not think you are a king. They fly after you to laugh. They think you are funny. Your loud hoot scares them away. They just laugh and laugh at you."
The owl was quiet now. His feathers were not puffed out. The farmer said, "Do not be so proud. Now it is sleep time." The farmer left the barn. He closed the big, red doors. The proud owl sat all alone. He thought for a long, long time.
Original Story
FABLE XLI.
Owl and Farmer.
An owl took, in a barn, a station
As fittest for deep contemplation;
There (like a Turk) upon a beam
He sat, as Turks sit in hareem.
So smokers, at the Magpie met,
Peruse the 'Post-boy' or 'Gazette;'
And thence foretell, in wise and sure hope,
The future destinies of Europe.
The farmer comes to see his sheaves.
The owl his silent soul relieves;
"Reason in man is sheer pretence,
Would he—were he endowed with sense—
Treat owls with scorning? He can praise
The birds that twitter on the sprays:
Linnets, and larks, and nightingales,
Yet in the nobler owl he fails.
Should I, by daylight, view my reign,
Those birds would cluster in my train;
Why do they pounce upon the wing,
Save that they see and own their king?"
"Pshaw!" said the farmer: "lump of pride!
They only follow to deride;
Your scream affrights the evening hour,
When nightingales enchant the bower.
Why all on earth—man, beast, and fowl—
Know you for what you are—an owl.
You and your train! 'midst Nature's rules,
Fools in derision follow fools!"
Story DNA
Moral
Self-important fools often mistake derision for admiration, failing to see themselves as others do.
Plot Summary
An owl takes up residence in a barn, believing itself a profound, noble creature scorned by humans who praise lesser birds. It boasts to a visiting farmer that other birds would flock to it in admiration if seen in daylight. The farmer, however, quickly disabuses the owl of its delusion, explaining that other birds only follow it to mock, and that its loud scream frightens rather than enchants, concluding that fools are only followed by other fools in derision.
Themes
Emotional Arc
pride to mild humiliation (for the reader, not the owl)
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
John Gay was a prominent English poet and fabulist of the Augustan era, known for his satirical works.
Plot Beats (8)
- An owl settles in a barn, considering it an ideal spot for deep thought.
- The narrator compares the owl's contemplative posture to a Turk in a harem or smokers discussing politics.
- The farmer arrives to inspect his sheaves.
- The owl, breaking its silence, expresses its disdain for human reason, which praises small birds but scorns the 'nobler' owl.
- The owl boasts that if it were to appear in daylight, other birds would gather around it, recognizing it as their king.
- The farmer scoffs at the owl's pride, calling it a 'lump of pride'.
- The farmer clarifies that other birds follow the owl only to mock it, not to admire it.
- The farmer asserts that all creatures know the owl for what it is, and that 'fools in derision follow fools'.
Characters
The Owl ★ protagonist
A large, robust owl with a broad, flat face and prominent, forward-facing eyes. Its body is covered in soft, mottled brown and grey feathers, providing excellent camouflage against barn wood. It has strong talons and a hooked beak.
Attire: None, as it is an animal. Its natural plumage serves as its 'attire'.
Wants: To be recognized and admired for its perceived wisdom and nobility, to justify its solitary existence and nocturnal habits as superior.
Flaw: Overwhelming pride and self-delusion, which prevent it from seeing itself or its impact on others accurately.
Remains unchanged, clinging to its delusions of grandeur despite the farmer's direct rebuttal.
Vain, self-important, contemplative (or believes itself to be), deluded, proud, solitary.
Image Prompt & Upload
A large, robust owl with mottled brown and grey feathers, perched upright on a wooden barn beam. It has large, round, piercing yellow eyes and a short, hooked dark beak. Its facial feathers form a prominent disc around its face. It looks forward with a serious, contemplative expression. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Farmer ◆ supporting
A sturdy, practical man of average height, with a weathered face from working outdoors. His build is strong and capable, accustomed to manual labor.
Attire: Practical, durable working clothes typical of an 18th-century English farmer: a coarse linen or wool shirt, sturdy breeches, a simple waistcoat, and practical leather boots. His clothes are likely well-worn but clean.
Wants: To tend to his farm and maintain order, to call out pretension and delusion when he encounters it.
Flaw: Perhaps a lack of patience for self-important individuals, leading to bluntness that might be perceived as harsh.
Remains unchanged, serving as the voice of reason and reality against the Owl's delusions.
Practical, direct, blunt, realistic, unsentimental, observant, and somewhat sarcastic.
Image Prompt & Upload
A sturdy, middle-aged English farmer standing upright, facing forward, full body visible from head to toe. He has a sun-weathered face with a few wrinkles, direct brown eyes, and short, practical brown hair. He wears a coarse cream linen shirt, sturdy brown wool breeches, a simple dark green waistcoat, and practical worn leather boots. He stands with hands on his hips, a direct and slightly exasperated expression. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Locations
The Farmer's Barn
A rustic, enclosed structure used for storing harvested grain, specifically sheaves. It has exposed wooden beams in the ceiling where an owl perches. The air is likely dusty and smells of hay and stored crops.
Mood: Quiet, contemplative, then argumentative. Initially a place of solitude for the owl, later a scene of confrontation.
The owl's philosophical monologue about its perceived superiority and the farmer's blunt rebuttal, revealing the owl's self-delusion.
Image Prompt & Upload
A dimly lit, rustic English barn interior with high, exposed timber beams crisscrossing overhead. Piles of golden wheat sheaves are stacked neatly on the packed earth floor, casting long shadows. A single shaft of soft, dusty light filters through a high window, illuminating floating dust particles. The air feels still and heavy with the scent of dry hay. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
The Evening Bower
A lush, natural outdoor setting, likely a garden or wooded area, where nightingales sing enchantingly in the evening. It is contrasted with the owl's harsh scream.
Mood: Enchanting, peaceful, harmonious, representing natural beauty and accepted order.
Mentioned by the farmer as the true domain of beautiful songbirds, highlighting the contrast with the owl's jarring presence.
Image Prompt & Upload
A serene English garden bower at dusk, with dense, dark green foliage and climbing roses creating a natural archway. Soft, fading light from the western sky casts a gentle purple hue over the scene, with the first stars beginning to appear. Delicate wildflowers bloom along the edges of a winding, overgrown path. The air is still and fragrant with night-blooming jasmine. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
