FABLE XV
by John Gay
The Mother Pheasant's Warning
The forest is quiet. All the animals hide. The deer are deep in the trees. The squirrels are in their nests. The birds are not singing. The rabbits are in their holes. Why? People are walking in the forest. It is very still.
A Mother Pheasant is with her chicks. Their nest is a safe home. It is hidden in the tall grass. The little chicks are small and fluffy. They chirp soft little sounds. They are happy with their mother.
Mother Pheasant gathers her chicks close. She looks at her little family. "Listen, my chicks," she says softly. "You must be very careful. People walk in our forest. They are very big and loud. You must hide from all people. Do not make a sound."
"Always be careful of people," she says again. "People are not always kind to animals. They want things from our forest home. They think everything is for them. They take things from us. They take and take and take. They do not ask for our things. And they never say thank you."
"Look at the sheep," says Mother Pheasant. "People take the wool from the sheep. The sheep needs its wool. The wool keeps the sheep warm. Now the sheep is cold. But people do not say thank you. The sheep is very sad."
"Look at the bees," she says. "People take the honey from the bees. The bees make sweet honey. It is their food. Now the bees have no honey. But people do not say thank you. The bees are very sad."
"Look at the cow," she chirps. "The cow makes milk for her baby. The baby cow needs milk. People take the milk. Now the baby cow has no milk. But people do not say thank you. The mother cow is sad."
"So you must hide from all people," she says. "They are not always kind to birds. We are small and they are big. They might try to take you away. They might want our soft feathers. So stay in our safe, hidden home. Stay very close to me always."
The little chicks listen. They stay close to their mother. They are safe under her warm wings.
Original Story
FABLE XV.
Philosopher and Pheasant.
A sage awakened by the dawn, By music of the groves was drawn From tree to tree: responsive notes Arose from many warbling throats. As he advanced, the warblers ceased; Silent the bird and scared the beast— The nightingale then ceased her lay, And the scared leveret ran away. The sage then pondered, and his eye Roamed round to learn the reason why.
He marked a pheasant, as she stood Upon a bank, above her brood; With pride maternal beat her breast As she harangued and led from nest:
"Play on, my infant brood—this glen Is free from bad marauding men. O trust the hawk, and trust the kite, Sooner than man—detested wight! Ingratitude sticks to his mind,— A vice inherent to the kind. The sheep, that clothes him with her wool, Dies at the shambles—butcher's school; The honey-bees with waxen combs Are slain by hives and hecatombs; And the sagacious goose, who gives The plume whereby he writes and lives, And as a guerdon for its use He cuts the quill and eats the goose. Avoid the monster: where he roams He desolates our raided homes; And where such acts and deeds are boasted, I hear we pheasants all are roasted."
Moral of the Story
Humans are often ungrateful and destructive towards the creatures that serve them.
Characters
The Sage ★ protagonist
A man of slender build, of average height, with a contemplative and gentle demeanor. His movements are slow and deliberate, suggesting a life of thought rather than physical labor.
Attire: Simple, unadorned robes made of natural, undyed linen or wool, likely in shades of grey, brown, or cream, suggesting a life of austerity and focus on intellect rather than material wealth. The fabric would be coarse but well-maintained, perhaps with a simple rope belt.
Wants: To understand the natural world and the reasons behind phenomena, to seek knowledge and truth.
Flaw: Perhaps too detached from the practical realities of the world, leading to a somewhat naive understanding of animal fears.
He learns a new perspective on humanity from the pheasant's speech, gaining insight into how humans are perceived by other creatures.
Observant, contemplative, wise, curious, peaceful.
The Pheasant Mother ◆ supporting
A mature female common pheasant, with a less vibrant plumage than a male, but still beautifully patterned. She is of typical pheasant size, with a long tail and a sturdy build, indicative of a protective mother.
Attire: Her natural plumage: intricate patterns of mottled brown, gold, and black feathers, providing excellent camouflage. Her tail feathers are long and barred.
Wants: To protect her young and teach them how to survive by avoiding the dangers of the human world.
Flaw: Her deep-seated fear and distrust of humans, which, while justified, might prevent her from seeing individual exceptions.
She serves as a voice of warning and a source of wisdom for her young, reinforcing her role as a protector.
Protective, wary, articulate (for an animal), distrustful of humans, wise (in her own way), maternal.
The Infant Brood ○ minor
Small, fluffy pheasant chicks, covered in soft down, likely a mix of light brown, yellow, and black for camouflage. They are tiny and vulnerable, moving close to their mother.
Attire: Their natural downy plumage.
Wants: To learn from their mother and survive.
Flaw: Vulnerability due to youth and inexperience.
They are being educated by their mother about the dangers of the world.
Innocent, trusting (initially), impressionable, dependent.
Locations
The Grove at Dawn
A verdant, natural woodland area, quiet and serene at the break of day, filled with the sounds of birdsong.
Mood: Peaceful, natural, initially harmonious, then subtly disturbed.
The philosopher is drawn into the grove by birdsong, which then ceases upon his approach, prompting his observation.
Pheasant's Bank
A raised bank or small hillock within a secluded glen, providing a vantage point for a mother pheasant and her brood.
Mood: Protective, cautionary, natural, with an underlying sense of vigilance.
The philosopher observes a mother pheasant instructing her chicks on the dangers of man from this elevated position.
Story DNA
Moral
Humans are often ungrateful and destructive towards the creatures that serve them.
Plot Summary
A philosopher enjoying the morning sounds of nature notices that all the animals fall silent and flee as he approaches. He then observes a mother pheasant warning her young brood about the inherent cruelty and ingratitude of humans. She cites examples of how humans exploit sheep for wool, bees for honey, and geese for quills, only to kill them afterward. The pheasant concludes by urging her children to avoid humans, who raid their homes and roast pheasants.
Themes
Emotional Arc
observation to warning
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
John Gay's fables were popular in 18th-century England, often satirizing human behavior and societal norms through animal allegories.
Plot Beats (8)
- A sage is drawn by the music of the groves at dawn.
- As he advances, the birds cease their singing and animals flee.
- The sage ponders the reason for their fear.
- He spots a pheasant standing proudly above her brood.
- The pheasant begins to lecture her young about the dangers of man.
- She warns them to trust hawks and kites sooner than man, calling humans 'detested wight' due to their ingratitude.
- She gives examples: sheep are clothed by their wool but then butchered; honey-bees are killed for their combs; geese provide quills for writing but are then eaten.
- She instructs her brood to avoid humans, who desolate homes and roast pheasants.
