FABLE XX
by John Gay · from Fables of John Gay (Somewhat Altered)
Adapted Version
Here is a mother hen. Her name is Mother Hen. Here is her son. He is a rooster. They look for food. They peck at the ground.
A small chick once saw the well. The chick fell in the water. The water was deep and cold. It was very scary. Mother Hen saved the little chick.
Mother Hen is worried now. She thinks about the well. She sees her son, the Rooster. She must talk to her son.
She says, "Do not go to the well." "The well is not a safe place." "The water is very deep." "Promise me you will not go."
The Rooster looked at his mother. "Okay, Mother," he said. He promised to be a good son.
But the Rooster was very curious. He thought about the well. He walked toward the well. He stood and looked at it. He did not go too close. He just looked from far away.
The Rooster thought, "What is inside?" "What is in the deep, dark well?" "Why is it not a safe place?" He wanted to know.
The Rooster made a choice. He walked to the top of the well. He stood on the stone edge. He wanted to see inside for himself.
He looked down into the water. He saw something in the water. He saw another rooster. The rooster looked big. It looked very strong.
The Rooster was not happy. He puffed up his chest. "Who is that?" he crowed. He flapped his big wings hard. The other rooster flapped its wings. The Rooster got very angry now.
He jumped at the other rooster. Splash! He fell into the cold water. The water was so cold. He was all wet. His wings were heavy. He could not get out. He was stuck in the well.
He felt sad and very scared. "Help!" he shouted with all his might. Mother Hen heard his call. She ran to the well fast. She helped her son get out. He was wet, but he was safe. He knew his mother was right. He stayed close to his mother.
Original Story
FABLE XX.
Old Hen and Young Cock.
Once an old hen led forth her brood
To scratch and glean and peck for food;
A chick, to give her wings a spell,
Fluttered and tumbled in a well.
The mother wept till day was done,
When she met with a grown-up son,
And thus addressed him:—"My dear boy,
Your years and vigour give me joy:
You thrash all cocks around, I'm told;
'Tis right, cocks should be brave and bold:
But never—fears I cannot quell—
Never, my son, go near that well;
A hateful, false, and wretched place,
Which is most fatal to my race.
Imprint that counsel on your breast,
And trust to providence the rest."
He thanked the dame's maternal care,
And promised never to go near.
Yet still he burned to disobey,
And hovered round it day by day;
And communed thus: "I wonder why?
Does mother think my soul is shy?
Thinks me a coward? or does she
Store grain in yonder well from me?
I'll find that out, and so here goes."
So said, he flaps his wings and crows,
Mounted the margin, peered below,
Where to repel him rose a foe.
His choler rose, his plumes upreared—
With ruffled plumes the foe appeared.
Challenged to fight—he dashed him down
Upon the mirrored wave to drown;
And drowning uttered: "This condition
Comes from my mother's prohibition.
Did she forget, or not believe,
That I too am a son of Eve?"
Story DNA
Moral
Disobeying wise counsel, especially from those who care for you, often leads to self-inflicted harm.
Plot Summary
An old hen, having lost a chick in a well, warns her grown son never to approach it. Despite promising to obey, the young cock's curiosity and defiance grow, leading him to ponder his mother's motives. He eventually goes to the well, sees his reflection, and, mistaking it for a rival, attacks it, falling in and drowning. In his final moments, he realizes his death is a direct consequence of his disobedience.
Themes
Emotional Arc
concern to defiance to self-destruction
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
John Gay was a prominent English poet and dramatist, known for his fables which often satirized contemporary society and offered moral lessons.
Plot Beats (12)
- An old hen leads her chicks to forage.
- One of her chicks accidentally falls into a well and drowns.
- The mother hen, distraught, later encounters her grown son.
- She warns him emphatically to never go near the well, explaining its danger to their kind.
- The young cock thanks his mother and promises to heed her advice.
- Despite his promise, he is consumed by a desire to disobey and repeatedly visits the well.
- He speculates on his mother's reasons, wondering if she doubts his courage or is concealing something.
- Driven by curiosity and defiance, he decides to investigate the well.
- He perches on the well's edge and looks down, seeing his own reflection.
- Mistaking his reflection for an enemy, his anger rises, and he attacks the image.
- He plunges into the well and drowns.
