FABLE XXV
by John Gay
The Parrot's Words
A man and woman were in a room. A green parrot was in a cage. The woman was talking of her neighbors. Her words were not very kind. The kind man listened to her talk. He looked sad. He said, "Please do not talk like that." "Your words are not kind." "They make people sad."
The woman who talked looked angry now. She pointed a finger at the cage. Poll the Parrot sat inside. "That parrot talks all day long," she said. "You smile when the parrot talks." "You like his fun sounds." "But you do not like my words." "Why can't I talk? Why is it bad?"
The woman put her hands on her hips. "I only say what is true," she said. "If someone is silly, I say it." "I just say they are silly." "That is not a bad thing to say." "Telling the truth is very good." "I am just telling the truth."
The room became quiet for a moment. A small white cat sat on a rug. It put its soft paws over its ears. A little brown dog hid under the table. The dog whimpered a very sad sound. The pets did not like the mean words. They looked sad and also a little scared.
Then, a new voice came from the cage. Poll the Parrot spoke. His voice was clear. He looked right at the woman. "I talk, and people smile," Poll said. "My words are happy sounds." "People like to hear me sing." "They like to hear my talk." The parrot puffed his bright green chest. "You talk, and people feel sad." "Your words make them want to hide." "No one likes to hear mean things."
Poll the Parrot shook his bright feathers. "Saying mean things is never good," he said. "It makes all your good friends go away." "Soon, no one will want to listen to you." "No one will want to be your friend." "You will be all alone in the room." "Be kind with your words. It is better." "Kind words make all people feel happy."
Original Story
FABLE XXV.
The Scold and Parrot.
A husband said unto his wife: "Who deals in slander deals in strife; Are we the heralds of disgrace, To thunder, love, at all our race— And, indiscriminate in rage, To spare nor friend nor sex nor age? Your tongue, love, is a rolling flood That thundering onwards stirs up mud, And, like to fame and human woes, Progressing, strengthens as it flows."
"My husband," so the *tongue* replies, "So philosophic and so wise, Am I to be—so wisdom ridden— A parrot's privilege forbidden? You praise his talk—smile at his squalling Yet in your wife you deem it brawling: Dear husband, must it still belong To man to think his wife is wrong? A lesson learnt from nature's school Tells me to call a fool a fool."
But Nature disabused her words By cat and monkey, dog and birds: Puss spat and pug grinned at the scold, The hound slunk off, the magpie told, With repetitions, woman's rage; Whilst poll, haranguing from her cage: "Parrots for prattling words are prized; Woman for prattling words despised. She who attacks another's fame Does but discredit her own name; Upon her tongues malignant set, And with good interest pay their debt."
Moral of the Story
Those who spread slander and attack the reputation of others ultimately discredit themselves and invite similar treatment.
Characters
The Husband ◆ supporting
A man of average height and build for the 18th century English gentry, with a composed demeanor. His posture is upright but not rigid, suggesting a thoughtful nature.
Attire: Dressed in the attire of an 18th-century English gentleman: a dark wool frock coat with wide cuffs, a lighter waistcoat, knee breeches, white linen shirt with ruffles at the cuffs, and buckled shoes. His clothing is well-maintained but not ostentatious.
Wants: To bring peace and harmony to his household, particularly by curbing his wife's slanderous speech.
Flaw: Perhaps too passive or indirect in confronting his wife, relying on reasoned argument rather than firm action.
He initiates the moral lesson but does not change himself; rather, he sets the stage for the parrot and other animals to deliver the ultimate rebuke.
Philosophic, wise, patient, peace-loving, observant.
The Scold (The Wife) ★ protagonist
A woman of average height and build for the 18th century, perhaps with a slightly tense or agitated posture reflecting her personality.
Attire: Dressed in the attire of an 18th-century English gentlewoman: a full-skirted gown (perhaps a sack-back or robe à la française) in a rich but not overly elaborate fabric like silk or brocade, possibly in a strong color like crimson or deep blue, with lace trim at the sleeves and neckline. She might wear a simple cap or have her hair adorned with ribbons.
Wants: To assert her right to speak her mind freely, to defend her actions, and to prove her husband wrong.
Flaw: Her inability to control her tongue and her self-righteousness, which blinds her to her own flaws.
She is the subject of the fable's lesson, intended to be shamed into changing her ways by the animals' rebuke, though her immediate reaction is not shown.
Argumentative, defiant, quick-tongued, self-righteous, prone to slander.
Poll (The Parrot) ◆ supporting
A vibrant, medium-sized parrot, likely a grey parrot or a similar species known for mimicry, with bright, intelligent eyes. Its feathers are smooth and well-kept.
Attire: Natural plumage, no clothing.
Wants: To mimic and comment on human behavior, ultimately to deliver the fable's moral.
Flaw: None explicitly stated, as it serves as a mouthpiece for wisdom.
Serves as the ultimate arbiter of the moral lesson, delivering the most pointed rebuke to the Scold.
Observant, intelligent, mimics human speech, delivers moral lessons.
Locations
The Husband and Wife's Home Interior
The interior of a modest 18th-century English home, likely a parlor or common room, where the husband and wife are engaged in a heated discussion. The room would contain typical furnishings of the period.
Mood: Tense, argumentative, domestic, with an underlying sense of marital friction.
The central argument between the husband and wife about her gossiping tongue, and the subsequent 'disabusing' of her words by the animals.
Story DNA
Moral
Those who spread slander and attack the reputation of others ultimately discredit themselves and invite similar treatment.
Plot Summary
A husband confronts his wife about her habit of slandering others, comparing her tongue to a destructive flood. The wife defends herself, accusing her husband of hypocrisy for praising a parrot's talk while condemning hers, and claiming she's merely calling out fools. However, various animals subtly disapprove of her behavior, and a parrot from its cage delivers the fable's moral: while parrots are valued for their words, women who spread slander only discredit themselves and invite similar treatment.
Themes
Emotional Arc
ignorance to implied understanding
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
John Gay was a prominent English poet and fabulist of the Augustan era, known for his satirical works and moral fables, often using animal characters to convey human lessons.
Plot Beats (6)
- A husband admonishes his wife for her habit of slandering others, comparing her tongue to a destructive flood.
- The wife retorts, accusing her husband of hypocrisy for appreciating a parrot's squawking but criticizing her speech.
- She argues that she is merely following nature's lesson by calling out fools.
- Various animals (cat, monkey, dog, magpie) react negatively to the scolding wife, subtly disabusing her words.
- A parrot in a cage articulates the fable's moral: while parrots are prized for their words, women who prattle maliciously are despised.
- The parrot concludes that slandering others only harms one's own reputation and invites retaliation.
