FABLE LXXI
by Unknown · from Favourite Fables in Prose and Verse
Adapted Version
Once there was a little Hare. She had many, many friends. All the animals knew her. She was kind to everyone. She thought they were all her friends. She lived in a green field. She played with them every day.
One morning, the Little Hare went out. She ran in the field. She heard a loud noise. It was a scary sound. She heard barking dogs. She heard men shouting. The Little Hare was very scared. Danger was near. She felt fear.
She ran very fast. Her legs were tired. She was very tired. She saw The Big Horse. He was eating grass. "Please help me!" she cried. "I am so scared. Let me ride on your back. I need your help."
The Big Horse looked at her. He shook his head. He said, "I cannot help you. My other friends are near. They will help you." He did not help. He walked away.
The Little Hare saw The Strong Bull. He was big and strong. "Please help me!" she cried again. The Strong Bull said, "I am busy now. I have other plans. I cannot help you. I must go now."
She saw The Old Goat next. He had a long beard. "Please help me!" she begged. The Old Goat said, "I am too weak. I cannot carry you. Ask The Woolly Sheep. He is stronger."
The Little Hare saw The Woolly Sheep. He looked soft and white. "Please help me!" she cried. The Woolly Sheep said, "I am too scared. I am too slow. I cannot help you. I must hide."
Then she saw The Young Calf. He was very small. "Please help me!" she asked. The Young Calf said, "I am too small. I am too young. I cannot help you. I am just a baby."
The Young Calf pointed. "Look!" he said. The dogs were very close. They ran very fast. The Little Hare saw them. She felt very scared. Her heart beat fast.
The Little Hare was very sad. She was all alone. No one helped her. She felt very lonely. She learned: one true friend is better than many.
Original Story
FABLE LXXI.
THE HARE AND MANY FRIENDS.
A Hare, who, in a civil way,
Complied with everything, like Gay,
Was known by all the bestial train,
Who haunt the wood, or graze the plain.
As forth she went, at early dawn,
To taste the dew-besprinkled lawn,
Behind she hears the hunter's cries,
And from the deep-mouthed thunder flies.
She starts, she stops, she pants for breath;
She hears the near approach of death;
She doubles, to mislead the hound,
And measures back her mazy round;
Till, fainting in the public way,
Half dead with fear, she gasping lay:—
What transport in her bosom grew,
When first the Horse appeared in view!
"Let me," says she, "your back ascend,
And owe my safety to a friend;
You know my feet betray my flight;
To friendship, ev'ry burthen's light."
The Horse replied,—"Poor, honest Puss!
It grieves my heart to see thee thus:
Be comforted,—relief is near;
For all our friends are in the rear."
She next the stately Bull implored,
And thus replied the mighty lord:—
"Since every beast alive can tell,
That I sincerely wish you well,
I may, without offence, pretend
To take the freedom of a friend.
Love calls me hence; a favourite cow
Expects me near yon barley-mow;
And when a lady's in the case,
You know, all other things give place.
To leave you thus may seem unkind;
But see,—the Goat is just behind."
The Goat remarked her pulse was high;
Her languid head, her heavy eye;
"My back," says she, "may do you harm;
The Sheep's at hand, and wool is warm."
The Sheep was feeble, and complained,
His sides a load of wool sustained;
Said he was slow; confessed his fears;
For Hounds eat Sheep as well as Hares.
She now the trotting Calf addressed,
To save from death a friend distressed.
"Shall I," says he, "of tender age,
In this important care engage?
Older and abler pass you by;
How strong are those! how weak am I!
Should I presume to bear you hence,
Those friends of mine may take offence.
Excuse me, then,—you know my heart;
But dearest friends, alas! must part.
How shall we all lament!—Adieu!
For see, the Hounds are just in view."
MORAL.
Friendships are single: who depend
On many rarely find a friend.
Story DNA
Moral
True friendship is rare and singular; those who rely on many acquaintances often find themselves without a true friend in times of need.
Plot Summary
A friendly Hare, known by all the animals, finds herself in mortal danger when pursued by hunters and hounds. Desperate, she seeks help from a series of her animal acquaintances—a Horse, a Bull, a Goat, a Sheep, and a Calf—each of whom offers a polite but self-serving excuse for not assisting her. Ultimately, the Hare is abandoned by all her supposed friends as the hounds close in, illustrating the moral that true friendship is a rare and singular bond, not found in a multitude of acquaintances.
Themes
Emotional Arc
hope to despair
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Fables like this were popular for teaching moral lessons, often attributed to Aesop but also created by later authors like John Gay (referenced in the text).
Plot Beats (10)
- A friendly Hare is well-known among all the animals in the wood and plain.
- One morning, while out on the lawn, she hears hunters and hounds approaching.
- Terrified and exhausted from running, she encounters a Horse and asks for a ride to safety.
- The Horse politely declines, stating that other friends are nearby to help.