- As he drowns, he realizes his fate is due to his disobedience and questions his mother's understanding of his nature.
Characters
Old Hen ◆ supporting
A small, somewhat frail hen with slightly faded, ruffled brown and white feathers. Her comb and wattles are a duller red compared to a younger bird, showing signs of age. Her legs are thin and scaly.
Attire: None, as she is an animal. Her 'clothing' is her natural plumage.
Wants: To protect her offspring from harm and ensure their survival, passing on her wisdom and fears.
Flaw: Her overwhelming fear and anxiety, which can be perceived as restrictive by her children.
She remains consistent in her maternal concern, her character serving as a cautionary voice.
Overprotective, maternal, anxious, traditional, cautious.
Image Prompt & Upload
An elderly hen, full body visible head to toe, facing forward. She has faded brown and white feathers, a small floppy red comb, and dull red wattles. Her small black eyes are wide with worry, and her pale yellow beak is slightly open as if clucking. Her posture is slightly hunched, and her thin, scaly legs are visible. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Young Cock ★ protagonist
A robust and vigorous young rooster, larger and more muscular than his mother. His feathers are bright and well-maintained, likely a mix of iridescent greens, reds, and golds, indicative of a healthy, dominant bird. His legs are strong with prominent spurs.
Attire: None, as he is an animal. His 'clothing' is his natural plumage.
Wants: To assert his independence, prove his bravery, and understand the unknown, driven by a desire to challenge perceived limitations.
Flaw: His pride and impulsiveness, leading him to disregard wise counsel and rush into danger without proper assessment.
He begins as a proud, disobedient youth and ends tragically, learning the hard way the consequences of ignoring wisdom.
Brave (or foolhardy), disobedient, curious, proud, competitive, impulsive.
Image Prompt & Upload
A young, vigorous rooster, full body visible head to toe, facing forward. He has bright, iridescent green, red, and gold feathers, a large upright bright red comb, and firm red wattles. His sharp black eyes are alert, and his strong yellow beak is slightly open as if crowing. His chest is puffed out, and his posture is proud and confident. Strong legs with prominent spurs are visible. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Chick ○ minor
A tiny, fluffy yellow chick, very small and vulnerable. Its feathers are soft and downy, not yet developed into adult plumage. Its legs are thin and delicate.
Attire: None, as it is an animal. Its 'clothing' is its natural downy plumage.
Wants: To explore and learn, driven by natural curiosity.
Flaw: Its extreme youth and lack of experience, leading to accidental danger.
Its brief existence serves as the catalyst for the Old Hen's warning.
Innocent, clumsy, vulnerable, curious (implied by fluttering).
Image Prompt & Upload
A tiny, fluffy yellow chick, full body visible head to toe, facing forward. It has soft, downy yellow feathers, small black button eyes, and a very small soft yellow beak. Its posture is slightly off-balance, as if about to tumble. Thin, delicate legs are visible. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Locations
The Farmyard
A typical English farmyard, likely with loose earth, scattered grains, and low-lying vegetation where hens and chicks forage. The well is a prominent feature within this space.
Mood: Initially bustling and ordinary, later tinged with maternal anxiety and youthful defiance.
The old hen leads her brood to forage, and a chick falls into the well. Later, the young cock disobeys his mother's warning about the well in this area.
Image Prompt & Upload
A sun-dappled English farmyard scene, with a rough-hewn stone well in the foreground. The ground is a mix of packed dirt and sparse, short grass, with a few scattered grains. In the background, a low, weathered wooden fence separates the yard from a field of green. The light is bright and clear, casting soft shadows. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
The Well
A deep, circular well, likely constructed of stone or brick, with a dark, reflective water surface at the bottom. The margin or edge is accessible for a bird to perch.
Mood: Initially a place of danger and sorrow, later a stage for a foolish act of defiance and self-deception.
A chick tumbles into it, causing the mother hen great distress. The young cock later approaches, peers into, and ultimately attacks his own reflection in the water.
Image Prompt & Upload
A close-up, low-angle view of the interior of an old, circular stone well. The rough-hewn grey stones are damp and show signs of age, perhaps with a few mossy patches. At the bottom, a perfectly still, dark water surface reflects a sliver of bright blue sky and the well's rim. The light comes from directly above, creating a stark contrast between the shadowed stone and the reflective water. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
