FABLE LVI
by Unknown · from Favourite Fables in Prose and Verse
Adapted Version
Once there was a Little Dog. He loved to bark! He barked very much. He thought his bark was good. He thought it was sweet music. He was a small dog. He barked all day. He barked at everything. He barked all the time. He barked loudly.
The Little Dog lay in the road. He barked at many things. He barked at people. He barked at other animals. He barked at every creature. He barked at birds. He barked at cats. He barked at wagons. He barked all the time. He never stopped barking. He made much noise.
One day, a big horse came. The Little Dog saw the horse. He jumped up fast. He barked and barked. He barked with joy. He ran after the horse. He barked until the horse left the village. The horse ran away fast. The Little Dog felt proud. He thought he was strong.
Then a very Big Horse walked. It walked slowly on the road. The Big Horse was calm. It did not make noise. It was a very big animal. It had a long mane. It was a quiet horse. It had a long tail.
The Little Dog saw the Big Horse. He ran to the horse. He barked very loudly. He barked and barked. He did not stop barking. He made much noise. He barked with all his might. He barked with all his strength. He barked at its legs. He thought he was brave.
The Big Horse heard the noise. It was very tired of barking. It felt angry now. It wanted peace. It was not happy. It lifted its back leg. The Big Horse moved its leg up. It moved its leg back. It did not like the noise. It wanted quiet now. It made a loud sound.
The Little Dog fell down. He was very surprised. He felt a little hurt. He was quiet. He felt small. He felt scared. He stopped barking now. He felt very sad. He lay on the ground. He did not bark anymore. His loud bark was gone.
The Big Horse walked away. It walked quietly now. It continued on its way. It went on its journey. It was a long journey. It was a peaceful walk. It walked calmly down the road. It did not look back.
A Wise Dog saw it all. He saw the Little Dog. He walked to the Little Dog. He wanted to talk to him. The Wise Dog was kind. He was an old dog. He had wise eyes. He had seen many things. He knew much wisdom.
The Wise Dog said, "Barking is not good. Do not bark at everyone. Be kind and quiet. Then you will not get hurt. Be nice. He listened to the Wise Dog. He understood the words. Little Dog thought about this. He felt very quiet. He learned a big lesson that day.
Original Story
FABLE LVI.
THE CUR, THE HORSE, AND THE SHEPHERD'S DOG.
A Village Cur, of snappish race,
The pertest puppy in the place,
Imagined that his treble throat
Was blessed with music's sweetest note;
In the mid road he basking lay,
The yelping nuisance of the way;
For not a creature passed along,
But had a sample of his song.
Soon as the trotting steed he hears,
He starts, he cocks his dapper ears;
Away he scours, assaults his hoof;
Now near him snarls, now barks aloof;
With shrill impertinence attends;
Nor leaves him till the village ends.
It chanced, upon his evil day,
A Pad came pacing down the way;
The Cur, with never-ceasing tongue,
Upon the passing traveller sprung.
The Horse, from scorn provoked to ire,
Flung backward; rolling in the mire,
The Puppy howled, and bleeding lay;
The Pad in peace pursued his way.
A Shepherd's Dog, who saw the deed,
Detesting the vexatious breed,
Bespoke him thus: "When coxcombs prate,
They kindle wrath, contempt, or hate;
Thy teasing tongue, had judgment tied,
Thou hadst not like a Puppy died."
MORAL.
Too late the forward youth will find
That jokes are sometimes paid in kind;
Or, if they canker in the breast,
He makes a foe who makes a jest.
Story DNA
Moral
Those who provoke others with their constant teasing and arrogance will eventually face painful consequences.
Plot Summary
A small, arrogant village cur constantly barks and harasses every creature that passes by, believing his noise to be beautiful. One day, he targets a horse with his usual incessant taunting. Provoked beyond endurance, the horse kicks the cur, leaving him fatally wounded. A wise Shepherd's Dog observes the scene and delivers a final lesson, stating that the cur's teasing tongue led to his demise.
Themes
Emotional Arc
arrogance to suffering
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Fables often served as didactic tools, using animal characters to illustrate human flaws and virtues, common in many cultures throughout history.
Plot Beats (10)
- A small, yappy village cur, full of self-importance, believes his barking is the sweetest music.
- He lies in the road, constantly barking at every creature that passes by.
- When a trotting steed approaches, the cur starts, barks, snarls, and follows it until it leaves the village.
- One day, a 'Pad' (horse) comes pacing down the way.
- The cur immediately springs upon the horse with his usual, never-ceasing barking.
- The horse, provoked from scorn to ire, kicks backward.
- The cur is struck, howls, and lies bleeding in the mire.
- The horse peacefully continues on its journey.
- A Shepherd's Dog, witnessing the event and disliking the cur's breed, speaks to the dying cur.
- The Shepherd's Dog explains that arrogant talk kindles wrath, and if the cur had controlled his tongue, he wouldn't have died like a puppy.
Characters
The Village Cur
A small, scruffy village dog, likely a mixed breed, with a lean and agile build. His fur is probably a common, muted color like brown, grey, or black, often matted with dust from basking in the road. He is small enough to be easily thrown by a horse's kick.
Attire: None, as he is an animal.
Wants: To assert his presence and importance, to annoy passersby, and to hear the sound of his own voice.
Flaw: His excessive pride, lack of judgment, and inability to control his 'teasing tongue' lead directly to his demise.
He begins as an annoying, self-important nuisance and ends tragically, killed by the very behavior he indulged in.
Impertinent, boastful, annoying, persistent, and ultimately foolish. He believes his 'treble throat' is musical and enjoys provoking others.
The Pad
A sturdy, well-built horse, likely a pack horse or a riding horse, with a calm and steady demeanor. Its coat could be any common color for a working horse, such as bay, chestnut, or grey. Its build suggests strength and resilience.
Attire: Likely wears a simple bridle and possibly a saddle or pack, indicating its role as a 'Pad' (a horse used for riding or carrying burdens).
Wants: To travel peacefully and unmolested along its way.
Flaw: Its patience has limits, and extreme provocation can lead to a violent reaction.
Remains consistent, a symbol of patient power that eventually retaliates against persistent annoyance.
Patient, initially scornful, but capable of swift and decisive anger when pushed too far. It prefers peace and quiet.
The Shepherd's Dog
A robust and intelligent working dog, likely a breed known for herding, such as a Border Collie or an Old English Sheepdog type. Its build is strong and capable, suggesting a life of purposeful work. Its fur might be shaggy or dense, suited for outdoor life.
Attire: None, as he is an animal.
Wants: To maintain order and peace, and to offer wisdom based on experience.
Flaw: Not explicitly stated, but perhaps a tendency to be overly didactic.
Remains consistent as a voice of reason and moral commentary.
Wise, observant, judicious, and detesting of pointless vexation. It offers a moral lesson.
Locations
Village Road
A well-trodden dirt road, likely unpaved, running through a rural European village. It's wide enough for a horse and rider, with open space on either side where a dog might bask.
Mood: Initially mundane and somewhat peaceful, but quickly becomes irritating due to the cur's incessant barking.
The Cur habitually lies here, barking at every passerby, and where the fateful encounter with the Pad Horse occurs.
Mire on the Road
A specific, muddy patch or puddle on the village road, deep enough to cause a creature to be 'rolling in the mire'.
Mood: Sudden violence and pain, then a sense of quiet consequence.
The Cur is flung into this muddy spot by the Horse, suffering its fatal injury here.