- The Hare then approaches a stately Bull, who also refuses, citing a prior engagement with a cow.
- Next, she appeals to a Goat, who claims her back might harm the Hare and suggests the Sheep.
- The Sheep, in turn, complains of his heavy wool and fear of the hounds.
- Finally, the Hare addresses a young Calf, who makes excuses about his age and weakness, and the potential offense to his own friends.
- As the Calf finishes his refusal, he points out that the hounds are now visible.
- The Hare is left alone, abandoned by all her 'friends', to face the hunters.
Characters
The Hare
A small, agile hare, about 2 feet tall when standing, with a slender build and powerful hind legs. Her fur is a mottled brown and grey, providing camouflage against the forest floor. Her body is built for speed and quick turns.
Attire: None, as she is an animal. Her natural fur coat serves as her covering.
Wants: To escape the hunter and hounds and find safety.
Flaw: Her trusting nature and reliance on others, her physical vulnerability to predators.
She starts as a naive and trusting creature who believes in the strength of her many friendships. By the end, she learns a harsh lesson about the superficiality of fair-weather friends, realizing that 'friendships are single'.
Compliant, trusting, naive, easily frightened, desperate.
The Horse
A large, powerful horse, likely a draft or farm horse, with a sturdy build and strong legs. His coat is a rich bay brown, well-groomed, suggesting he is cared for by humans. He stands tall, about 15-16 hands high.
Attire: None, as he is an animal. His natural coat.
Wants: To avoid inconvenience and maintain his current state of comfort, while appearing polite.
Flaw: Self-interest and a lack of true courage or commitment to friendship.
Remains unchanged, serving as an example of a fair-weather friend.
Seemingly sympathetic, but ultimately evasive and unhelpful, prioritizing his own comfort or lack of inconvenience.
The Bull
A massive, muscular bull with a thick neck and broad shoulders. His hide is a dark, earthy brown, and he possesses formidable horns that curve outwards. He is a picture of immense strength.
Attire: None, as he is an animal. His natural hide.
Wants: To pursue his own desires (love) and avoid any inconvenience or perceived threat.
Flaw: Self-absorption and a lack of genuine empathy.
Remains unchanged, serving as an example of a self-centered friend.
Self-important, dismissive, prioritizing romantic interests over a friend's distress, uses polite excuses to avoid responsibility.
The Goat
A medium-sized goat with shaggy, off-white fur and distinctive curved horns. She appears somewhat frail or delicate, perhaps due to her age or a nervous disposition.
Attire: None, as she is an animal. Her natural fur coat.
Wants: To avoid physical strain or potential harm to herself.
Flaw: Cowardice and a tendency to prioritize her own comfort over others.
Remains unchanged, serving as an example of a friend who makes excuses.
Feigns concern while making excuses based on her own perceived fragility or the Hare's condition, ultimately self-preserving.
The Sheep
A plump, woolly sheep, almost entirely obscured by a thick, heavy fleece of off-white wool. He appears slow and somewhat cumbersome due to the weight of his wool.
Attire: None, as he is an animal. His natural, heavy fleece.
Wants: To avoid danger and protect himself from predators.
Flaw: Extreme timidity and physical slowness.
Remains unchanged, serving as an example of a friend who is too fearful to help.
Feeble, fearful, self-pitying, and openly admits his cowardice, prioritizing his own safety.
The Calf
A young, trotting calf, still somewhat gangly and small compared to adult cattle. His coat is a light brown or fawn color, soft and short. He is energetic but lacks the strength of an adult.
Attire: None, as he is an animal. His natural coat.
Wants: To avoid offending older, stronger animals and to protect himself due to his perceived vulnerability.
Flaw: His youth, perceived weakness, and concern for others' opinions.
Remains unchanged, serving as an example of a friend who is too young or weak to help.
Innocent, self-deprecating, easily influenced by the perceived opinions of others, and ultimately self-preserving due to his youth and perceived weakness.
Locations
Dew-besprinkled Lawn
A wide, open grassy area, likely part of a larger European woodland or pasture, covered in morning dew. The air is crisp and fresh at dawn.
Mood: Initially peaceful and refreshing, quickly turning to panic and terror
The Hare begins her day here, enjoying the morning, before hearing the hunter's cries and the hounds.
Public Way / Country Path
A well-trodden path or track through the countryside, likely unpaved, connecting different parts of the woodland and plain. It's wide enough for animals to travel along.
Mood: Desperate, exposed, vulnerable, leading to exhaustion
The Hare, exhausted from fleeing, collapses on this path, encountering her 'friends' one by one.
Near the Barley-Mow
An agricultural area, likely a field or farm periphery, where harvested barley is stacked into a large, conical mound (barley-mow). This suggests a rural, cultivated landscape.
Mood: Indifferent, mundane, a place of personal interest for the Bull, contrasting with the Hare's peril
The Bull refuses to help the Hare, citing his 'lady' (a cow) waiting near the barley-mow.